Pacers center Isaiah Jackson focusing on the simple things to stay engaged and be effective
Through the Indiana Pacers first 25 games this season, young big man Isaiah Jackson played in 24 of them. He missed just one outing in that span, and it was due to injury. The 2021 first-round draft pick had more than 10 minutes of playing time in 22 of those games — Jackson was firmly a part of the Pacers rotation.
In the Pacers 10 games since, Jackson has played in just five of them, though he did miss one due to injury. Indiana altered its starting lineup recently, bringing Aaron Nesmith into the opening unit and pushing Jalen Smith to the bench. Less than a week later, Chris Duarte returned from injury and reclaimed his spot in the rotation. Suddenly, the second unit had a new big man and fewer minutes to go around.
Jackson has seen his minutes decline as a result. He's sat out of four games entirely in the last three weeks, and he played for just over two minutes when the Pacers battled on Tuesday night. He still has games where he is getting plenty of playing time in lieu of other bigs, but his minutes have decreased this month.
"Working with coaches and stuff, playing five-on-five, just staying ready. It's a long season... I'm prepared for whatever," Jackson said of how he stays engaged with fewer opportunities. "There's going to be games when I don't play, but I'm going to be ready for when I do play."
As Jackson's season has progressed, he has attempted to add to his game. Like any young player, he works to apply the skills he practices in games. He's taking more shots away from the rim this season. He defends the perimeter more often and has significantly upped his assist rate. As he develops into a frontcourt piece capable of playing multiple positions, Jackson has tried to evolve as a player.
At times, that has hurt his impact — for example, he's shooting 29.8% on non-rim shot attempts, per pbpstats. His turnover rate is up slightly as he attempts to distribute and dribble more often. These aren't negatives, they are moreso natural consequences of a young player adding to his game. But they have lowered Jackson's impact at times.
That's why the key for the 20-year old big man has been balancing those development moments with simple play. Jackson thrives as an athletic big man who can play above the rim on both ends of the court. Doing that and being forceful while also slowly adding skills has been the focus for Jackson recently.
That's what he did in Cleveland last week when he finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals. He made five shots, and all of them were right at the rim. "That was the old me. Just running the floor, being me, having fun," he said a few days later.
That night was a great example of Jackson keeping it simple. He lived around the basket and found ways to be effective on defense. Had he mixed in a few plays where he showcased some of the skills he has been working on, that would have been completely appropriate. But keeping things simple allowed him to thrive with the second unit.
"When I tend to try to do everything else everybody else [is] doing, I sort of overthink everything," Jackson said. He has talked more than once this season about how being calm and not having his mind race on game days helps him be effective. "It helps a lot," he added of keeping it simple.
Jackson may get another chance to play big minutes tonight. The Pacers take on the Cavaliers again, and the last time the two teams played, Smith re-entered the starting five against a Cleveland team that starts two bigs. That opened up time for Jackson, and that opportunity could be available again if the rotation is similar this evening.
If bench minutes are coming his way, Jackson will look to impact the second unit with the same plays that made him a threat on his way to the NBA. "Just blocking the spotlight. Trying not to chase points. Let everything just flow," he said of growing and playing simple simultaneusly. The two-year pro feels like he has been doing that better recently. "Just working. Working on the things that eventually I'll translate into the game, but just doing the things that got me here."
Jackson's skillset pairs well with several of his Pacer teammates. It's justifiable to play him in many situations. But it's difficult to get him on the court within a crowded frontcourt, and the Pacers are currently facing the challenge of balancing the rotation.
That's similar to the challenge Jackson faces between balancing in-game, long-term skill growth and short-term success by keeping it simple. One of the great tests of his second season is figuring out how to do that.
Head coach Rick Carlisle has stressed the importance of keeping things simple during the campaign, both at the team and individual level. Jackson is discovering that importance now, and it's a key part of his development.
"In most team sports, simplicity is a huge, enormously important word. Because the simpler you can make things for a group, the better the group is going to function," Carlisle said earlier in the season. Isaiah Jackson is finding out the importance of simplicity now, and it's clear both when he plays his best and when he plays his worst. In the long run, though, this stretch will benefit Jackson significantly as he learns how to balance simple plays and development.
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