Indiana Pacers paint presence on both ends of the floor vital in victory over Brooklyn Nets
INDIANAPOLIS — Entering Saturday, the Indiana Pacers were 1-4 this season when they knocked down six or fewer three-point shots. In the one win, they lived at the foul line and were efficient thanks to 38 free throw attempts. Last night against the Brooklyn Nets, the Pacers only took 16 shots from the charity stripe and went 6/30 from deep.
Yet they crushed the Nets, rolling to a 21-point win behind an impressive second half. It was an unusual game for Indiana, who typically are doomed when they shoot poorly from deep. They entered the weekend 3-14 when shooting under 31% from deep this season but improved that record in their victory over Brooklyn.
The Pacers found a new way to win. With their outside shot disappearing, they controlled the paint on both ends. It worked to perfection. Their scoring at the basket was sublime, and their team defense kept Brooklyn away from the tin. It made for a crushing combination.
"It's very important... As much as we can," Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said of attacking the paint. "We have guys that can get to the paint," he added, noting that the coaching staff put an emphasis on paint pressure before the game.
Lloyd Pierce was the assistant leading the messaging. He, and the whole staff, know how effective the Pacers are when they are playing inside out. They call it 'paint to great'. Indiana's offense hums when they play that way.
On Saturday, the Pacers scored 82 points in the paint. It was their second-most in a single game this season. Indiana is 6-1 in games in which they exceed 72 points in the paint and 14-6 when they reach 64. They look terrific when they can score near the bucket, and they did against Brooklyn.
"We put an emphasis into that pregame," wing Aaron Nesmith said about 20 minutes after the action. "Just get to the paint and great things will happen. There's numbers behind it."
Indiana had 30 second chance points, which was their second-most in a game this season. When they attacked, they were successful even when they didn't finish plays. They cleaned up offensive boards and took advantage of their extra chances.
Jalen Smith, Myles Turner, and Siakam combined for one fewer offensive rebound than the entire Nets team. They were more than eager to grab misses in the paint, and they finished plays — combining for 48 points.
The Pacers average 56.6 drives per game this season, per the NBA's tracking data. They exceeded that number on Saturday. Since the All-Star break, Indiana has been one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. They needed to refine their offensive approach, and they did against Brooklyn in dominant fashion.
"It's an emphasis in every game. There have been some recent games where we didn't do a good job of getting into the paint and paid the price," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after the win.
Carlisle was equally pleased with his team's ability to prevent the Nets from scoring points in the paint. Brooklyn, who also drives often during the average game, finished with just 42 points in the paint, the second-fewest Indiana has allowed during a battle in 2023-24.
The Pacers are 6-3 when they hold a team under 50 points in the paint this season. Like attacking the basket, protecting it is important. Indiana did it well last night, and it didn't even require frequent rim protection from Turner, their defensive master.
Instead, it was a team effort. Players stepped up and prevented drives, communicated well, and forced the Nets to consider their options. "We wanted to keep them out of the paint. They're an attacking team," Carlisle said. He was happy with his team's defense on a night where they were off from three. "We did a good job effort wise from the jump," Nesmith added. It was vital in rolling to a victory.
The Pacers allowed 100 points, their third-lowest total of the season. It would have been lower if not for a meaningless late basket from Trendon Watford. They defended well, and it all started with their rim deterrence.
That needs to be the standard going forward. The Pacers offense hasn't been the same since the All-Star break, but if they can play better on the less glamorous end of the floor, they can bank wins and keep up in the postseason race. What they did on Saturday needs to be the Pacers' new normal.
"It takes a special group to sit down and avoid those situations," Carlisle said of his team's defense and preventing buckets at the rim. "Our defense has got to be consistent," he added of what his team needs going forward.
The Pacers have 14 games left. If they continue to be a poor shooting team from deep, then their blueprint for success going forward is what they showed on Saturday night. They need to dominate points in the paint battle often, and they did so against the Nets.
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