Terry Taylor reminds everyone what he is capable of in short return to Indiana Pacers rotation
Prior to the month of January, Indiana Pacers forward Terry Taylor hadn't reached 10 minutes of action in a game since October. He had a few shorter rotation stints in between, but he rarely hit the court during the competitive portion of a game.
In January, that changed. The Pacers were slumping and dealing with a few injuries, so the team turned to Taylor as it searched for solutions. The 23-year old forward hit the court for just over 13 minutes in a mid-January clash with the Memphis Grizzlies, and he finished with nine points and four rebounds. The Pacers lost by 18 that night, but they played Memphis to an even draw with Taylor on the court. He was effective.
"Terry Taylor did good things off the bench," Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle said after that game. "He was in [the Pacers facilities] early this afternoon working out. Just keeping himself tuned up the best he could."
Indiana has a crowded frontcourt rotation, so it's hard for many younger forwards and centers on the Pacers to get consistent minutes. Isaiah Jackson, Jalen Smith, Goga Bitadze, and Taylor all either have an inconsistent role or play sparingly. The Pacers have found success with smaller and spread out lineups this year, and that has impacted their frontcourt rotation.
That has significantly decreased Taylor's minutes from his rookie season. Last year, the Austin Peay product played in 31 of the team's final 34 games and earned a promotion from his two-way contract. This year, that role hasn't been available on a more competitive roster.
But with the Pacers struggling this month, they turned back to Taylor as they were searching for answers. The young forward is one of the better offensive rebounders in the league, and he's a brilliant finisher at the basket, especially for his size. With the blue and gold needing more possessions, and chances, with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, they turned to Taylor.
"Any time you go through the stretch that we've gone through — lost seven in a row, we're missing [Haliburton] — it really changes the dynamic of our team. We're just trying to find solutions," Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce explained of the decision to turn to Taylor. "Mixing up the rotation, seeing if it gets new energy from different guys, "
During a seven-game stretch, Taylor played in five of them, and he received 13+ minutes in all five appearances. The Pacers were a +3 with the two-year pro on the court during that stretch, and they snapped a seven-game losing streak against Chicago on a night that Taylor played over 20 minutes for just the fourth time of the season.
In that game, the young forward finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Four of his boards came on the offensive end as he showcased his best NBA skill. He knocked down five shots, a season high, in the win.
"I've felt good. Regardless of if I play or not, I've got to be a good teammate," Taylor said of his playing time. He noted that he is more comfortable playing at the power forward spot now after spending much of his rookie season playing center.
That positional switch is tricky, given Taylor's skillset. He is effective around the basket with his finishing and offensive rebounding, but Pacers forwards don't go near the rim much. Taylor has had to figure out how to play to his strengths within a different role, and growth in that way led to his success in January.
"I'm starting to get more comfortable with it. I've gotten an opportunity the past two games to show that I can really help and whatnot," he said, adding that he feels more familiar at the four now that he's had more time there.
When the 23-year old is in the game, Taylor explained that Carlisle wants him to be physical. He is tasked with using his frame to be impactful and make the other team feel his presence. His rebounding abilities are the best way to do that, but he also did a good job anchoring zone defenses when he was on the floor.
"[Taylor] has been one of those guys that's played well," Pierce said. Taylor averaged 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game during his five game return to the rotation.
In Taylor's final game with meaningful minutes, a seven point and two rebound outing against the Orlando Magic, reserve forward Oshae Brissett finished the night with a +12 plus-minus off the bench. Since that game, Brissett has continued to play every outing, and rookie guard Andrew Nembhard returned from an illness and took his spot back in the Pacers rotation. As a result, Taylor has played a total of 0:59 in Indiana's last three games.
Still, Terry Taylor showed during his 11-day stint back in the rotation that he can still help the Pacers when needed. His best skills are unique on Indiana's roster, and that gives him utility for the young Eastern Conference group. While Taylor might not play much going forward, he reminded everyone of what he is capable of when he gets a chance.
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