My work at Basketball, She Wrote is typically paywalled. This article, crunching the numbers on the potential crunch for numbers -- on both ends of the floor, is available to everyone as a free trial. If you're new here and want to support independent writing about actual basketball, please consider subscribing and/or sharing it around. Alright, on to the words about the Pacers. 2024-10-03 12:45:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On the potential to bring change to continuity
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Altogether, the Pacers spoke to reporters for about 80 minutes on Monday at Media Day. During that span, according to YouTube's transcripts, the word "defense," when also including the forms "defensive" and "defensively," was mentioned 51 times. To be fair, some of that massive tally can obviously be attributed to the questions th...
2024-10-01 02:23:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Answering questions about the ceiling of the defense, potential wing targets, my favorite moments from the WNBA season, and much, much more!
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
As promised, this is the final mailbag before the official start of the season! That's right, we've made it through the offseason portion of the offseason, in large part, thanks to the many deep and insightful questions that were submitted...
2024-09-28 14:47:56 +0000 UTC View Post
And why variety is the "slice" of life
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
The pick-and-roll isn't as prevalent as it used to be. According to Second Spectrum, the league as a whole averaged 69.4 ball-screens per 100 possessions last season, which is the third-lowest frequency of any season in the advanced stats site's 10-year database when also including playoffs. The Pacers finished their run to the East...
2024-09-25 13:00:23 +0000 UTC View Post
On summer's last gasp and why less breathing room, as it applies to certain types of floor spacing alignments, can be more
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
The start of fall can be fickle in Indiana. Officially, the last day of summer is September 22, determined by the autumn equinox. Unofficially, Labor Day weekend is often thought of as the grand finale. In the meantime, however, the weather isn't so ...
2024-09-19 12:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Are the Pacers ready for primetime?
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
As has become one of my favorite pre-preseason traditions, I have once again joined one of my favorite podcasts, Hardwood Knocks, hosted by the always-thorough and incredibly-insightful Dan Favale, to...
2024-09-18 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Evaluating the pros and cons of playing with multiple centers or no centers
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
It wouldn't be nearing the start to another season for the Pacers without discussing/debating the potential options at center. From the purgatory that was staggering Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis to the many trips taken around the rotation carousel by Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith, there always see...
2024-09-11 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post
A look at a clever hack for catching opponents on the rebound
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Outside of Pascal Siakam's veteran presence and scoring prowess, the opening game of the playoffs wasn't particularly memorable for the Indiana Pacers. On the night, they trailed by as many as 30 points and quickly looked out of their depth with the depth by which they were attempting to guard Damian Lillard, a...
2024-09-05 12:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Plus, stats that don't exist but should, my favorite memory of playing basketball, and what the realistic outlook should be for the Pacers this season
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
As promised, this is the patron-only mailbag for August. Special thanks to everyone who sent in questions, as there was plenty for me to chew on, ranging from nerdy stuff about stats to a very personal story about my backg...
2024-08-31 15:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
The more point guards, the better
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
When it comes to point guards, the Pacers are basically the embodiment of every "why not both?" meme -- only if "both" was replaced with "all." After already inking Andrew Nembhard to a three-year, $59 million extension just prior to the Paris Olympics 2024-08-30 23:56:56 +0000 UTC View Post
On what needs to happen for Indiana's frontcourt to better complement each other on defense
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Following last month's mailbag, with a central focus on what comes next for Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin as two potential swing pieces for next season, there were still plenty...
2024-08-26 12:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post
A team-by-team look at the competition for the Pacers in pool play of the NBA Cup
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Although it remains to be seen whether the Pacers will once again be rolling out the special oceanic blue court as they attempt to roll back advancing to the finals of the league's midseason tournament, what is known is who they will be up against and when. Overall, group play of the NBA Cu...
2024-08-19 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Analyzing why and how the post entry passes to Indiana's now-signed, often-sealing max star have changed and whether further change is still needed
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Following last month's mailbag, with a central focus on what comes next for Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin as two potential swing piece...
2024-08-13 12:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On how the 25-year-old sharpshooter stacks up and compares as a movement shooter
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Turns out, despite technically having 15 players on standard contracts, the Pacers weren't quite done making roster moves. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, sharpshooter Cole Swider has agreed t...
2024-08-06 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Breaking down the baseline out of bounds play that works like clockwork for the Pacers
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Following last month's mailbag, there were still plenty of Pacers-centric questions leftover, requiring additional time and space, that seemed like perfect topics to dive into now that the offseason portion of the offseason is officially in full-swing. As such, some of the submitted...
2024-08-02 13:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On the decision to sign Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton to two-way contracts, and why Enrique Freeman should be next
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
2024-07-27 18:41:11 +0000 UTC View Post
Answering mailbag questions about what's next for the Pacers based on what's next for the team's two highest draft selections in decades
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
This is the first installment of the monthly mailbag, focusing on the two lottery picks who didn't play for the Pacers during the playoffs but project to factor as arguably the most critical swing pieces with regard to the future traject...
2024-07-27 12:45:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On the significance of the Pacers investing in internal development
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Merci beaucoup, amirite? While preparing to play for the Canadian National Team at the Paris Olympics, Andrew Nembhard reached agreement on a three-year, $59 million extension with the Indiana Pacers that will take him through the 2027-28 season, his agents -- who are also Pascal Siakam's agents -- told ...
2024-07-24 17:50:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Reviewing the nine-day run for the Pacers in Las Vegas
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
For the most part, the Summer Pacers, who went 1-4 in Las Vegas, looked as though they belonged at Summer League. With only Tristen Newton and Quenton Jackson available as lead initiators, the roster as a whole needed more ball-handlers and also needed more from what ball-handlers were available. As a result, while certain ...
2024-07-23 11:51:20 +0000 UTC View Post
And what it means for Jarace Walker
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
When Summer League started, the intention was to recap every game with both a play and player of the game. Following the exhibition opener against Brooklyn, the focus was on Jarace Walker, taking a look at how he was approaching switches out of a familiar a...
2024-07-19 12:59:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On the 23-year-old rookie's winning plays
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
In what was a 98-94 win for the Summer Pacers, Enrique Freeman finished with five points on 2--of-6 shooting. As such, he wasn't as efficient putting the ball in the basket on low-volume as Jarace Walker, who scored 19 on seven shots. He didn't go 8-of-8 at the line like Tristen Newton, and he isn't going to fire away from deep as...
2024-07-17 12:00:13 +0000 UTC View Post
-- even as he was also obscured
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
The Summer Timberwolves had 17 steals in what was a 105-94 loss for the Summer Pacers, dropping the blue & gold to 0-2 in exhibition play. Of course, given that the Actual Pacers have arguably more depth at the point guard position than any team in the league, there's a good chance that what happens in Vegas will stay in Vegas. Even so, the...
2024-07-15 12:34:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Recapping Summer League with the play and player of the game
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
"That's crazy," Jarace Walker said following the third quarter in the wake of finding out that his team had already committed 27 turnovers in what became a 97-95 overtime loss for the Summer Pacers after surrendering a 15-point lead to the Summer Nets. Overall, with tons of turnovers and tons of missed shots, i...
2024-07-13 15:26:47 +0000 UTC View Post
And what can be learned about the Pacers from Team USA
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
It doesn't happen often that consecutive sentences are strung together lauding Tyrese Haliburton's defense. Then again, it also isn't often (or, to be quite frank, ever) that he plays in a lineup with the defensive firepower of Team USA's second unit, which has the luxury not only of wing-sized wings in Jayson Tatum and Ant...
2024-07-12 12:00:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Taking a look at what to watch for from the second-year players and veterans
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Ahh yes, July. Perhaps the most hectic month of the NBA calendar when, in addition to what has been the slow burn of free agency, rosters chock-full of young players and short on familiarity come together in the scorching heat of Las Vegas, playing basketball in an environment that tends to ...
2024-07-09 12:30:01 +0000 UTC View Post
The Pacers can feed the former No. 2 overall pick into improvement, but they aren't necessarily satiating the areas where they need to improve
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
A day after losing Jalen Smith, who signed a new, three-year deal with the Chicago Bulls after declining his player option, the Pacers have replenished their rotating carousel of back-up bigs, taking a flyer on 23-year-o...
2024-07-03 13:03:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Taking a look at what to watch for from the newest Pacers
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Ahh yes, July. Perhaps the most hectic month of the NBA calendar when, in addition to what has been the slow burn of free agency, rosters chock-full of young players and short on familiarity come together in the scorching heat of Las Vegas, playing basketball in an environment that tends to breed bucket-getti...
2024-07-02 12:45:01 +0000 UTC View Post
-- eventually
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Turns out, Obi Toppin won't be listening to offers from any other teams, as the restricted free agent reached agreement on a four-year, $60 million deal to stay with the Pacers just hours before the start of free agency, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
To a cer...
2024-06-30 20:54:46 +0000 UTC View Post
On the many fitting ways the No. 35 overall pick fits the Pacers
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
Without a first-round pick, Draft Night for the Pacers didn't officially begin until Thursday afternoon -- when they moved up one spot from No. 36 to No. 35 to select 19-year-old Kansas wing Johnny Furphy, who was one of only two players invited to the green room of the draft for the first round who was not ...
2024-06-28 12:19:11 +0000 UTC View Post
Answering questions about the offseason for the Pacers
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
As promised, after completing our run of player reviews, Tony East and I swapped places as hosts for a special pre-draft version of my monthly mailbag, in which we answered all of your questions ranging from specific free agency targets and what to w...
2024-06-25 12:20:00 +0000 UTC View Post