SDH's 2013/2014 NBA Worst to First Previews and Predictions: 10. Indiana Pacers

+Indiana Pacers  Overall Win/Loss Record :  49-33 ,  first place Central Division	Last Season’s Rank 4	Projected 2013/2014 Finish 10
Last season’s Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 94.7 (23rd) Points Allowed: 90.7 (2nd) Team FG%: .436 (26th) Opponent’s FG%: .420 (1st) Team FT%: .746 (19th) Team Three Point FG%: .347 (22nd) Rebounds per game: 45.9 (1st) Opponents rebounds per game: 40.9 (8th) Turnovers per game: 14.5 (22nd) Opponents turnovers per game: 13.0 (24th)	Returning Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): Paul George (17.4) Rebounds per game:  +Roy Hibbert  (8.3) Minutes per game:  Paul George (37.6) Assists per game:  George Hill (4.7) Field Goal Percentage: David West (.498) Free Throw Percentage: George Hill (.820) Three Point FG Percentage: Orlando Johnson (.383) Steals per game:  Paul George (1.8) Blocked Shots per game:   Roy Hibbert (2.6)
Projected Starters Based on Talent, Tenure, Paycheck and Potential Impact: C. Roy Hibbert PF. David West SF. +Danny Granger  SG. Paul George PG. George Hill	Second Unit Roster Order Ranked on Talent, Tenure, Paycheck and Potential Impact: F. Luis Scola F. Chris Copeland G. Lance Stephenson G. CJ Watson C. Ian Mahinmi
Analysis: Had it not been for that magical playoff run that saw them come within one game of the NBA Finals, last season for the Indiana Pacers' would have and should have been considered and absolute failure.  They were expected to finish the season with at least 55 wins because they were entering a extremely weak Central Division where their strongest competitor was a gimpy +Chicago Bulls that couldn't score a basketball to save their lives.  Yet not only did they manage just to win a less that spectacular 49 games edging the Bulls for the division crown by only four games, but they were simply awful for much of last season.  The Pacers started last season with a losing record and spent much of it treading water until a late run got them to winning the third seed in a very weak Eastern Conference.  Statistically Indy was one of the league's worst offensive teams ranking near the bottom in scoring, field goal percentage and turnovers per game, and while they hang their hat on their defensive effort and rebounding, the Pacers still allowed their opponents to rebound at a rather decent rate and near dead last in the league forcing turnovers. Now with a much stronger Central Division with a rejuvenated +Detroit Pistons team, a greatly upgraded +Cleveland Cavaliers team, and the 2011 NBA MVP +Derrick Rose returning to the Windy City, Indy will be lucky to make it to the playoffs let alone return to the Conference Finals as they did last season. Thanks to all the whirlwind of off season moves, the Eastern Conference is a far more dangerous place than it has ever been in possibly its entire history with three or four teams capable of winning 50 or more games in the regular season.  Unlike last season where a team did not even have to have a winning season to make the playoffs, that will probably no longer be the case as there will be eight teams capable of getting 42-45 wins at season's end. Even teams that at one time were considered doormats as the +Washington Wizards and +Charlotte Bobcats can no longer be considered as an easy win as both teams have the potential to turn many heads in the league to point where they can be considered "sleeper teams." If Indiana could not muster at least 50 wins in a rather pathetic Eastern Conference last season, how can they be expected to do the same and still be considered as a legitimate contender to unseat the +Miami HEAT as the king of the East? Looking at the team's current roster, it becomes blatantly apparent that the Pacers in terms of talent and depth do not in any way, separate themselves from the rest of the pack as it consists of primarily third tier players whom would be at best a solid third or fourth offensive option on a good NBA team.  Despite all of his accolades earning his first All Star nod and last year Most Improved Player Award, Paul George in no way shape or form can be considered a franchise player to any extent of the imagination. He shot a poor .417 from the field in spite of leading his team in scoring with a less than spectacular 17.4 points per game and was only capable of taking as many shot as he did was because predecessor Danny Granger, missed all but five games last season. Granger can be considered as a player who has severe delusions of grandeur as he still thinks that he is a franchise player despite all the signs that point to the contrary.  Since he had that breakout season in 2009 where he posted a career high 25.8 points per game, both his scoring numbers and his shooting percentages have bottomed out over the passed three years making him look less of a franchise savior and more of a team albatross.  What is even worse about Indiana's situation is that both Granger and George represent the best that the team has to offer with the rest falling at the waist side ranging between marginal and mediocre.  David West, who was the team's second leading scorer behind George averaging 17.1 points per game and second leading rebounder grabbing just a shade of eight boards per game, is in prime of his career and at 33 years old, there is only one place that his production will be headed--straight down; and what's worse the Pacers have latched onto him for the next three years.  Center Roy Hibbert proved last season that his All Star performance the previous year was a complete fluke and should no way be considered as a center that can be counted on to lead a franchise or have one built around him. Hibbert spent most of the regular season shooting under .400 from the field even though most of his shot attempts came from five to seven feet from the basket, and finished averaging just under 12 per game while shooting less than .440 from the field. Last but certainly not the least was starting point guard George Hill who average the least assists per game as a full time starter at only 4.7 per game and spent the season chucking the ball instead of facilitating the offense and looking for his own shot instead of getting his teammates involved. What probably hurts the Pacers most is not just their less that stellar roster consisting of marginal to mediocre players, but the fact that their style of play is equally or even more terrible.  Last season, the Pacers had come in with a group of athletic players who could run the court and finish on the break giving the team easy buckets in the process, but those same players were poorly utilized due to the teams rather poor offensive execution.  Even with their retooled lineup, the Pacers will continue to perform sub par offensive because it is a stagnant poorly executed half court system that had very little ball movement which led to more turnovers that conversions.  Their exceptional defense and rebounding balanced their sad excuse of an offensive thus saving the team from being steamrolled by their opponents.  This upcoming season, both the Pacers and their head coach Frank Vogel will be exposed for the frauds that they really are leading the returning head honcho +Larry Bird to cut his false prophet of a coach loose and once again go back to the old drawing board.