Editor’s Note: These Playbook Posts are for explaining, exploring, and otherwise talking about ideas and concepts the Pacers or other NBA teams use. Consider it a reference to come back to later.
I just want to tell you about how important the Pacers’ “paint to great” philosophy is, but first, I’ll use a set of examples of something I enjoyed from the playoffs.
We saw how T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin created opportunities for their teammates with it last season in the form of the Nash Dribble, which, in its own way, fit into the greater Paint to Great offensive philosophy.
The Nash Dribble, Nashing, whatever you want to call it, operates on a simple principle of purposefully flipping over a defense’s attention by being willing to take the ball under the basket if a shooting opportunity doesn’t present itself. From there, the ball-handler can look to exploit a defense that isn’t sure whether to respect them as a shooter or a playmaker.
An example here, we see McConnell executes the traditional Nash play that has a ball-handler drive under the basket and flips the defense around. That allows for cutters like Aaron Nesmith to easily get a bucket as their defenders look the other way.
There’s a general rule in sports: If you see a defender’s back, you attack.
In this case, Nesmith saw all five nameplates on Oklahoma City and found a gap as they tried to reset themselves.
Toppin does something similar, but his was in the air as he used his athleticism to open passing windows.
While not a direct assist — it’s the hockey assist — Toppin drives to the basket and fires a pass to Tyrese Haliburton once his scoring chance is gone. Then Hali sends it to an open Andrew Nembhard, who hits a straightaway three.
With his absurd athleticism — he’s been called on to tip stuck basketballs from the top of the backboard — Toppin sometimes floats in the air looking for a teammate despite being a few feet behind the basket.
He doesn’t always go deep in the paint or beyond it, but he does have plenty of comfort with passing from the baseline back out into the floor.
Paint to Great
The Pacers don’t always use a Nash Dribble with their paint to greatness philosophy, but it is a part of it. The idea is the same, no matter where in the paint or near the rim you are; the goal is to purposefully get defenders to be unsure of whether they should consider you as a shooting threat or cover their regular assignments.
Haliburton driving to the paint presents any defense problems, as he was a 75% shooter in the restricted area and made nearly half his shots from the rest of the paint. But whether it’s him or anyone else, a purposeful approach means no one on the Pacers is stopping and staring as the only scoring threat. Everyone knows they’re a pass away from a less contested shot.
It doesn’t always have to lead to an assist, as teams are more than aware of Indiana’s plan to get into the paint, so they don’t always collapse as they’d like to on a driver.
As the league has gotten more three-point-centric, it takes advantage of defenses trying to stop high-value shot attempts from distance if the defense chooses to focus on the shooters. Even if the opposing team collapses on the driver, the Pacers can recycle the ball and take another stab at it.
But when they do focus on the ball-handler, it starts compressing defenses and opens up everyone around the arc. If defenses don’t converge in the paint, the ball-handler can take a close-range attempt, and depending on their defender, that can be a good option even when contested. If and when defenses converge, it invites other Indiana players to cut to the basket to find themselves on the receiving end of a pass or wait for the kickout for a 3-point attempt.
And again, the treys, or threat of, can open up the paint too. Jarrett Allen might have been in the wrong place to start with, but his hustle to get out to Myles Turner is used against him as the now enemy of the state drives to the paint.
All of this fits into the Pacers’ wider, chaotic approach, though they’ve struggled to get into it this year. It’s been clear that with all the injuries, particularly to its guards, Indiana could use Tyrese Haliburton to make this strategy work better.
By taking the ball up the court as quickly as possible, they don’t allow defenses to set up. From there, they can attack the paint and look for easy baskets. If those close-range shots aren’t there, the defense still has to be on alert as Indiana’s shooters and cutters are ready to attack and keep pressure on their opponents.
The Pacers’ philosophy is one of constant pressure on both sides of the ball. Attack quickly, and keep attacking. Even on defense, Indiana keeps attacking with 94′ of pressure.
Paint to Great is just another way to constantly push their opponents to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion.
Haliburton and his assist-heavy, turnover-light style played a huge part in why Indiana could play this way last year. Other players can push the ball, but no one in Indiana or in the NBA can do it with the same threat to score or pass the same way Haliburton does.
Indiana is trying to keep that up in this Haliburton-less season, but it won’t be effective without someone with his vision and finishing ability.