4 years from the civilian team to the finals! How Pacers use "puzzle philosophy" to write a team building textbook

Dear old friends, we have to chat about this Pacers who have shocked the entire league. Do you want to say they are the biggest dark horses of the season? I don't think so—it took four years to smash the argument that "it's impossible to build a team in small football" in person. The story has to start in 2017. That year, Paul George was trying to leave, but the Pacers management did not panic like other teams, but instead sent George to the Thunder with a tough stubbornness in exchange for Oladipo and Sabonis Jr. What's the result? The Pacers who sent George away not only did not collapse, but also won 48 wins in two consecutive years, which was better than George's record at that time. But fate always likes to joke - Oladipo is seriously injured and reimbursed. Although Sa became an All-Star, he led the team to the top in the first round of the playoffs.

At this time, the key figure is here: In 2021, Carlisle will enter the palace as the head coach. With 10 wins and 16 losses at the start of the 21-22 season, the management chose two choices: either play badly and wait for lottery, or use existing players such as Saint and Leville to exchange chips to save themselves. Guess what? The Pacers chose the second road - 9 people in the 17-man lineup were placed on the shelves and directly turned on the "big blood exchange mode".

The six-person deal with the king in February 2022 is a textbook for reconstruction now. The Pacers sent out players such as Sa Sa and Holiday who "overlapping positions" in exchange for Halliburton and Bati Hilde. At that time, experts shook their heads and said they had lost money, but Halliburton was hit as soon as he arrived: he averaged 17.5 points and 9.1 assists, 41.6% of three-pointers, and became the core of the backcourt. What's even more amazing is the draft of the same year, Matherin was selected for the No. 6 draw, and Nembukhad intercepted the No. 31 draw - The Lakers were originally staring at Nembukhad, but they were "intercepted by the Pacers". Now this kid defended Lillard, Mitchell, and Brunson in the playoffs like putting plasters. Six steals in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals directly broke the division final record. Yang Yi of the United States said that he was like the peak Paul. Do you think this operation is magical?

The Pacers used three first-round picks (the 19th and 29th first-round picks in 2024, one of the top four protections in 2026) to snatch Siakam from the Raptors. At that time, many people scolded the management for "silly people and a lot of money". Xika's contract was only half a year left. What if he ran away? What's the result? In the 24-year playoffs, Sika averaged 21.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals, and directly renewed her contract with a maximum salary of 189.5 million yuan in four years and four years. Looking at the data now, once Xika comes, the team's offensive efficiency jumps from 15th in the league to 4th, and defense rises from 22nd to 8th. How can this be a loss? It's a huge profit!

How outrageous are the walkers now? If you look at their lineup, there is not even a top three player in the lottery - Sika is the No. 27 pick, Halliburton No. 12, Turner No. 11, Nembhard No. 31, Mathering No. 6. But it's just such a group of "non-lotto puzzles", which makes it the super team with the second offense (average of 118.7 points per game) and third assists.

The key point is to talk about their core - Halliburton. This kid has become a "professional" in the playoffs: he made a layup against the Bucks in the first round at the last moment, and the second round at the Cavaliers' three-pointer, and the Eastern Conference Finals' key two-pointer against the Knicks dragged into overtime. What's even more exaggerated is that he only made 31 mistakes in 156 assists in the playoffs, with an assist-turnover ratio of 5.03. In the fourth game of the Eastern Conference Finals, he made 0 mistakes with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 steals, and 0 mistakes, which directly made history. You said this is the point guard? I think it is "big heart engine".

Look at Sika again, the real shooting percentage of the regular season was 59.9%. When he was on the court, the team netted 5.5 points in a 100-round match and lost 4.1 points outside the court. He averaged 21.1 points per game in 16 games in the playoffs, 46.3% in three-pointers, plus or negative value +109 second only to Halliburton. Turner is even more amazing. He was put on the shelves for three years and no one wanted it. He averaged 15.2 points and 2.4 hats per game in the playoffs. Three-pointers are more accurate than Towns. Now he has to pay more for renewal. Are you angry?

The most important thing is that this Pacers play real team basketball. Carlisle insists on 10 players rotation, and the Eastern Conference Finals stage is completely different from those "five to five" teams. On the bench, Nesmith, Toppin, Walker and others can shoot and defend. The team relied on pick-and-roll, empty cuts, and transfers, making assists and three-point shooting percentage the first in the league.

Now the entire league is talking about "VAT" - 26 teams that have entered the finals in recent years have paid luxury taxes, and 16 of the 22 champions pay taxes. But this year is different. Pacers and Thunder have become the first pair of "no tax payments to enter the finals". Their team-building philosophy, in the words of the US media: "Don't chase headlines, don't engage in blind gambling, just rely on patience to make the pieces into a crown. "

To put it bluntly, we have been used to seeing "super giants" and "showing up the top picks" over the years. But the Pacers have used four years to prove that the small ball market can also be achieved without luck or shortcuts, relying on precise trading, in-depth drafts and long-term planning to form a championship lineup. How is this team building? This is a lesson for the whole league "How to win with wisdom".

Finally, I want to say: When the league is chasing the "Superstar Crash Class", the story of the Pacers is like a basin of sober cold water - the purest charm of basketball is never a person's deity, but a group of people use their energy to create a greater possibility than 1+1. This is the real champion.