There are a ton of unknowns surrounding the Indiana Pacers for this upcoming season. But I’m not getting into a ton. Nah, I’ll just take a look at 5.  And I must warn you, my assumptions can be way off and are only accurate 93.1% of the time.

1.)  Jermaine O’Neal - Last year, Jermaine played arguably his best NBA season. He averaged 19.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.6 bpg, and 2.4 apg. But he only played in 69 games, again failing to play in every regular season game. Health is crucial for team successs, especially when you are an Indiana Pacers team who ranked dead last in shooting percentage last year. We need Jermaine O’Neal to not only put up the numbers he did last year, but to stay healthy and at least reach the 70 marker for games played.

2.) Danny Granger - As long as I’m talking about staying healthy, Danny Granger did end up playing in all 82 games last season. He averaged 13.9 ppg and 4.6 rpg in his sophomore campaign, not fully reaching his potential. But Granger accepts full responsibility. On Pacers.com, Danny admits that not only did he not expect to be one of the top options for the Pacers, but that he didn’t prepare for that in the offseason either. This year he promises to be ready. I really don’t have any reasons not to believe him. He is a crucial part of the Pacers team, and as long as he has a consistent starting job, something he didn’t have last year(only starting 57 games), he should do just fine.

3.) Jamaal Tinsley - Jamaal Tinsley made it a goal to play every single game last year. I almost chocked on my cherry cola from laughing so hard when I heard that. He didn’t end up playing all 82 games last season, but nobody expected him to. Nobody also expected him to start and play in 72 games, which is a good thing to see if you are a Pacer fan. We need Tinsley to stay healthy, and also, we need him to thrive under Jim O’Brien, the new head coach. He plans to unleash a faster tempo, which easily plays into Tinsley’s favor. Tinsley is a solid ball handler, and can be a great passer, but he has yet to live up to his potential. I hope that changes under O’Brien.

4.) Jim O’Brien - Jim might be the most important person on this list. How the Pacers do this season falls mainly on Jim’s shoulders. It might not be fair, but it’s the truth. Larry talks about solid chemistry, but I don’t see it. Jim needs to take Tinsley, Dunleavy, Granger, O’Neal, and Murphy, and figure out how to make the pieces fit. This is the set starting five for the Pacers, who have talent, but like I implied earlier, lack chemistry. If this team can play like they can, and do it all as a TEAM, I see playoffs for this team. But if not, we’ll get a sequel to last year’s season.

5.) Ex Warriors - Keith is no longer a Pacer, but the three biggest names that the Pacers received in the trade are still here. Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, and Ike Diogu(who deserves more minutes). These three players consist of two starters and a key bench player, and how they do will have a big impact on the Pacer’s season. While it is important for Jermaine, Granger, and Tinsley to have great seasons, we need these other 3 to play just as solid and consistent.

 I am getting excited as the season draws nearer, and I have a good feeling about how the Pacers do this season. I am by no means expecting a championship. I am suggesting that the Pacers will show us two things that we haven’t seen in a while. Hard work and consistency.

 D.S.

  I can be reached at david.tunafishsandwich@gmail.com

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