In treating every game as a separate contest with unique challenges and advantages, the Pacers oftentimes aim to be fluid, responding either on-the-spot or based on the match-up rather than establishing any firm commitment to sameness and order or being married to a specific playing rotation. For better or worse, this situational approach has also recently applied to the defensive end — where they’ve run the gamut from making shrewd, in-game adjustments and testing out inventive wrinkles to appearing as though they aren’t on the same page while being exploited.
For a closer look at some of the ups and downs, let’s review the film from three different games, highlighting both what did and didn’t work in adapting to and scheming for opponents.