Frank Vogel Trying to Rebuild the Indiana Pacers’ Confidence

Danny Granger’s knee injury has cast a shadow of doubt on the Indiana Pacers’ season. Head coach Frank Vogel, hoping against hope, is doing all that he can to convince the team that they’re still an elite squad. Per the Indy Star: “It’s just a little bit of back to where we started, making sure these guys believe that we’re a top team,’ Vogel said. ‘By the end of last year there wasn’t any doubt, we knew it. We’re going to have to re-establish that belief. I do talk to them about that despite Danny being out, we still have a beast of a team.’ That challenge is easier said than done for Vogel. The Pacers have relied on depth and balance to carry them to the playoffs the past two seasons. Four of their starters from last season are in the lineup and Vogel is using a 10-man rotation. But Granger’s value to the team has become readily apparent over the past week. The Pacers are missing their leading scorer from the past five seasons. He’s the one player on their roster opposing teams had to game-plan against. […] ‘I think it is more challenging, but again, this is what this league is about,’ Vogel said. ‘Teams deal with injuries to their top guys. It’s something a lot of coaches go through. I haven’t had to deal with it much. This is my first real look at it so we’re just trying to have fun with it.’ The numbers reveal the Pacers’ problems. They are 25th in the league in scoring, 26th in field goal percentage, 28th in assists and 30th in the league in turnovers. The only people those numbers scare are the Pacers. ‘It’s the lack of execution in everything,’ Vogel said. ‘Setting guys up in pick-and-rolls, making sure we’re screening properly, making good decisions with the basketball.'”