Nate Taylor

IndyStar

As the Indiana Pacers gathered Wednesday to begin the second half of their season, it appears the team has found its alpha leader, its vocal chief.

That person is not Paul George, the team’s biggest star. Rather, it is Monta Ellis, the 6-3 guard who is the oldest player on the team at 30. After Wednesday’s practice, Ellis explained, in detail, why he has accepted and embraced his new role.

“I’ve got experience,” he said. “In certain situations, I’m going to voice my opinion and what I think.”

Since he arrived last summer, Ellis has not been afraid to approach his teammates with honesty. He has been on several teams and has seen what it takes to be successful during his 10-year career. He did not like what he saw the last time the Pacers were in Bankers Life Fieldhouse when they were blown out 117-95 by the Charlotte Hornets.

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Angry with how the Pacers performed in front of their fans, Ellis called a closed-door, players-only meetingand was its principal speaker. On Wednesday, Ellis said he would not give specifics on what he told his teammates but he did share why he felt it was necessary to speak up.

“With the talent that we have, this game is all mental,” he said. “We have the talent and the players to accomplish anything we want. It’s just sometimes a season can get frustrating and things don’t go the way we want them to go and we lose sight of things. I just had to get everybody and just reboot their minds.”

Ellis told his teammates to be responsible for their assignments. He told them to not lose focus, not with the playoffs just two months away. He also asked them to take time during the All-Star break to rest and to return for the second half of the season recharged.

“Everybody was bought in and I knew that from day one,” Ellis said. “We've just got to get this three-game road trip going and see how we respond.”

The Pacers (28-25) will open their trip Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of the league’s best teams, in front of a national television audience.

Coach Frank Vogel said the ball, and many decision-making opportunities, will remain in Ellis’ hands for much of the remainder of the season. He has also given Ellis a goal.

“We’ve got to improve our passing,” Vogel said. “We have to take care of our turnover problem. I think that’s probably the biggest offensive emphasis.”

George said he felt the players’ meeting was a positive.

He and Vogel said they do not want President Larry Bird to make a move before Thursday’s trade deadline. George believes the Pacers have enough talent to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference, even if other teams make trades. George also said the team’s chemistry is strong, spearheaded by Ellis.

“He’s been a leader this whole season,” George said. “Monta has incredible leadership. He’s been someone I’ve been feeding off of. His way of reaching and interacting with everyone and being the same person every day, whether it’s a long day, whether it’s a short day, whether he’s got a lot going on, whether his mind is cleared, he’s been the same teammate. He’s been the same friend and same brother in the locker room.”

Last month, George mentioned, without prompting, that the Pacers missed having David West, both for his execution in late-game situations and his leadership in the locker room. George called West, his former teammate for four seasons, the Pacers’ backbone for those years.

But since those comments, George said he has learned a substantial amount from Ellis. While including himself, George Hill and Ian Mahinmi as other leaders, George has found it easy to rely on Ellis for advice.

“I think Monta is filling that void,” George said of Ellis replacing West. “Us four have kind of shouldered that leadership. There’s going to be times where I really need these guys. They’ve been there for me to pick me up when I’ve needed them the most.”

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Ellis, upon emerging as a leader, has been one of the better Pacers after having fluid drained from his right knee on Jan. 11. Although he is averaging 13.9 points and 4.8 assists, Ellis did not exclude himself last week when it came to his criticism of the team.

“With me too, also, I can do a little more,” he said. “I've got to pick my game up. For me to do that, I have to do the right thing of approaching the game the right way and being more aggressive.”

With the ears and attention of his teammates, Ellis said his solution for the Pacers was not complicated.

“Really, what we need to do is play basketball how we were at the beginning of the season,” he said. “That’s getting out running, having fun and getting wins.”

Call Star reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.

Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m. Friday, ESPN, Fox Sports Midwest

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