The new trend in the NBA is the small ball lineup. And the Pacers are following suit. But can it work for them?

After the Warriors coasted through the regular season and were challenged when they faced the Grizzlies in the playoffs, their small ball has destroyed everything in its path.

President Larry Bird wants to change Vogel’s Pacers whose pace has been glacial at the best of times. The change to small ball could be an icebreaker for a team that suffered last year because of the loss of All-Star Paul George and stumbled to a 38-44 record, narrowly missing the playoffs.

George should be back to his best and ready to welcome free-agent Monta Ellis, first-round pick Myles Turner and second-round pick Joe Young to name a few of the new faces in Indiana.

It’s a strange transition for a team who were known for years to utilise a big lineup headed by George at small forward, David West at power forward, Lance Stephenson at shooting guard and two-time All-Star Roy Hibbert at center. It was a defence before offense philosophy centred on winning games, no matter how ugly.

The grind-it-out playing style worked – two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals proved that but to take the next step they must go small in the eyes of Bird.

He ditched Hibbert for a future second-round draft pick and it’s inevitable to see PG13 move to power forward. He’s the ideal player to build a small ball team around given his talent. At 6’9 he has the size to be a lockdown defender on the perimeter and play the stretch four in a small ball lineup.

By adding Ellis to the equation, the potential combination between him and George in the pick-and-roll could be difficult to stop. Having George at power forward also allows Vogel to put another guard on the court. That means there is more floor space and at a higher intensity – it will help space the floor offensively for C.J. Miles and George Hill to shoot at will.

The problem for the Pacers with this new style is ironically their cornerstone for success over the last few years. Question marks remain over their defence, due to the lack of height on the perimeter. Ellis, Stuckey, Young and George Hill are all measured at 6’3 or shorter, which is a concern. And the latter is the only defensively sound player.

Dealing with the loss of a two-time All-star in Roy Hibbert on defence could also prove to be a challenge. His contribution defensively and protecting the rim leaves a hole that needs filled. Asking Ian Mahinmi to step up could prove to be a step too far, but there’s promise in Myles Turner and the two could work in tandem. Turner averaged over four blocks in the summer league, although it is the summer league. His transition to the NBA seems to be going well, as is expected from a first-round pick.

For now at least, the ball has swung to the other side of the court and away from the strong interior presence. It won’t be long before the next revolutionary way to win will hit the market, so for now at least, small ball is here to stay and the Pacers are going all-in.

Will it work?

I think it can work, but we can save the predictions for the season preview.