Candace Buckner

On Saturday night, the Indiana Pacers visited the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets and one half of the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend showcase. While the actual All-Star game will be held inside Madison Square Garden, some of the other festivities will be played at Barclays. And one of those events, the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, should hold special meaning for Pacers fans hoping for a representative at the All-Star weekend.

Starting small forward Solomon Hill represents the Pacers' best hope to return to Brooklyn for the Feb. 13-15 weekend, if he can earn inclusion to the Rising Stars Challenge. He already has one vocal supporter in his corner.

Hill - the second-year player who has scored the most points, played the most games, earned the most steals and also committed the most turnovers for the Pacers - has climbed from anonymity of his rookie year to become one consistent thread to Indiana's 2014-15 season.

While sitting in the Barclays Center visiting locker room on Saturday night, Hill admitted that he has handicapped his chances of making the cut as a Rising Star amongst his peers.

"I know everybody who's in my draft class," Hill said. "I kinda keep up with most of the guys in my draft class. Even (Sergey) Karasev is a guy who got drafted in my class and he's starting for the Nets. There's always those guys who are always in my thoughts that I keep little tabs on."

The Rising Stars Challenge, a game that features a mix of rookies and sophomores, is just that - a showcase for the best up and coming talent in the league. So does Hill deserve to play in the same game that had previously featured bonafide stars like Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin and Paul George?

THE CASE FOR SOLOMON HILL

• Impact

No other team in the NBA has relied on a previously inexperienced player more than the Pacers have leaned on Hill. According to STATS NBA, Hill has the fewest career points (373) among players leading their team in total points.

If the selection were up to Pacers coach Frank Vogel, of course, he would make sure Hill gets the nod.

"I think he should definitely (make it). I don't know what the comparison is for minutes and impact but he's had a great impact, he's been our most reliable player all year as a second-year guy," Vogel said. "You can't really look at the statistics either because he's guarded the best perimeter (opponent)."

• Defense

Tasked with replacing George in the starting lineup, and given all of his responsibilities - at least on the defensive end for a top 6 team in terms of defensive efficiency (.999). So, continuing the trend of the season, on Saturday night Hill drew the Joe Johnson assignment. While Hill's individual defense was lessened with foul trouble, the Pacers still held down the Nets to only 85 points.

"He's been Paul George for us this year. He's guarded the best perimeter every single night for us and he's done a great job," Vogel said. "I don't know what the field looks like but he should definitely be in the game."

• Consistency

In a year filled with injuries, Hill has been the only regular starter not to miss a game due to an ailment. Being able to stay on the floor should count for something, considering he couldn't get on it last year.

As a rookie, Hill appeared in only 28 games. Already, he has started 30 games in his second season. Without a star on the team, the Pacers need balanced scoring and as one of the eight players averaging double-figures, Hill has chipped in with the all-for-one offensive mentality.

Over the past four games, the Pacers have hit at least 50 percent shooting and two of those games (6-11 vs New Orleans, 4-8 vs Detroit) have marked some of Hill's best offensive performances of the month. And remember, Hill has been able to get these shots without the benefit of plays called for him. He adds a wrinkle to the half court set as one of the more consistent cutters from the wing and has been assisted on 15 of his 51 makes at the rim. For the season, Hill is averaging 50 percent on shots attempted at the rim.

"It's not like I'm coming off the bench as a ninth man right now. I'm starting and playing consistent. We're not a high-powered scoring team, so any points that's coming off any of our teammates I think teams probably look at. I really don't know how people scout me or look at me but I feel like I get a certain amount of respect."

However, does this make Hill a "rising star?"

THE CASE AGAINST SOLOMON HILL

• It's All-Star Weekend, not a defensive clinic

While Hill's greatest asset for the Pacers has been his individual defense, that skill does not hold enough sizzle to make the Rising Stars team. If Hill was swatting shots two rows into the stands, maybe that would garner him more praise. But Hill does the dirty work of running through screens, taking elbows from highly physical players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and rising to contest those shots on the perimeter that seem to fall through in spite of his best efforts. According to NBA.com, opponents shoot 2.3 percent better on shots greater than 15 feet when defended by Hill.

• It Factor

The game has become a made-for-TV spectacle with former NBA players turned cable network personalities drafting players from the two classes for their teams. So, how much are those guys really impressed with Hill, the least-known player in the Pacers' starting five?​

Additionally, in the pool of second-year wings, Hill does not rank within the top five. Players like Shabazz Muhammad, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Victor Oladipo, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ben McLemore have also made huge strides and have higher profiles.

"There are a lot of guys who have stepped into their own, Caldwell-Pope is in a position with their franchise building towards the future. Shabazz Muhammad is in the situation where their team is building for the future," Hill said. "You've just got to watch out for some guys, a logjam in certain positions. ... That front and backcourt that's been there already, my thing is just try and control what I can control and go out and play hard."

• Consistent, yes, but not still learning

Yes, Hill is the stalwart of the starting five, but he still needs to grow into his own. Like his penchant for trying to create highlight reel dunks only to get blocked at the rim (he's 14-of-20 on dunk attempts this season) and his mistakes created far too often in trying to make difficult attempts to find teammates (25 of his 55 turnovers have come on bad passes).

"I've still got to take my time and take what's given to me," Hill said.





CHICAGO at INDIANA

Tipoff: 7 p.m., Monday

Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

TV: FOX Sports Indiana

Radio: 107.5 FM/1070 AM The Fan

PACERS (11-20)

Projected Starters

Pos Player PPG Key stat PG George Hill 13.3 ppg 3.3 apg SG Rodney Stuckey 12.3 ppg 3.8 rpg SF Solomon Hill 10.5 ppg 4.7 rpg PF David West 12.7 ppg 6.8 rpg C Roy Hibbert 11.2 ppg 2.1 bpg 6th C.J. Watson 11.5 ppg 4.4 apg

BULLS (21-9)

Projected starters

PG Derrick Rose 18.1 ppg 4.8 apg SG Jimmy Butler 22.0 ppg 6.1 rpg SF Mike Dunleavy 9.3 ppg .40 3-PT FG PF Pau Gasol 17.8 ppg 11.4 rpg C Joakim Noah 8.6 ppg 9.8 rpg 6th Aaron Brooks 11.3 ppg 3.3 rpg

STORYLINES

Pacers may still have shortage of wings: Forwards C.J. Miles and Damjan Rudez, both battling upper respiratory infections, are listed as "questionable" for Monday's game. If they remain out, then the Pacers will once again have to rely on Chris Copeland as the only backup wing. Don't be surprised if three guards have to be on the floor at the same time.

Bulls on the run: During Chicago's current six-game winning streak, the notoriously defensive team has got it done on the other end. In wins over potential playoff-bound opponents Memphis, Toronto and Washington, the Bulls have averaged 110.3 points.

Prediction: On Nov. 15 when the Bulls lost to the Pacers, they were struggling to pick up wins inside the United Center. Now, Chicago looks like a completely different team and more resembles the team that could compete for the Eastern Conference title. Even though the Bulls are only 6-22 in games played inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, their chances appear as good as ever picking up win No. 7 in Indiana as well as pushing the streak to seven straight games. Chicago wins 109-101.

– Candace Buckner