Why the Pacers are one of the NBA's biggest surprises so far

The fact that the Indiana Pacers are a mid-level team -- or a little better, depending on who is doing the ranking -- makes them the "NBA's Biggest Surprise of the Season" to date. Most of the credit is directed at Victor Oladipo, who apparently has all but locked up one of the league's top individual awards.

Here's the report from around the nation.

► Grant Hughes at Bleacher Report awards the Pacers an A-minus, but he adds a caveat:

"There are sustainability issues with the Pacers' excellent first half. They've shot exceedingly well from deep, and several of their key offensive weapons — Oladipo included — are performing well above their career shooting norms.

"That said, the Pacers are far more competitive and far more fun than most anticipated. Thanks to Oladipo, they've also got a star in place, which matters more than anything else."

► Marc Stein of The New York Times places the Pacers No. 14:

"No. 8 in the East? No. 8 in offensive efficiency? A record of 22-15 when Victor Oladipo is in uniform? If you claim to have predicted any of that … stop fibbing. The Pacers enter the season’s second half as the undisputed No. 1 team in the Biggest Surprise of the Season rankings, hushing Indiana’s many critics of the Paul George trade, which brought back the former Indiana University star Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and no future draft picks."

► Steve Aschburner at NBA.com offers many grades (Defense is the worst with a C; backcourt gets an Å-minus) before assigning an overall B-plus:

"Considering the wailing after (Paul) George was traded and the low expectations that followed, the Pacers have been a pleasant surprise. They’re typically good at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and a solid start to their road schedule has them in line for a lower playoff spot in the East."

► Kelly Scaletta at FanRag Sports hands Oladipo his midseason Most Improved Player honor:

"Victor Oladipo as a leading man is making a strong case for Most Improved Player. His scoring is up from 15.9 points per game to 24.5 in spite of his playing time increasing by less than one minute. He’s also averaging a career-high in rebounds (5.2), steals (1.9) and blocks (1.0) and tying his career-high in assists (4.1).

"Player Efficiency Rating might not be the best stat for comparing players, but since its flaws are consistent, it’s a good metric for measuring improvement, and Oladipo’s has leaped from 13.6 to 24.5, an impressive gain. His true shooting percentage is up from 53.4 to 60.5, an astronomical vault."

(He also gives Boston's -- and former Butler coach -- Brad Stevens his Coach of the Year nod.)

► Alex Wong at Sports On Earth also has Oladipo as his Most Improved Player:

"The Pacers are a playoff team in the East, and after hearing all summer that they got next to nothing in return for Paul George, Oladipo has not only been a serviceable replacement, but looks like a star player Indiana can build around moving forward. The 25-year-old is averaging 24.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three."

(He also gives Stevens top coach recognition.)

► Kenny Ducey at Sports Illustrated currently has the Pacers ranked 13th in the league:

"Besides male pattern baldness and maybe bear attacks, is there a single greater threat to LeBron James than Lance Stephenson?"

► Kurt Helin at Pro Basketball Talk has the Pacers 11th (with another MIP mention for Oladipo):

"If there’s one end-of-season award that seems a lock, it’s Victor Oladipo winning Most Improved Player. He played a major role in the 22-point comeback the Pacers had to beat the Cavaliers this past week as the Pacers went 3-1 on a homestand. Now they head out on the road with tough games at Portland and San Antonio this week."

► ESPN's power rankings put the Pacers at No. 16. Here's Micah Adams' view:

"After smashing Phoenix on Sunday, the Pacers have won four of their past five following a five-game skid that could have spiraled out of control. The highlight of the week was the win over Cleveland in a game the Pacers trailed by as many as 22. They are now 3-0 against the Cavaliers this season and can finish off the season sweep in two weeks."

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