Why Bruce Brown Will Make A Day One Impact In Indiana
The Pacers Added Former Nuggets Swingman In The Opening Moments Of NBA Free Agency
(Thanks to Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers made the first major addition of the NBA Free Agency period by signing Denver Nuggets swingman Bruce Brown to a 2-year $45 million dollar contract at the opening of the period. This signing signals a real sign that the Indiana Pacers are going to become an attempt to become a major player in the Eastern Conference.
There are several ways in which Brown will leave his mark, including his mere presence on the court as well as measurable metrics. Let's briefly examine some of these significant metrics.
Spot Up Shooting Defense
During the previous NBA season, the Pacers had a lackluster performance when it comes to defense. Statistical analysis indicates that only Oshae Brissett (who has since signed with the Boston Celtics) and TJ McConnell stood out as above-average defenders. Additionally, Jalen Smith, the team's big man, was the only other player who allowed less than one point per possession.
Points Per Possession is the number of points allowed by how many counted possessions a player played on the court.
An example would be:
TJ McConnell played 290 possessions this season and allowed 272 points, which equals 0.938 points per possession. Counting players that played at least 250 or more possessions would put him in the top 50 in the entire league overall.
In the current season, the Pacers had to defend the Spot Up Shot approximately 24.7% of the time, but unfortunately, they ranked 28th in the NBA for defending it. The opposing team managed to score 50.1% from inside the three-point line and 38.6% from the three-point range while taking Spot Ups. Additionally, Indiana allowed 578 made threes, and seven Pacer players allowed their guarded man to hit 38% or higher percentages from 3.
The Pacers will benefit from signing Brown, as he is a valuable addition to their team. On the defensive end, Brown has consistently allowed less than 1 point per possession and per shot. Additionally, his opponents only shot 30.8 percent from three-point range on 271 attempts this season. With his track record over the last 4 seasons, it is likely that Brown will continue to improve and provide reassurance to Pacer fans.
In his previous four seasons, Brown has:
2022-2023- 0.9 points per possession (399 total)
2021-2022- 0.938 points per possession (209 total)
2020-2021- 0.974 points per possession (230 total)
2019-2020- 1.025 points per possession (157 total)
Transition Scoring
It's clear that Indiana is a top-performing team in this category. However, how exactly does Brown contribute to their success next season? Well, having a player who ranks in the top three for scoring percentage in this specific category is definitely a positive. Brown has scored an impressive 62.7% of the time in transition, averaging 1.57 points per shot this season.
Transition Scoring refers to earning points after gaining possession of the ball due to a successful defensive stop. This can occur through stealing, blocking, or rebounding the ball.
An Example of Transition Scoring is this play below:
(Thanks NBA.com)
Bruce can be a threat in various aspects, but his ability to finish at the rim during transition plays is crucial for the Pacers. Brown has an impressive record of 93 successful shots at the rim in the regular season, ranking third in the league with a 66% field goal percentage. Whether he's on the left or right side of the court, Brown can score effectively during transition plays.
Next season, it seems likely that Indiana may become the league leader in scoring during transition plays. This could be made possible by the combination of Brown and second-year guard Benedict Mathurin's skills on the court, along with one of the top point guards in the league, Tyrese Haliburton. As the Pacers utilize more than 20% of their possessions in transition, the potential rise in scoring could potentially result in Pacers fans witnessing some playoff basketball next season.