Pacers' Monta Ellis: Having limited impact as starter

Ellis compiled eight points (3-6 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-4 FT), five steals, one block, one rebound and one assist across 24 minutes during Thursday's 104-89 victory over the Bucks.

Analysis:

Though he's made an impressive defensive leap since joining the starting five March 26 -- averaging 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game since then -- Ellis has been largely underwhelming on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 30.0 minutes per game while knocking down 42.4 percent of his shots. While the 31-year-old Ellis has demonstrated throughout his career that he's a capable scorer, he's taking a backseat to the likes of Paul George, Jeff Teague and Myles Turner this season, regardless of his spot in the rotation. While Ellis could be worth a pickup off the wire for those in quick need of defensive statistics, his offensive struggles may offset those benefits.