Frank Vogel: Early favorite for Coach of the Year
The Indiana Pacers currently sit second in the NBA in defensive efficiency.
That isn't a statement that would've turned heads last year, or even during the previous four, as the Pacers never finished below eighth in defensive points per 100 possessions, and twice finished first.
However, those previous seasons all included Roy Hibbert and David West on the roster, two frontcourt players who combined for 31.1 defensive win shares during their four-year run together. Both players bolted in free agency this past summer and team president Larry Bird failed to land a marquee free agent to replace them. The two successors were Myles Turner, the 11th pick in the draft, who has played in just 127 minutes this season and Jordan Hill, a player known more for being drafted directly after Stephen Curry than his defensive prowess.
To show the impact of Vogel's coaching on the defensive end, Hill already has 0.6 defensive win shares this year, more than half of the 1.1 he had in 70 games in 2014-15. By contrast, the West-Hibbert duo has 0.3 and 0.5 DWS, respectively. Vogel seemingly has the ability to plug any NBA big into his defensive system and have them produce positive results.
Their incredible defense helped them jump out to a 9-5 start, good for third in a suddenly loaded East.
In the past, Vogel may been overlooked because he was winning in a lesser conference. The East has long been considered the little brother with the Coach of the Year Award going to the West nine of the last 13 seasons. As a result, Vogel didn't garner the respect he deserved.
However, this year the conference imbalance appears to have shifted eastward, with 10 teams playing .500 ball or better. If the trend keeps up, a top-four finish from the Pacers would be even more stunning.
A lot of the Pacers' recent success can be credited to the play of Paul George. Ever the innovator, Vogel made the decision at the beginning of the year to move George to power forward part-time and the results have been terrific.
George has posted career highs in points per game (25.9), rebounds per game (8.4), assists per game (4.8), field-goal percentage (45.8 percent), and three-point percentage (45.7 percent). George may have been initially displeased about the switch, but Vogel should be the first guy he thanks if he receives All-NBA honors.
For Vogel and co., the fast start doesn't appear to be a fluke. Indiana is tied for fourth in the NBA in point differential, with only the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of them.
Last year, the Pacers barely missed out on a playoff spot, despite being without PG13 for all but six games. George Hill, a point guard who lost his starting job for a brief stint, led the team in points with just 16.1 per game, and the team still managed a ninth place finish in the East.
2014-15 was also the first season in which Vogel finished with a record under .500, an incredible feat considering he inherited a team who hadn't seen the playoffs in the four years prior. He twice led Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals, where he even took them to Game 7 in 2013.
Vogel hasn't fully been given the respect he deserves in his career, but this season should change that notion if the Pacers continue their hot pace. Without top-tier talent, they have proven a team can still win in this league as long as they have incredible coaching.