Doug McDermott returns during Indiana Pacers road trip, has a refined sense on how he can help the team win

McDermott returned recently for the Pacers

Feb 22, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) passes the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Doug McDermott looks on. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

DETROIT — Doug McDermott is now up to 12 games played for the Indiana Pacers this season, but it has been segmented. After being dealt to the blue and gold in February, the sharpshooting wing played in six games before suffering a right calf strain.

Typically, that is somewhere from a two-to-four week injury absence. McDermott ended up missing about three. He was sidelined for 10 games in total. Just after McDermott hit the ground running after the All-Star break — where he studied how the Pacers used Buddy Hield to figure out if he could do the same things — his calf injury popped up.

He recently returned to the hardwood. While the Pacers were on their recent road trip, the 32-year-old was in the rotation again, and he has played in six-straight games since. Despite not canning threes at a high level just yet, head coach Rick Carlisle believes in what McDermott can provide going forward.

“Running. Movement. Shooting. Playaking. System defender, rebounding," the head coach said of McDermott's additions to the team before he returned in Detroit last week. "Those are the things we’re asking of everybody. He brings an element that’s unique to our team.”

That night, the veteran wing played for the first time since February 26. He was able to hit the hardwood for nearly 16 minutes of action, and McDemott told AllPacers after the game that his calf felt good. He didn't think about it a single time throughout the game.

He still had to get his legs back, but McDermott contributed that night. He had nine points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals while making a three. The Pacers have been a worse three-point shooting team since the All-Star break — the veteran can theoretically help in that area.

"Getting McDermott back into it was important," Carlisle said after the game. "Another guy that runs, stretches the floor, and plays well within the defensive system."

Indiana won the minutes with McDermott on the floor by 14 in Detroit. The Pistons are a weak team this season, so the blue and gold had an opportunity to ease their new forward in. He got to play more often than he would during a typical outing.

McDermott said after the game that he should be able to suit up in every outing going forward, and that proved to be accurate over the rest of the road trip. He played in all five games for the blue and gold, including a 14-point outing in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Between Jarace Walker's emergence earlier this week, an injury to Aaron Nesmith, and McDermott's smaller impact on defense, his role will change from game to game, perhaps significantly. He played just 1:24 in Indiana's win over the Lakers last night, for example. But his impact is becoming more clear with every passing game.

Since returning from injury, McDermott has knocked down 37.5% of his shots from deep and 50% from the field. He has moved the ball well with his passing, and defenses are always aware of his location. Even when he doesn't touch the ball, he adds some value.

He gained a new perspective on his team while he was sidelined and could only watch and learn.
"Honestly, it couldn't have come at a worse time in terms of how many games we have left," McDermott said of the injury. "If any positive came out of it, I got to learn more of the system, watch the guys more, interact with the coaches more, and get a feel on how we play. I think that's going to help me going forward."

He likes the shots the Pacers generate and thinks they are moving the ball well as a team. If they keep playing that way, shots will fall — including McDermott's. The Pacers have a top-10 offense since the All-Star break.

McDermott can help on that end. Even as the 10th man, being a sharpshooter and smart cutter on a team that values movement and shooting gives him a clear use and path to success. In a role in which he plays somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes every game, McDermott can help the Pacers.
This recent road trip in which he returned from injury allowed it all to finally come together after a lengthy absence.

McDermott usually spends his month of March fielding texts from people who send him a picture of the old Sports Illustrated cover he was on while playing for Creighton. This year, his month was about recovering and finding a way to help his new team. He may not have a significant role down the stretch of this season, but McDermott has established how he can help the blue and gold since returning from injury. It all started on the team's road trip.

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