As the NBA preseason marches on, Ball Don't Lie looks at all 30 teams, outlining off-season transactions, projecting win totals, spinning tracks, and much, much more. It's a fun, hot mess. Next, the Indiana Pacers.

Last Season: 36-46

Key Players Added: TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and draft pick Dr. Roy Hibbert (trade with Raptors), Jarrett Jack and draft picks Josh McRoberts and Brandon Rush (trade with Blazers)

Key Players Lost: Jermaine O'Neal (shipped to Canada), Kareem Rush (free agent), Flip Murray (free agent), Ike Diogu (traded to Blazers, opened a small pool installation company), Jamaal Tinsley (well, probably)

Kelly Dwyer's Endless Grey Ribbon: Leaving these guys at only 37 wins seems like a bum move. For whatever you think of T.J. Ford, he usually provides borderline All-Star stats, and last time I looked, the team with the most points wins. Guys like Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Troy Murphy are entering their primes, distractions like Jamaal Tinsley and Shawne Williams are gone, and coach Jim O’Brien has a strength that plays to these guys’ strengths. Namely, shooting the ball from very far away.

So I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rattles off, say, 42 or 43 wins. But I just can’t help but look at this roster, look at what the players on this roster did last season on whatever team they played for, and go over 37.

I understand that Jermaine O’Neal barely played last year, and when he did show up he was a little behind the times. Or his man. Whatever. He still brought the defense, and though Rasho Nesterovic is a pretty underrated defender, this was a team that did a miraculous job to defend as well as it did last year. You may not know it, what with per-game stats confusing things, but the Pacers actually played better on defense last year than they did on offense.

Can it catch lightning in a bottle again in 2008-09? I’m not buying it. Hopefully I’m wrong again.

Here is what do I know: Pacer fans need to come and see this team.

This is a very entertaining group, and they’re quite the sight to behold in person. Regular readers know I’m not the type to usually ask people to open their wallets, and I’m especially hesitant given the current climate, but the Pacers play in one of the best buildings in the world to see a basketball game, and this team is a very entertaining group of shooters and scorers. Also, all the jerks are gone.

(Again, depending on what you think of T.J. Ford. Let’s not shake that stick, though, OK?)

What I do worry about, also, is the team’s depth. And whether or not Dunleavy and Danny Granger can hit over 40 percent of their three-point shots again, because that’s pretty important to the team’s overall plan. The Pacers might be wise to give up on Dunleavy, especially if he comes out on fire again this year. He’s been damn good for Indiana, but he’s also 28, in his prime, a little older than the others, and with a ready-made young backup (Brandon Roy Rush) in place.

If it meant picking up a passable big man, draft picks, or clearing even more space for next summer (if the Pacers give up on Jarrett Jack and give Granger a deal starting at nine million, they could be 11 million or so under the salary cap this offseason), then it’s worth Indiana’s time. For the first time that I can remember, there are quite a few teams with holes at the wing position, which is usually the easiest to fill. Indiana is playing two small forwards at a time. Work on that.

And come see this team. I know that local cable ratings went way up last season, but you get the distinct impression that no one cares when you’re watching the Pacers play at home. This is a run and gun team that sends some pretty nice rotations up into the air from 25 feet, and last I checked, Indiana residents were way into that.

Come on back, Hoosiers. It’s safe. We promise.

Expected Record: 37-45

Lolnbaz:

The Dunleavy Faces, "Ooh La La":

Real Talk, Blog Talk (aka excerpts from other blogger team previews):

Indy Cornrows: "The empty green seats at the Fieldhouse spread like poison ivy last year as fed up fans refused to invest any emotion or ticket money into a short-handed team with top player who didn't appear to care. The massive roster changes by Larry Bird over the summer as well as an active PR campaign pushing a positive view of the players combined to entice the local public into giving the Pacers a fresh look. The team's slogan this year is, 'Ignite the Passion. Restore the pride.' There can't be full ignition until Jamaal Tinsley is traded simply because, even though he's not with the team, he remains a story. The Pacers hope the fan base will rally around their assembled group of good guys playing basketball the right way and find a reason to keep following the team throughout the season."

SLAM: "Ford should have no problem pushing the ball in Jim O’Brien’s offense which relies on running at all times. I don’t see Ford becoming the three-point shooter O’Brien would like to see, but his ability to get the ball into the lane should provide plenty of kick-out threes for Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy and Brandon Rush. Ford will be pushed to step up his defensive game and his ability to apply on-the-ball pressure from the point will determine whether or not the Pacers can improve their defensive standing."

Hoops Playground: "X-Factor: Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy absolutely beasted out the last two months of the season and the Pacers responded by going 13-10 in March and April. He’s been criticized his whole career for not living up to his potential but it looks like he’s finally turning into the player everyone expected him to be. Bottom line, if he plays well, the Pacers will win."

Associated Wax: Frank Sinatra, No One Cares

Michael Bay's Twitter Season Projection:

michael_bay: New show idea — "In Your Pace, Indy!" Premise: Cameras follow around the Pacer players. /wipes hands of chalk/ It's like riding a bike. YES!
about 7 hours ago from web