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5 Ways Roy Hibbert Can Improve His Game in 2014-15

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5 Ways Roy Hibbert Can Improve His Game

Roy Hibbert
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The Indiana Pacers had an amazing 2013-14 NBA season, finishing ahead of the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Miami Heat. The Pacers' core consisted of the one-two punch of Roy Hibbert and Paul George, and they had everything to remain a force to be reckoned with in the East. Well, until PG suffered a gruesome injury in August. Now it's up to Hibbert. So, we take a look at five ways Hibbert can step up his game in 2014-15.

5. Mid-Range Shooting

Indiana Pacers v Miami Heat - Game 6
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5. Mid-Range Shooting

Indiana Pacers v Miami Heat - Game 6
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The NBA has been constantly evolving throughout the years, and even though the old-school style of playing center is still viable, a versatile shooting center fits the bill even better (see Dirk Nowitzki, Andrea Bargnani). If, somehow, Hibbert manages to develop a consistent mid-range jumper, he could not only help the Pacers in different ways, but also extend his career for more years than expected.

4. Overall Field Goal Percentage

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4. Overall Field Goal Percentage

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Ok, Hibbert is a post-up, old-school center, so he might not be able to develop a jumper to spread the floor. In that case, he needs to up his field goal percentage because his numbers are just not enough for an All-Star at this point. If you compare the career numbers put out by Hibbert (.472) and Shaquille O'Neal (.563), one can see the difference between a guaranteed future Hall-of-Famer and just a good player.

3. Consistency

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3. Consistency

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Against the eight-seeded team during the 2014 playoffs, Hibbert became the second All-Star to ever go scoreless in consecutive games. His rebounds and assists were also subpar. There is no way a player can carry a team to relevance -- let alone contention -- if he's not consistently putting out big numbers and getting everyone around him better. All the greats have short memories, so after a bad game, just regroup and come back strong.

2. Improved Chemistry

Roy Hibbert Paul George David West Indiana Pacers
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2. Improved Chemistry

Roy Hibbert Paul George David West Indiana Pacers
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One of the worst things that can happen to a team during a season is a locker room breakdown. During the 2014-15 season, there were reports of Roy Hibbert publicly complaining about teammates and making statements about his trust (or lack thereof) on his team. If he manages to keep things to himself and handle home problems at home, that would be a great improvement for him and everyone else involved.

1. Leadership

Roy Hibbert
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

1. Leadership

Roy Hibbert
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Pat Ewing, Allen Iverson and Reggie Miller never won an NBA championship, but they shared another thing -- leadership.

In order to push his team to the next level, Hibbert needs to not only step up his game, but also his leadership. A guy of his influence should be the cornerstone over which a franchise's identity is built, and so far he has showed little to no interest in taking the job. Without PG, he doesn't have an option.

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