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The Indiana Pacers were full of surprises this season.

They won more games than expected. They proved more competitive than projected. Heck Nikita Kucherov Jersey , they even forced the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs into a decisive seventh game all while receiving the stamp of approval from the world’s best player.

Not bad for a team that was supposed to be sitting home and plotting draft strategy long ago.

”This was one of the most amazing seasons of my career,” forward Thaddeus Young said. ”We played for one another, not as individuals. It’s tough (being eliminated), but this is a great group of guys. We all gave our blood and sweat to the game and each other.”

And it could be just the start.

The Pacers’ future looks far brighter now than it did 12 months ago after they were swept out of the playoffs by LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Back then, there questions about Paul George’s future in Indiana loomed heavily over the franchise. By late June, new general manager Kevin Pritchard was forced into a difficult choice when George’s camp made his plans public: Take one more shot at winning a title with George and risk losing him in free agency or start rebuilding immediately.

Pritchard opted for a widely panned trade that netted Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.

It all turned out just fine for Pritchard and the Pacers.

Oladipo emerged as the leader of this young group, earned his first All-Star trip, won the league’s steals title and eventually figured out how to deal with constant double teams, a familiar treatment for superstars.

”They obviously have the snake in Vic, unbelievable jump from last year to this year,” LeBron James said after scoring 45 points in a Game 7 victory. ”I mean, we all saw the improvement and why he is a franchise-caliber player and everybody on down http://www.officialhockeyrangersshop.com/authentic-adidas-marc-staal-jersey , they just got a well-rounded team and they definitely pushed us, pushed us to the brink.”

Sabonis, a lottery pick in 2016, became a key contributor off the bench. Point guard Darren Collison was the NBA’s most accurate 3-point shooter, and Young and Bojan Bogdanovic thrived in their roles, too.

Four of the starting five and Sabonis are already under contract for next season with Young being the lone exception. He and backup point guard Cory Joseph have player options and Pritchard likely will exercise the team option on Lance Stephenson.

If Young and Joseph opt in, the Pacers would have their top eight players back from a team that won 48 games, fell just short of finishing in the top four in the Eastern Conference and was within four points late in their final playoff game at Cleveland.

”We did an amazing job this year sticking together,” Stephenson said. ”This is one of the funnest teams I’ve been on. We left it on the floor every night, every game. Each and every one of us had a goal. Now, everyone in the world knows who we are.”

Now, they’re out to prove they can be dramatically better next season.

The key may be the continued development of Myles Turner Eric Staal Jersey , Indiana’s 22-year-old center and one of the league’s leaders in blocks. The Pacers need him to get stronger and become a better rebounder.

At times this season, he showed just how dominant he could be.

Now, the Pacers are asking him to stay healthy, become a more consistent scorer and help Oladipo lead this team to greater successes.

”I wouldn’t trade this year or the men in that locker room for anyone. It’s been phenomenal,” Oladipo said. ”It’s the best locker room I’ve been a part of. It’s been an honor playing with those men and I look forward to growing with them in the future.”

—

— Baker Mayfield had some typical rookie ups and downs. Tyrod Taylor was his steady self.

Mayfield threw his first interception in training camp while Taylor had a pair of touchdown passes to Jarvis Landry, who made a spectacular, one-handed grab on the second one, as the Browns held their annual intra-squad scrimmage Friday in front of Cleveland fans desperate to see if a team that went 0-16 last season has improved.

“There was some good, some bad,” coach Hue Jackson said of his team’s overall performance.

Same could be said of his quarterbacks.

The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Mayfield has been impressive so far during his first NFL camp. Although he’s expected to spend the season as Taylor’s backup, Mayfield has shown why the Browns believe he can lead them in the future.

The Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma took the field first and immediately led Cleveland’s second-team offense on a TD drive. He completed a 30-yard pass to C.J. Board and a 29-yarder to Devon Cajuste to set up rookie Nick Chubb’s 1-yard score.

But later Authentic Melvin Gordon Jersey , while going against the Browns’ defensive starters, Mayfield botched a handoff and was picked off by linebacker Jamie Collins, who hauled in a ball tipped at the line by defensive tackle Jamie Meder.

Mayfield also struggled toward the end of the hour-long scrimmage during a simulated goal-line situation, taking two sacks while waiting for receivers to get open.

Despite a clumsy finish, Jackson was encouraged by Mayfield’s outing.

“I am not going to say that he tapered off,” Jackson said. “What our defense does down there is tough. We are not game-planning our defense right now. He did get off to a hot start and led the team down there to score, but that is what we expect. He threw some good balls. The guy is throwing the ball extremely well, and I think that you guys see the accuracy. He had a good day.”

So did Taylor, who connected with Landry on a 26-yard TD before hooking up with the playmaker on the day’s best play — a 36-yarder that drew a huge roar from fans battling bright sunshine on one of the warmest days of camp.

During a two-minute drill, Taylor fired the ball at Landry, who reached back and snared the ball with his left hand. He celebrated by launching the ball into the stands.

“It was kind of my fault, honestly Artemi Panarin Jersey ,” Landry said. “I started bending (his route) in too early and the linebacker kind of got in the way and Ty kind of had to throw around him a little bit and that made me have to reach back and catch the ball. But Ty trusts me in those situations to make those kind of plays and I can’t let him down.”

It’s the type of play Landry made routinely in Miami while making 400 catches and three Pro Bowls over the past four seasons.

Jackson isn’t surprised by anything Landry does on the field.

“He does it every day. He works at it,” Jackson said. “The guy will stay after and go to the JUGGS machine and catch anywhere from 200-300 balls. That is just how important it is to him. As you see, if the ball is anywhere around him, there is a good chance that he is going to come up with it.”

NOTES: The Browns will be without starting DL Trevon Coley for several weeks because of a severely sprained ankle. Coley, who started 15 games last season, got hurt on Thursday. Jackson described Coley’s injury as “one of those super-duper sprains.”… DL Caleb Brantley limped off with a thigh injury. … DB Damarious Randall got up slowly following a collision but was cleared and returned to the field. … TE David Njoku, who has had some problems with drops, hauled in a 34-yard pass from Taylor.

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