Indianapolis, IN (My Sportsbook) - When the Indiana Pacers decided to deal Jalen Rose and Travis Best to the Chicago Bulls last year, they were taking a calculated risk to change to the direction of the team.

Initial results weren't all that impressive as Isiah Thomas' squad faded badly down the stretch and nearly missed the playoffs, but the good news was that they eeked out the eighth slot in the postseason. Indiana then pushed future Eastern Conference champion New Jersey to five games before falling.

The young Pacers finally gelled under the tutelage of Thomas in their series against the Nets, but it was too late. Still and all, the deal brought a new level of depth for the up-and-coming Pacers. Brad Miller, Ron Artest and Ron Mercer are all solid players with plenty to offer the club.

With the roster officially rebuilt following two years of player development and mass changes, the Pacers are ready to become a force in the Eastern Conference.

"It's time, and I think everybody know it's time," Jermaine O'Neal explained.

Thomas, who has yet to prove that he can win as a coach in the NBA, has come up with a new offensive scheme. He calls it the Quick Offense, and it draws equally from three of the most successful offenses in the game's history: the Triangle, the high post "shuffle cut" system and Bob Knight's motion offense.

"I tried to combine those three schools of thought and fit an offense around the talent we have," Thomas told the Indianapolis Star.

FRONTCOURT: The Pacers feature one of the biggest and most talented front lines in the Eastern Conference. O'Neal has quickly become one of the most feared power forwards in the NBA, causing a matchup problem for nearly all of Indiana's foes.

His meteoric rise quickened last year as his scoring average went up over six points to 19 per contest en route to garnering the league's Most Improved Player award. O'Neal also increased his rebounding output to 10.5 per game and blocked 2.31 shots per affair.

The addition of Miller has allowed O'Neal to move from center back to his best position in power forward. Miller, who is one of the best pure centers in the East, provides a consistent offensive option in the paint as well. The Purdue product instantly established himself as an offensive threat with Indiana, posting 15.1 points per contest after the trade.

Filling out the starting frontcourt will likely be fifth-year small forward Al Harrington. The 22-year-old stepped up his play considerably last season, nearly doubling his scoring average (13.1 ppg) and increasing his rebounding (6.3 rpg).

Harrington was supplanted in the starting lineup late last season though, as newcomer Artest provided a more polished defender. The duo will likely split time at the slot this year.

GUARDS: The lone remaining piece of the old guard in Indiana is sharpshooter Reggie Miller. Every time it appears that Miller could be on his way to being fazed out, he recaptures his past magic like he did against New Jersey. The veteran produced one of his trademark last-second moments versus the Nets, burying a three-pointer just across half court to send Game 5 to overtime.

Miller's scoring numbers (16.5 ppg) were his lowest since 1988-89 last year, but he still shot 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc. The 37-year-old played an alarming 36.6 minutes per contest, which should change this year.

"I still feel good, I can still compete and I still love the game," Miller said. "As long as people respect that and teams fear that, which they do, I'll continue to play."

Second year point guard Jamaal Tinsley will run the show for the Pacers this season. Tinsley came out of the gates quickly in his rookie campaign, earning Rookie of the Month honors on two occasions while registering 9.4 points and 8.1 assists per game. However, the youngster ran out of gas down the stretch and was eventually replaced by Kevin Ollie in the lineup.

Tinsley trimmed down in the offseason and reshaped his body in hopes of fending off injuries and fatigue. The Iowa State product has a great feel for the game, but his jump shot lacks consistency.

BENCH: The Pacers possess one of the deepest benches in the East, including such talents as Erick Strickland, Jonathan Bender and Austin Croshere. Strickland, a free agent cast-off from Boston, will likely be a key to the success of the Pacers' bench.

The 28-year-old combo guard tallied 7.7 points per game off the Celtics' bench last year. Strickland will be able to spell Reggie Miller, allowing the veteran to play less overall minutes. He will also see some time at point guard. Rookie Fred Jones out of Oregon will get minutes at shooting guard as well.

Bender, a lean 7-footer, will be in the rotation at small forward with Harrington and Artest this year. The 21-year-old is coming off a season where he averaged 7.4 points per contest, but his defense wasn't comparable to Harrington's.

Up front, Indiana has a trio of role players in Croshere, Slovenian Primoz Brezec and Jeff Foster to provide depth. Croshere has yet to live up to high expectations, but he is an excellent option off the pine. Brezec has shown flashes of promise, while Foster is a rebounding and defensive specialist.

OUTLOOK: Thomas has run out of excuses, he must win now. Team president Donnie Walsh's patience with Thomas will likely run out quickly if the team doesn't produce a lot of wins this year. No team in the East besides New Jersey has a level of talent similar to the Pacers. The time for fostering new talent and teaching it the system is gone.

"I want to vie for a Central Division [title] and have one of the best records in the East," Reggie Miller said. "That's not too much to ask for. I don't want to be coming into April having to win the last five or six ballgames just to make the playoffs. We shouldn't settle for being 41-41. We should be a team everyone is talking about. I'm tired of the days when we're hoping other teams lose in the last week. That shouldn't happen."

Indiana's youth and depth will aid it to a fourth place finish in the Eastern Conference and possibly an eventual bid in the conference final. However, if the Pacers don't win a playoff series this year, expect Thomas to be removed from his job.