Goga Bitadze

Bitadze didn't make his 2020-21 season debut until January 17 due to an ankle sprain, but he played regularly off the bench for the Pacers while healthy during the rest of the campaign and even recorded three starts across his 44 appearances. The second-year pro saw an uptick in his playing time, as he logged 12.8 minutes per game compared to his 8.7 minutes per contest in 2019-20, and as a result, he delivered a career-best season with several career-high marks in several categories. He averaged 5.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 0.8 assists and 0.2 steals per game -- all those were career-high figures excepting the steals department. He also shot 42.8 percent from the field, 25.3 percent from three-point range and 73.8 percent from three-point range. Bitadze's best game of the season came on May 18 against the Hornets when he delivered 18 points and 10 rebounds -- that was his lone double-double of the season. The big man scored in double digits nine times. Other season-high marks for him included 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals (twice) and five blocks (twice).

The 18th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Bitadze appeared in 54 games for the Pacers as a rookie. In 8.7 minutes per game, Bitadze averaged 3.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks. He hit 46.7 percent of his field-goal attempts, while shooting 72.7 percent at the free-throw line. Bitadze made his NBA debut on Oct. 26 against the Cavaliers, playing four minutes off the bench and finishing with two points and one rebound. Two games later, on Nov. 1 against the Cavaliers, Bitadze posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in 25 minutes. He made his first NBA start on Nov. 3 against Chicago, posting nine points, four rebounds, three assists, and four blocks in 19 minutes. On Nov. 6 against Washington, Bitadze scored a season-high 13 points, to go with three rebounds and an assist. He established another season-high on Nov. 5 against Charlotte with 11 rebounds. Bitadze registered four blocks in three consecutive games to begin November. After the season restarted in Orlando, Bitadze appeared in five of the Pacers' 12 contests.