He operates in the background most nights, as is his wont, but don't let that mislead you. Earl Watson's performance has been integral to the Pacers' late-season surge.
The veteran point guard has never been a numbers guy but in the four-game winning streak has averaged 9.0 points and 9.8 assists with an assist:turnover ratio of 5.6:1.
Though he prefers to set up others, he can score when called upon, as demonstrated Wednesday night when Watson ran down the shot clock, posted up Randy Foye, flipped in a jump hook and drew a foul, converting the and-one with 1:40 remaining in the 99-82 victory over the Wizards.
"I love his leadership," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "He's a guy that I certainly would value being in this franchise for a long time. He's as good a leader as we have, in my estimation. He's been a very consistent performer for us and I certainly hope that we would consider having him in a Pacer uniform next year."
There's the rub. Just as Watson is getting comfortable with his teammates, just as the team is coming together under his on-court guidance, he may be playing his final few games with the Pacers because his one-year contract will expire in July and the Pacers have two other point guards, T.J. Ford and A.J. Price, under contract for next season.
"I don't even think about it," Watson said, asked if he looked ahead to his offseason plans. "Every game, for me, is an opportunity and a privilege to play basketball. I don't put too much emphasis into next year. I more or less have the summer to deal with it. I just had a daughter and it's going to be crazy enough changing diapers and trying to figure out how to be a dad in the summer."
If Watson departs, 2010-11 will mark the third consecutive season in which the Pacers will be without the guy that finished the previous season as the starting point guard.
Like Flip Murray in 2008 and Jarrett Jack in 2009, Watson could depart via free agency.
Solving the lack of continuity at this critical position is central to the Pacers' offseason plans.
"It's a very difficult thing," said O'Brien. "It's like having a new quarterback in football every year. It's a very, very important position from a continuity standpoint and that's one of the reasons why it would be important if we can keep (Watson).
"We know we have T.J. under contract and we're going to have A.J. under contract. A lot depends upon the draft and what Larry (Bird) can do from the standpoint of personnel changes this summer. But Earl is certainly my kind of guy and I would love to have the opportunity to coach him again."
Watson has made an imprint on this team. His ability to work with and encourage young players like Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush and Josh McRoberts has been important in their development. His determination and leadership have been manifest in the past couple of weeks as the team has showed signs, however belated, of finding its long-lost rhythm.
"The chemistry is good offensively," Watson said. "A lot of times you see us score without the ball even touching the ground and that's tough to guard. We're doing everything with purpose and guys are on the same page.
"Defensively, we're understanding the concepts and the trust is being built, you see rotations being made, you see guys stepping up whether they're hard-fouling, blocking shots or making the guy take a tough shot, you see that part coming together too. If we can have both kind of blend, it creates hard matchups for any team."
That said, Watson originally decided to sign with the Pacers because he wanted to win and believed the pieces were in place to do so immediately. Though encouraged by the team's recent play, it's apparent there's more work to be done to turn this team into a contender.
Whether or not he returns, you get the sense the 2010-11 Pacers will benefit from Watson's presence this season.
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