Indiana Pacers
The visiting Indiana Pacers have come out of the gates on fire in week one, winning all four games and sitting on top in the Eastern Conference. Making a number of savvy trades this off season to bring in the likes of Hayward and McCollum, while also loading up on Serge Ibaka in free agency, looks like it may have propelled this team up to another level. 
As good as Indiana's offense has been with the combination of three point shooting, ball movement and the fact that they are shooting 50 percent from the floor in these first four games, it's their defense that would really be impressing GM Sheed. Their size at every position seems to be causing problems, with teams only shooting 37 percent against them. The size is also reflected in their rebounding numbers. When Cleveland were a dominant force in the NLL, it was the way they destroyed teams on the glass at both ends of the floor that was impossible to stop and it looks like Indiana have taken a leaf out of that book, averaging 52.5 rebounds per game. 
The burning question on all NLL talking heads this week though will be, is Indiana really a contender in the East or did they just get lucky with the schedule in week one?

Houston Rockets
The season hasn't quite started as well as the Indiana Pacers but after a big over time win to finish off their week one slate, the Houston Rockets are sitting as a .500 team and ready to launch into the rest of the season. 
Houston game plan seems to be very balanced but it's a tale of two teams depending if they win or lose. On their two loses, it's the obvious culprits that are letting them down. Too many turnovers, poor shot selection but when they win, those categories are completely reversed. Maybe that's credit to the opposition they are facing or maybe that's something that can be addressed. The parts of Rockets game plan that are consistent is their ball movement and aggressiveness on the glass. Averaging 45.2 rebounds per game and a large 26.7 assists per game, I imagine the Houston Rockets are in the 10 in the league in both these categories. 
The burning question leading up to the prime time match up will be which Houston team shows up on the day. Will it be Jekyll or will it be Hyde?

Centre
Dwight Powell v Nikola Jokic
If there is one position where Indiana doesn't currently have an answer, it's at the five, which is interesting because it isn't reflected in their rebounding numbers. Week one saw a time share between rookie Jalen Smith and Nicole Melli but with Dwight Powell returning from health and safety protocols, things might get a little more congested. I think Sheed might run a three headed moster but I believe it's Powell that will start. With slightly more size and length and the ability to stretch the floor a little bit, it allows guys like Hayward and Doncic to drive to the basket easier. When starting last season, Powell averaged 12.3 points, 9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
There is no question who is starting at centre for the Rockets and the big fella has started the season just where he left it last year. Nikola Jokic is arguably the best centre in the league. Not only does he score inside and outside and eat the rebounds on both ends of the floor, it's his passing and ability to get his teammates involved that puts him in the upper echolen of bigs, averaging 4.6 assists for the entire 2020 season. 
If Jokic has one of those MVP like stat lines in this one, it will put Houston right in the mix at the final buzzer
Advantage - Houston

Power Forward
Serge Ibaka v Tobias Harris 
One of the big names to hit the free agency this off season was Serge Ibaka and GM Sheed pulled no punches to get him, dropping a ton of points to persuade him to become a Pacer. My opinion was that Serge traded his interior defense for outside shooting over the past couple of years but apparently that's not the case in the NLL. In a small sample size, Ibaka is averaging 2.8 blocks per game, to go along with his 13 points and 10 rebounds per game. Plug in defense
So far this season, Tobias Harris has been the barometer for the Houston Rockets. When Harris has played well, the Rockets have won but when he has struggled, the result hasn't been the desired one. Only a small sample size but averaging 27.5 points in both the Houston wins and 11 points in both of their losses, Harris needs to find the form that got him his max contract more often then not so the Rockets can launch into the playoffs this season.
Its a bit of a classic offense versus defense battle here. I think Serge is agile enough to be able to guard Harris on the perimeter and on inside, it's no contest but as I've presented, if Tobias Harris can have an impact, it will go a long way to Houston pulling out the win
Advantage - Indiana 

Small Forward
Gordon Hayward v Tim Hardaway Jr
This off season, Minnesota had to sign and trade away Gordon Hayward and he ended up going to the Indiana Pacers, in a trade that looked solid at the time but now looks like Sheed paid unders with a solid ratings increase just around the corner. Over the past couple of years, Hayward health has been the concern and when it seems that he is starting to get in a rhythm, breaks and freak injuries always seeming to impact his season. With a clean run at it, Hayward is one of the better wings in the league as his shown to start the year, averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and shooting 50 percent from the floor and from behind the arc.
Tim Hardaway Jr is one of the more underrated veterns in this league. Maybe its because of the larger contract he recieved but he is the plug in offense that a lot of teams would welcome on their roster. A lot like Harris, Hardaway has had a slow start to the season but the two games that Houston won, Hardaway played well, averaging an efficient 23 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists against a solid defenders in Paul George and Gary Harris.
Gordon Hayward is on an upward trajectory and is in mid season form already so its hard to go past him.
Advantage - Indiana 

Shooting Guard
Wayne Ellington v Tyler Herro
Unfortunately for Indiana, their star shooting guard CJ McCollum is out for a number of weeks with with a broken foot so it will be Ellington that fills in for this week two match up. The vetern has always been known as a spot up shooter and not much else but that's exactly what the Pacers are looking for with Doncic and Hayward doing all the ball handling. Averaging 11 points and shooting 44 percent from the floor and 42 percent from beyond the arc, Ellington is playing his role to perfection.
JJ Riddick started in week one but now that Tyler Herro returns from his neck spasm injury, I believe he will be named the starting two guard for the Houston Rockets. After a steller rookie season, Herro is one of the brightest young stars in the league and I'm sure GM JBarker hopes he can continue his upward trajectory in his second season and beyond. Last Season in the 45 games that Herro started, he averaged 14 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
With neither player really being the focal point of their teams offense, this match up is going to be hard to split but if I had to choose, just from raw talent, im giving it to Herro.
Advantage - Houston

Point Guard
Luka Doncic v Brad Wanamaker
Look out! The number one overall pick in the 2018 draft is ready to make some real noise this season. If you asked every manager in the NLL who they would like to start their franchise with, I bet everyone would say Luke Doncic. The complete package of shooting, passing, size and leadership, Doncic is some sort of Lebron slash Larry Bird hybrid. Averaging 28.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, while shooting an outrageous 63 percent from the field, Doncic is a big reason for the 4 and 0 record and will be there when the whips are cracking at the end on the season for the MVP award.
There has been rumblings during the week that Wanamaker may replace Satoransky as the starting point guard for week two but unfortunately i don't know if either or both are up for the task in this particular match up. Wanamaker is more of a traditional point guard and contributed off the bench in the first 4 games of the season, averaging 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per contest, so he may have earned the right to start but unfortunately, it might be a live kill. The way Jokic may dismantle who ever starts at the centre position for Indiana, Doncic may do the same to either Wanamaker or Satoransky 
Advantage - Indiana 

Bench
Indiana have a solid bench without having names that will blow you away. The defensive accountability from PJ Tucker and Solomon Hill, combined with a short scoring punch from Moore and Melli, the Pacers have enough to hold it together so the starters can rest.
Of the two squads, Houston might have the slightly stronger bench with a bit of a combination of veterns and sprinkled with youth. Guys like Hart, Green and Satoransky should get the job down and JJ Riddick has the ability to shot the long ball well, so should he be getting open looks, it might get interesting 
Advantage - Houston

Prediction 
Just looking at the records, you would say Indiana should get this one easily but the further you dig into the actual match ups, you realise it might be a bit closer than you think. I still think Indiana will pull this one out but it should be close for the majority of the game
Indiana 108 defeats Houston 104