What makes Lavoy Allen the most interesting man in the Pacers' locker room?

• Pacers at Lakers, 9:30 p.m., Sunday, Fox Sports Indiana

Last April, the Indiana Pacers conducted their annual exit meetings after missing the playoffs. Change was coming and so, for several players, these summits served as unspoken goodbyes.

Center Roy Hibbert learned about the diminishing role he would have to accept if he chose to return. Several months later revealed just how serious the Pacers had been with that promise as Hibbert — a 7-2 rim-protecting, two-time All Star but a liability in the evolving NBA —  was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Backup Lavoy Allen’s exit meeting went a bit differently. While he also learned about the pending push to play faster, smaller and score more points, Pacers coach Frank Vogel stayed on him about his conditioning and keeping his weight down. Vogel knew then he’d need Allen in great shape for the big plans the team had in store. And in several months, Allen — a 6-9, 255-pound big strong enough to battle inside yet flexible enough to float around the perimeter with stretch 4s — would sign a new three-year contract once it became clear just how much his role would increase for the future.

“Roy’s a heck of a player, but (Lavoy’s) a guy we felt like has the versatility to play four and five, and that’s something we haven’t had the last couple of years,” Vogel said. “We really, really wanted him back for all those reasons, and we didn’t know what was going to happen with the bigs and the new style of play. There was a real strong chance that he would have a greater role on this year’s team.”

On Sunday, as the Pacers (10-5) face the Lakers and the ponderous, past tense center of their franchise, the change continues to look like a wise and timely decision. Indiana has won four consecutive games, hissing past 100 points in each victory and moving to within shouting distance of the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have done so behind the scoring abundance of Paul George (averaging a career-best 26.4 points per game) and wings C.J. Miles, George Hill and Monta Ellis. However, an overlooked component to the team’s success belongs to the one who sets their screens, rebounds their misses and re-invents himself from game to game as a power forward or center.

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This season, Allen averages a career high 21.4 minutes per game, while producing 4.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists — but there’s more intrigue beyond the humdrum statistics.

“He’s Chuck Norris of our basketball team, because he’s a legend!” Miles said gleefully after a recent win, interrupting his interview to chime in on Allen. “I take that back. He’s more Dos Equis than Chuck Norris!”

And the most interesting thing in the world about him — for much of the early season, Allen has led the Pacers in plus/minus, a statistic that reveals how a team performs in scoring differential with a certain player on the court to gauge his overall impact.

Before George and Miles made Washington their playground in drilling 15 3-pointers during the Nov. 24 spanking of the Wizards, Allen topped his teammates with a plus-7.5 rating for the season. There’s a risk in getting too caught up with plus/minus. Lest we forget all the backups and third-stringers who played alongside Allen last year, he registered only a plus-1.1 during the same stretch of games.

“We understand that as well, but it is a stat that you value,” Pacers assistant Popeye Jones said. “You look at (the stat) and see what he’s bringing to the table and why he’s so successful when he’s out there being a glue guy and doing the little things.”

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Allen makes his presence felt when he’s on the floor. Though playing with more small-ball lineups, a recipe for poor rebounding, the Pacers have maintained their level as an offensive rebounding team (10.7 per game compared to 10.4 last season). Also in a statistic described as “Extra Scoring Chances Per Game” on TeamRankings.com, Indiana has the sixth best at 2.5 in the NBA. Allen contributes by grabbing 9.7 percent of the offensive rebound opportunities, second only to Jordan Hill.

Overall the Pacers have been better screeners this year, and while Allen’s work in this area does not appear in box scores, his big body helps shield the wings away from defenders. On Friday night, George had missed long jump shot after long jump shot until Allen checked in at center. During his first offensive possession, Allen screened Jimmy Butler, freeing George to knock down his first 3-pointer in four attempts. On the four plays that Allen screened for George, he created an average of 3.75 feet of space from the nearest defender.

“Paul thrives in coming off screens set by bigs,” Jones said. “Lavoy Allen is probably one of our best screeners.”

After a recent home win in which Allen worked for rebounds, passed up shots for teammates to get better looks, scored just 6 points yet complied a plus-23, he shuffled back to his locker with two bowls of Cocoa Puffs and mastered the art of deadpanning. This made for a fun conversation but a terrible interview.

Allen on his role: “I don’t know what I am to be honest. I’m just here.”

Allen on how he gained Vogel’s trust to remain in the rotation: “Slip a little money on the side. That’s how I do it.”

Allen on becoming the Pacers’ next 3-point threat: “That’s a makeable shot for me, but they put the chains on me. They’re not letting me loose.”

So as personable as Allen can be, it’s best to let his play do the talking. And let his plus/minus numbers reveal his worth.

Somehow, in fewer minutes and with no play calls, Allen is the most interesting man in both the Pacers’ spread and big lineups.

“He’s just got this thing to him, man,” exclaimed Miles, adding to his Dos Equis anecdote. “There’s something in his aura. … It’s intriguing. If I put Lavoy on top of a building, he probably could fly.”

"I wonder what he does when he leaves?” Miles continued. “Does he, like, have a fleet of bald eagles that he flies around on? What is his thing?”

Jordan Hill questionable

Jordan Hill did not practice Saturday before the Pacers traveled to Los Angeles. Hill missed Friday’s victory against the Chicago Bulls after he sustained a sore lower back injury during pregame warmups. The Pacers have listed Hill as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Lakers.

Star reporter Nate Taylor contributed to this story. Follow Star reporter Candace Buckner on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.

Pacers at Lakers, 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox Sports Indiana