Indiana Pacers: Grades from preseason opener vs. Cavaliers

Justin Holiday was almost exactly what everyone expected in his first action this season. Played a lot of minutes off the bench and was the first player to check in with the second unit. He was in his zone as a shooter, knocking down a handful of threes and wreaking havoc on the defensive end with steals and tipped passes.. F. Indiana Pacers. JUSTIN HOLIDAY. B+

C. This was not T.J. McConnell’s night. Whether he was anxious to be back out there or had a hard time adjusting to the new system, McConnell looked out of sync all night. He only logged five minutes in the first half thanks to three quick fouls and two turnovers on back-to-back possessions. With Aaron Holiday flashing his talent as the backup ball-handler, McConnell will want to prove that he can be a reliable guard in the second unit. The second half was a completely different story for McConnell as he forced turnovers and created shots for the Pacers. He finished with nine assists and three points.. G. Indiana Pacers. T.J. MCCONNELL

B+. The rookie played with the core rotation and with the bench in the closing minutes of the game. He was not shy to shoot and get involved in the offense, which resulted in an early turnover and some three-point attempts. He still has plenty to do before getting a crack at the final rotation but it was fun to see the Pacers use a young project player.. G. Indiana Pacers. CASSIUS STANLEY

C+. One player that I wanted to see more out of was Edmond Sumner. With Lamb out for the start of the season, the Pacers need someone to step up on the wing and Sumner is supposed to be that guy. He failed to knock down a field goal attempt until the final minute of the game and turned the ball over twice. His dunk with 35 seconds left tied the game at 104.. G. Indiana Pacers. EDMOND SUMNER

A-. Kelan Martin checked in late in the second half but provided a nice jolt of energy for the Pacers. He exploded in the fourth quarter, finish with11 points. Martin was active on the glass and hustled after loose balls, a perfect performance for a borderline player on the roster.. F. Indiana Pacers. KELAN MARTIN

C. McDermott played a lot of minutes off the bench, which should continue into the regular season. While he was not hitting his shots, that is not something to worry about. We know he can get hot in a hurry but seeing him on the floor for over 20 minutes is a good sign of things to come. The Pacers will want to get him going soon, though.. F. Indiana Pacers. DOUG MCDERMOTT

C. JaKarr Sampson was not expected to play due to injury and it appeared as if he was going to miss the opener. Instead, he logged minutes to start the fourth quarter at center. WIth all other reserve bigs being out, it made for a weird situation once the starting duo of Turner and Sabonis were shut down after three quarters. Sampson will likely be a larger piece of the rotation when he’s healthy so it was good to see him get some time out there despite his minimal impact.. F. Indiana Pacers. JAKARR SAMPSON

Next. A deeper look into Myles Turner. dark