Indiana Pacers: 3 takeaways from season opener against Charlotte

Indiana Pacers rookie Chris Duarte came out firing from all cylinders

With projected starting shooting guard Caris LeVert out with an injury, coach Rick Carlisle put rookie Chris Duarte in his stead—and he certainly made the most of the given opportunity.

The rookie swingman finished the game with 27 points in 32 minutes on an efficient nine of 15 shooting from the field, including an impressive six of nine on triples. While a slight injury scare briefly halted his fiery shooting early, Duarte showed impressive chops in the clutch, sinking two crucial three-pointers late in the game.

Even if the Indiana Pacers eventually regain their injured key players, Duarte is making a solid case for himself to remain a significant part of Rick Carlisle’s rotation moving forward. Although he still made some erratic, yet expected mistakes on defense, his scoring touch and solid perimeter defense are top-notch among his peers. At this juncture, Duarte has easily been the best rookie in the league.