Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Jackson’s versatility and potential in return to play

After missing three games with an ankle sprain, Isaiah Jackson made his return to the Indiana Pacers lineup as a starter after missing three games before the All-Star break. The Pacers get their first win since the All-Star break against the Boston Celtics.

Isaiah Jackson only played 22 minutes in the Indiana Pacers’ overtime loss to OKC and just 20 against Boston. However, he nearly led the team in scoring.

Isaiah Jackson has gone through an interesting rookie season, to say the least. Starting the season in and out of the G-League, and then suffered a few injuries that kept him sidelined.

Jackson has only played in 22 games for the Pacers out of their 62 total games. Granted, earlier this season the team was trying the Sabonis/Turner combination and trying to win more games than their current record.

Jackson has become the clear backup center behind Myles Turner over Goga Bitadze, who the Pacers should explore trading at this point.

If Buddy Hield wasn’t a fantastic three-point shooter, Isaiah Jackson would have led the Pacers in scoring in their first game back against the Thunder. He scored 17 points and 6 rebounds in the team’s loss. Hield finished with 29 points and 5 threes.

The lob threat that Jackson brings to the Pacers has made this team so fun to watch. It adds an entirely new dimension to their offense and when Indiana capitalize on hustle plays, they please the eye.

Jackson is not the world’s greatest screen setter (he’s only 20) but he loves to pop out of the screen. The combination of Jackson and Haliburton’s skillset has me excited for the Pacers’ future.

His shooting abilities are there and he has shown them in flashes this season, especially with the Mad Ants. If he can develop and add a consistent mid-range/post-fade to his skillset, his upcoming season will be dangerous.

Jackson is so effortless in his leaping ability that he’s able to slip a screen and jump twice before making a contested slam. Of course, an easy read for Haliburton and the perfect pass to convert the play.

On top of his offensive output, he is a force around the rim defensively as well. In his last two games, Jackson has 8 blocks, including 5 in his first game back.

Jackson has the best possible tutor in the NBA when it comes to shot-blocking in Myles Turner. It would be interesting to see them share the floor, to say the least.

Among his fellow rookies, he ranks 7th in total blocks accumulated this season with 23. He has only played 22 games for the Indiana Pacers and averages just 10.3 played this season, which makes it even more impressive.

Haliburton was asked postgame on what it means to have a lob threat as he does with Isaiah Jackson.

"“Isaiah really flies and I think he has the potential to be one of the biggest lob threats in this league. Just keep learning each other and him learning how I like to set screens, we’re playing against different coverages every night. We’re getting closer and that is helping”."

They are indeed getting closer, Jackson is averaging 14 points per game and 5 rebounds while shooting 77.3% from the field since making his return. Haliburton is averaging 11 assists per game.