The 2022-23 NBA season kicks off against Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. ESPN has pegged the Indiana Pacers as two-point point home underdogs against the visitors, but the storylines heading into this game will dominate the odds.
Fans and people around the league are not sure what this season holds for the Pacers and what this team can be as one of the younger squads in the league. Here, I am going to talk about three of the biggest things that fans of the Blue and Gold are intrigued to see in their season opener.
1. What impact will Tyrese Haliburton have as the Indiana Pacers’ alpha?
Tyrese Haliburton will be making his opening-day debut for the Pacers. He has created a lot of buzz and optimism within the organization and with the fans. In 26 games last season in Indiana, he averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. With a full season on deck, it will definitely be exciting to see how he fares with this Pacers team as the inarguable head of the snake.
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Haliburton will be the main star of the show from day one. As he will have the ball in his hands for the majority of the game, look for him to have a fast start to this season against the Wizards. He can distribute the ball and hang with, if not usurp, some of the elite passers in the game, he can shoot the three while attacking the rim and finishing tough shots, and on the defensive end, he is a menace. He is always up in your grill and looking to seize any opportunity to steal the ball.
The Pacers have never really had a guy with the pizzazz of Tyrese since Paul George. He is a walking highlight reel and is bound to have many plays that will take fans out of their seats. Look for him to get his teammates involved early which could hopefully propel the team to a win to start off the campaign.