The Indiana Pacers opened their season on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards. The Pacers came up short, losing 107-114 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
There were good things that happened in the opener, but there were also some not-so-good things. To add insult to injury, the Pacers were without their anchor down low, Myles Turner, who tweaked his ankle in warm-ups.
Indiana will need to keep experimenting with different lineups to find which groups give them the best chance to win with the season now underway. That being said, here are two standouts and one player who especially struggles in the Pacers’ loss to the Wizards.
Tyrese Haliburton Shines in Season Opener for the Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton was one of the few bright spots from Wednesday night’s game. He definitely lived up to the hype, putting up 26 points, seven assists, and four rebounds while shooting 50 percent (3-6) from three in 36 minutes of action. He did his part on the floor by holding his own on the defensive end and steering the wheel for the squad on the offensive end.
Tyrese also logged some of the biggest plays of the game. On one play, he pulled off a beautiful hesitation and attack the rim for a vicious flush over the defender. Coming into the season, we all knew that Haliburton was going to be good, and he definitely looked like the best player on the floor against the Wizards.
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Haliburton could very well be considered the heart and soul of this Pacers team. If they want to have a chance to win, he is going to have to be on his A-game, and he was on Wednesday night. If the Pacers did not have such a slow start to the game, the result of the game may have been a little different. Nevertheless, Tyrese Haliburton did his part and if he continues to do so, this team should be more successful.
Bennedict Mathurin Lives up to Hype in First NBA Game
Bennedict Mathurin‘s first NBA action came against the Wizards. The week before, he gave the fans a fiery show in training camp, and Wednesday night was no different. Mathurin was an instant spark off the bench and brought the firepower that was needed from the second group. Mathurin registered 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a couple of steals in 28 minutes (third most on the team.)
Mathurin did a good job attacking the basket on the offensive end, getting himself easy buckets and sending himself to the free-throw line. Using his freakish athleticism, Mathurin logged some highlight plays and was especially proficient in sneaking up for rebounds. For his first game, he really looked right at home with the Pacers.
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This was a welcoming sight to see for Indiana Pacers fans, coaches, and the front office. The confidence that Mathurin plays with will carry over to this team. Ben may find his way into the starting lineup before long if he continues to produce the way he did on the first night out. The fans of Gainbridge Fieldhouse are going to be expecting a show from this young group moving forward.
Chris Duarte Struggles in First Game of Season for the Indiana Pacers
Second-year pro Chris Duarte had a lot of expectations on him heading into this season as well. Many people thought he would be one of the main scorers of this team as he had a pretty impressive rookie campaign. However, Duarte struggled Wednesday night. In 19 minutes of action, Duarte finished with five points and a board. Duarte did not get up the shots he’s used to. He went 1-2 from three and 2-2 from the free throw line, and only attempted a single two-point shot. Why did Duarte struggle?
As I mentioned, part of the reason that Chris did not put up the numbers we are all used to seeing is the fact that he did not get many shots up. Shots are going to have to be split with him, Tyrese, Buddy Hield, and Mathurin. Duarte should be getting it going here soon. The one thing about sports is that they are known for overreactions, especially after the first game of the year.
Duarte took a shot to the eye late in the game and did not come back to the game after heading to the locker room. It looked like he was okay and could go back in the game but the Pacers opted to play on the safe side and keep him out to finish the game. He is now listed as day-to-day with the injury. I am confident that Duarte will get it going soon, and we will see many performances like we saw last year from the second-year guard.