As expected, betting on the Indiana Pacers to catch lightning in a bottle this early in a rebuilding season is a gamble waiting to disappoint its bettor. Touting a 1-4 record through their first five games, the team has definitely struggled to keep up with the association’s more robust pool of competitive, win-now clubs.
However, that does not mean that the Pacers have disappointed in all nooks and crannies of the game. In fact, relatively speaking, one can argue that the team is off to a positive start considering its current direction as a franchise. Nevertheless, here are three bold takeaways from Indiana’s first five games of the current campaign.
1. The Indiana Pacers have the best future backcourt in the East
Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin’s superb start to the season is definitely the one at the crux of any Pacers-related green flag so far. Their backcourt pairing, one that should prove to be more lethal with every passing day, could easily be the one that takes Indiana from the cellar into the winning circle eventually.
The Pacers’ losses may hurt his case, but Haliburton has been playing at an All-Star level so far, registering 22.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 10 assists per game. The lanky playmaker is one of only two players logging a point-assist double-double this season.
Meanwhile, Mathurin has been making a lot of noise in the Rookie of the Year ladder. Despite not starting a single game and playing less minutes than most of his competitors for the plum, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft has averaged 20.8 points, five rebounds, and 2.4 assists in just 27.6 minutes per game.
While the norm says that one should expect these numbers to regress to the mean, the “mean” for these two may already be their current statistical vestiges. Sure, Indiana may not rack up a lot of wins this season, but the team will definitely banner one of, if not the best backcourt in the East in the near future.
2. The Indiana Pacers should drop the hammer on their veterans
Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are far from non-contributors. In fact, both players have the perfect skillset to compete in the modern NBA. One is a rangy shot-blocker, while the other is a three-point shooting madman. So why in the world should the Indiana Pacers actively look to trade them?
Well, for starters, they are definitely far from irreplaceable. Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson, and even Goga Bitadze all have specific quirks that should arm the Pacers with something more in the center position than Turner currently exhibits. Ditto for Hield who, while not easily replaceable per se given his effective volume shot-making from rainbow country, has currently overshadowed some of the team’s young players who need his minutes more, like Chris Duarte.
If anything, the team’s veterans need new homes, despite touting a harmless presence overall. After all, their in-demand skillset will be sure to attract a lot of bidders, giving the Pacers a golden opportunity to strike the iron and fast-track their conveyor belt toward a youth-centered roster-building strategy.
Fortunately, the rumor mill is pretty warm to the idea of the Pacers moving on from their veterans. Expect Indiana to be a very popular seller in the trading market moving forward with their barrage of useful vets in Turner, Hield, TJ McConnell, and Daniel Theis.
3. Defense will not be a strength of the Pacers anytime soon
Through five games, the Indiana Pacers are currently tied for third-worst in defensive rating among all 30 teams. And the two (or three) teams beneath them, the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Memphis Grizzlies, should at least improve in the department as bona fide playoff teams.
Not having Myles Turner, their defensive centerpiece, for four of their first five contests definitely flicked the Pacers off the table right from the get-go in this regard, but pinning the team’s struggles on defense solely on his absence is a gross underplay. If anything, Indiana is simply too flawed personnel-wise to have a realistic shot at being an above-average point-preventing unit anytime soon.
The Pacers’ lack of a truly imposing defensive anchor gives off the notion that the team is outmatched in the paint on a nightly basis, but they are actually surprisingly good at preventing points in the paint, currently ranked third in the league so far. It is definitely a step in the right direction, but when you’re conversely among the worst in guarding the three-point line (fifth-worst), you will certainly be on deck for a nightmarish year on D.
Still, their good ranking on defending the paint may have a flukish element. After all, among all the teams they have played, only Philadelphia has a dominant scoring big man (not counting a declining, spread big in Vucevic). Needless to say, the Pacers’ front office has a tall task ahead of them in constructing a roster that is better equipped to defend the ever-improving offenses in the league.
Oh, and get Dan Burke back at all costs, will ya?