Indiana Pacers: Examining the top 5 lineups so far this season
By Joe Lyon
2. Duarte, Haliburton, Hield, Jackson, Smith (20:12 MP, +30.7 points)
The second-highest point differential lineup for the Pacers shakes things up a bit. Although, three players continue their streak of being in every top lineup so far (Haliburton, Hield, and Smith). Are you starting to notice a pattern?
The differences here are Chris Duarte and Jackson. Duarte has been hurt as of late, which has opened up additional minutes for players such as Nesmith and Nembhard. But when he was playing early this season, Duarte looked relatively solid. Averaging 9 points a game on almost 40% shooting, he has been a valuable role player.
Jackson has looked to make a year-two leap in his own right, averaging about 8 points a game on 60% shooting. In what does Jackson lead the team? Exciting athletic dunks that electrify a fanbase. Jackson looks every bit the part of an athletic big that can jump to the rafters.
Pair these two with the core offensive group so far (Haliburton, Hield, and Smith) and you end up with a group that has played just over 20 minutes together with a point differential of +30.7 points. When Duarte can get healthy again, it will be exciting to see this group play together once again.