Wednesday saw the Indiana Pacers go through one of their worst nights this season. Already missing two starters in Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith against the Knicks, the team also lost Tyrese Haliburton to injury — and also fell short at New York — throwing some cloud on what’s next for the team in the near future.
While Haliburton’s injury looked nothing like a doomsday one, his probable short-term absence could leave the Pacers gasping. After all, his injury coincides with the team heading into one of the more difficult stretches in their schedule. What could this mean for the meantime? Well, fans should brace themselves for a cold couple of weeks or so.
The Indiana Pacers have to manifest their resilient spirit after Haliburton’s injury amid a tight schedule
The Pacers have been one of the more resilient squads despite being led by up-and-comers. That mettle will definitely be tested as they possibly tread water without their best player.
First off, Indiana will host Atlanta and Memphis back-to-back, two squads that feature All-NBA caliber guards at the core of their attack. No offense to Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell, but hoping that they match the production of Trae Young and Ja Morant is foolish. If Haliburton misses either game, which is almost a certainty at this point, the Pacers will be booked as underdogs.
Milwaukee will obviously be another very tough test for this Pacers squad, with or without Haliburton. The Bucks haven’t been as sharp so far this season, but Giannis Antetokounmpo alone swings the tides in their favor. Meanwhile, their match against Oklahoma City cannot be penciled in as a sure win, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been absolutely phenomenal this season.
Another back-to-back will then follow suit, as the Pacers head Northwest to tackle the West-leading Denver Nuggets, a team that has already beaten them this season. And all it takes is one name: Jokic. Alas, even the injury-riddled Suns cannot be discounted.
If Haliburton remains out at this juncture, Indiana will be in for yet another trek. Their schedule softens a bit, but their slate will still be littered by playoff teams left and right.
Ultimately, the Indiana Pacers will go wherever Tyrese Haliburton takes them. However, if he indeed misses significant time due to injury, the team will have to bank on their culture of resiliency once more to save them from a potential freefall in the standings.
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