4 Takeaways from Indiana Pacers first preseason win over Atlanta Hawks

Sound the alarm: The Indiana Pacers have won a basketball game! Their first win in 191 days, as a matter of fact!

After two preseason losses to start the year, both without star Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers picked up their first win with the new-look team against a Trae Young and Dejounte Murray-less Atlanta Hawks squad on Monday night.

Despite being up by as much as 29 points going into the third quarter, Atlanta scratched and clawed all the way back to as little as a four-point deficit before the Pacers finally pulled away for good at the end of the game, beating out the Hawks with a final score of 112-116 and picking up their first win of the new-look Pacers era.

Haliburton returned to the lineup tonight and had a very productive night, which we will talk about later. With Atlanta missing their top two scorers in Young and Murray, Saddiq Bey had to pick up most of the scoring load, putting up 21 points and 10 rebounds and giving the Pacers a good scare at the end of the game. De’Andre Hunter and AJ Griffin added on solid performances, with 15 and 16 points each, respectfully.

The Pacers had multiple solid performances from a mix of old and new players, including some rookie masterclasses. They left with the win in their first game at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse of the 2023-24 season.

With that being said, there were plenty of things that stood out to me from the Pacers’ first preseason win. Four things, in particular, stood out, and here they are.