Few could have predicted the Indiana Pacers' season a year ago. Sure, the end to their four-year playoff drought happened and Indiana surprisingly returned to the Eastern Conference Finals while being a sixth-seed.
This year is different. Expectations are higher than ever. The Eastern Conference has been competitive over the last several years. Three juggernauts in the Atlantic Division and two others that had a better record than the Pacers within their own Central Division.
Here are three bold predictions on how this season could go for Rick Carlisle's troops.
1. Tyrese Haliburton will not qualify for any awards
The All-Star point guard has raised his profile with his performance on the court. Last season, he averaged 20 points and 11 assists a game. In the past two years, Haliburton has averaged a double-double
He shoots about 47% from the field and has become a major leader in the locker room. The issue is not his stats when on the court. It is whether or not Haliburton can stay on the court.
Since breaking into the NBA in 2020, the former Iowa State Cyclone has only played in 70 games or more in a season just once. A lingering hamstring injury kept Haliburton on the sideline for 13 games last season.
As part of a new rule implemented in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, players must play in at least 65 games in the season to qualify for any awards. Furthermore, players must also average at least 20 minutes per game.
The Indiana Pacers are deep enough to withstand a similar blow of Haliburton missing a dozen games or so. Backup T.J. McConnell proved that.
However, if Haliburton misses more than that, he may not be eligible for honors such as Most Valuable Player regardless of his numbers on the stat sheet.