Through nearly two weeks of action to start the 2024-25 NBA season, the Indiana Pacers are far from where fans were expecting them to be. Despite bringing back nearly the exact same squad from last season's conference finals team, the Pacers are 2-4 through the first six games of the campaign and are struggling on the court. Their league-leading offense from last season is averaging just 115.8 points per game so far, the 11th-best mark in the NBA, and their defense and rebounding are subpar as well.
The Pacers, however, have dealt with numerous injuries. Both of their backup centers, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, suffered season-ending Achilles injuries. Additionally, Aaron Nesmith is currently dealing with an ankle injury and will miss time, and Andrew Nembhard is still recovering from a knee problem, though he should return soon.
A lot has gone bad for Indiana so far, but there are some silver linings as well. Here are two players who have surprised Pacers fans (as well as one who has been a huge disappointment) through the first six games of the season.
Surprise: Ben Sheppard
Ben Sheppard had a good showing in preseason but seemed stuck in the rotation behind players like Nembhard, Nesmith, and Bennedict Mathurin. Despite playing a minimal role to begin his Pacers career last season, Sheppard gradually assumed a larger role, ultimately playing in every playoff game for the team and starting the last two. So far, it seems that the second-year shooting guard has carried a lot of that momentum over.
Through six games, Sheppard is averaging 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 54.8% from the field and 50% from the three-point line. It is a small sample size, but these are all career highs for him at the moment. This includes a 20-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans where he played 33 minutes due to Nesmith's injury during the game.
Sheppard also continues to look solid on the defensive side of the ball as well. It is unknown how much the 23-year-old can grow from here, but it is clear that Sheppard is playing good basketball in Indiana and should be in for a breakout season.
Disappointment: Tyrese Haliburton
This one is unfortunately a no-brainer. Tyrese Haliburton has not played well to begin the new season. So far, he is averaging 14 points on 33.7% from the field (and an atrocious 24% from the three-point line), 4.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Furthermore, his defense is still not good, and he is not playing the same style of basketball that led to his All-NBA campaign last season. Haliburton is not playing efficiently and is not playing with the same pace that made him and the Pacers elite last season. The problem is not that Haliburton has not progressed from last season. It is that he looks worse than he has at any point during his NBA career.
It is too early in the season to hit the panic button, but there is genuine cause for concern, especially because Haliburton's game has clearly taken a step back since just before last season's All-Star break.
Haliburton is a talented player, and he will likely figure it out soon enough. However, there is no denying that his on-court performances are disappointing and that he is a major reason for Indiana's slow start to the season.
Surprise: Bennedict Mathurin
Mathurin playing good basketball is not a surprise on its own. However, it becomes one when you factor in just how well he is playing and the fact that he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in March and missed the Pacers' entire playoff run.
Despite having a mixed bag of performances during preseason, Mathurin has played great to begin the season. So far, he is averaging 16.3 points on 53.3% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Furthermore, to take it a bit further, there have been times when Mathurin looks like the best player on the court for either team.
Heading into the season, there were talks that Mathurin may eventually be on the way out due to him not having a consistent role in Indiana, but his play so far is showing why he is closer to being an untouchable instead.
With Nembahrd currently sidelined, the third-year wing should continue to have opportunities on the court and show the NBA world that he is a rising star in the league as well.