Officially through the first week of the 2025 calendar year, the Indiana Pacers kicked off the year about as well as any fan hoped for. Winning their first four games of the year, the Pacers are one of just three teams who are still undefeated in 2025 (the Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings are the other two).
It took some time to get there, but the Pacers are finally looking much closer to the team that made the conference finals last year. The Pacers are 20-18 and are two games above .500 for the first time this season. Additionally, they are currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and sit firmly in the playoff picture.
This was a notable week for the Pacers. As they aim to build off their winning streak, here is a roundup of what you may have missed surrounding the team.
The Pacers set a record that will never be topped
In their victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, the Pacers rolled out an interesting lineup. Sharing the court were Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembard, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and Thomas Bryant. On paper, this lineup is nothing out of the ordinary. However, the Pacers still set an NBA record with this lineup.
X user @CRod1701 made note that these players combined for the lowest possible jersey number total in an on-court lineup. In total, the five players' jersey numbers added up to six. Barring some major jersey number changes in the future, this record is impossible to be broken. This, of course, had no impact on the game, but it is still a fun record regardless.
Indiana may have another impactful contributor on the roster
The Pacers traded for Bryant from the Miami Heat in December. Prior to last night's game, the Indiana alum appeared in 11 games, averaging 5.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.5 minutes. However, due to Myles Turner being forced to miss the game due to an illness, Bryant assumed a much larger role and started in his place. To say the big man delivered would be an understatement.
In the win, Bryant scored 22 points (second-most on the team behind Pascal Siakam) on 9-for-16 shooting. Additionally, he recorded eight rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 28 minutes.
After the game, Bryant received love from some notable figures on the team, including Haliburton and Rick Carlisle.
“Give me 12 Thomas Bryants,” Tyrese Haliburton said postgame. “Just in the effect of just his energy and willingness to do the right things. He’s a professional, we knew he’d step in. [He] played the right way today.”
"He was great," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Bryant. "He played efficient. He played smart. He seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. He had a couple of important putbacks in key moments of the game. He brings a real positive energy just as a person out there too along with being a heck of a player. ... I don't know that we win the game without him."
Once Turner makes his return, Bryant will move back to the bench. However, given his performance against Chicago, it would not be a surprise if he assumed a larger role regardless.
Pacers' veteran contract becomes guaranteed
January 7 was the deadline for NBA teams to move on from players with partial/non-guaranteed contracts before they became fully guaranteed. That deadline has come and gone, but James Johnson, who did not have a fully guaranteed contract, is still with the team.
Prior to the deadline, Carlisle made it clear that Johnson was not going anywhere. Despite playing a minimal role on the court, the Wyoming native still plays an important role as a veteran leader. Now that his contract is fully guaranteed, he will likely remain on the Pacers as they look to make another deep playoff run.