Despite their slow start, things are finally starting to look up for the Indiana Pacers. After starting the season 1-3, the Pacers have taken three of their last four games and are now 4-4. Furthermore, the Pacers are currently tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 3 seed in the East.
What makes the Pacers' run even more impressive is that they are not at full health. Their backup centers, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, both suffered season-ending Achilles injuries, and starting small forward Aaron Nesmith is currently sidelined due to an ankle injury. Still, the Pacers have figured things out and are starting to look like the same team that made a conference finals run last season.
During the team's recent stretch, multiple Pacers have shown out and had breakout performances. This includes players like Ben Sheppard and Bennedict Mathurin. However, during Indiana's win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, another player on the team stepped up and showcased their value to the team--Jarace Walker.
In the win, Walker scored 17 points off the bench on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting night, including his 3-for-3 mark from the three-point line. Additionally, he grabbed six rebounds, recorded two steals and a block, and committed zero turnovers in 23 minutes.
Walker's performance could be the turning point as he aims to establish himself as a regular contributor. After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle praised the second-year forward and made some comments that bode well for his Pacers career.
Rick Carlisle praises Jarace Walker's 'exponential' development
In his post-game press conference, Carlisle spoke about Walker's growth. Specifically, Carlisle praised Walker's "great vision" and his ability to be a threat on offense.
"His growth is exponential," Carlisle said. "He's gotten better in all areas. He's an elite passer and has great vision. In the NBA he's probably in the top 5 or 10% in terms of court vision. In the NBA you must be a threat to score for your passing to be really effective, otherwise, they'll just play at you and fake at you. He's striking the right balance there."
Heading into the season, opinions were split on Walker. After his disappointing rookie season, all eyes were on the Pennsylvania native ahead of his second year. Walker looked good in Summer League but had mixed performances in preseason. Furthermore, before his breakout performance against Orlando, Walker was averaging just 9.8 minutes per game.
It seemed that Walker was going to remain buried in the Pacers' rotation. Even with their injuries, the Houston alum struggled to see playing time. Wednesday night, Walker finally displayed his talents and showed what he is capable of.
Amidst his great performance, it is important to remember that it is just one game. Nonetheless, Walker possesses a lot of tools that could prove useful for the Pacers. Walker certainly earned a bigger role in the rotation, at least for the foreseeable future. What he does with this expanded role could make or break his career with the team for good.