When the Indiana Pacers dropped a close game to the Philadelphia 76ers, they did so by four points. The next game, they suffered another defeat by the same margin against the Orlando Magic.
Earlier this week, head coach Rick Carlisle saw his team pull off the upset win on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. They won by seven points just like they did in Wednesday night's rematch against the Magic.
Despite not having Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., the Pacers' opponent kept it close. In the end, Indiana improved to 4-4 and is back to looking like a playoff contender. But which players helped them with that and which ones did not?
Winner: Bennedict Mathurin
Inserted into the starting lineup for the third game in a row, the third-year player for Indiana was the leading scorer. This is the third game this season he has done that but the first as a starter.
Mathurin scored 20 points fairly easily as 13 of them came from the free throw line. He made all of his 14 attempts there but one.
The former Arizona Wildcat also snagged 11 rebounds in the contest on Monday night. This is his second double-double of the season as he recorded his first one against the Boston Celtics. He had 30 points and 11 rebounds in that win.
Mathurin scoring more than 20 points in a game for the Pacers should not be a surprise. Prior to his season-ending injury last March, he accomplished this feat 13 times. In his first eight games, he has done so three times and scored 19 points twice.
His abilities on offense help Indiana light up the score board. The other two times the Pacers scored 118 in a game; they lost. Thanks to Mathurin in the rematch against the Magic, it was enough this time.
Winner: Myles Turner
Another double-double by a Pacers player usually is a good thing. Just ask their starting center.
Turner logged his second double-double in a row. In his first five games this season, he averaged 5.8 boards. He has snagged 21 rebounds in his last two games combined.
Like Mathurin, the veteran big man is also getting it done from the free throw line. After going a perfect five for five in his 30-point performance against Dallas, he made four of his five attempts Monday night.
The Pacers have won all three games when Turner has made 80% of his free throws or better. In the win against Orlando, he swatted two of their shots and came up with a steal.
It was the third game of the season where he tallied multiple blocks. Turner now has 12 blocks on the season. His 1.7 blocks a game average is tied for ninth-best with the NBA's leading scorer Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Loser: Andrew Nembhard
The Pacers' starting shooting guard has been inconsistent. His struggles continued to show as he finished Wednesday night's game with only five points in 31 minutes.
Despite tying TJ McConnell for the team high in assists with five, Nembhard went just two of eight from the floor. This is the fourth game of the season where he made less than 38% of shots.
Nembhard did so in the first three games of the season. He scored in double figures three times for the Pacers in his last four games.
Again, Nembhard was the only starter to fall short of scoring at least 10 points. In fact, three other players off the bench scored more than he did. Jarace Walker scored 17 and T.J. McConnell added 15.
In his first two seasons for the Pacers, Nembhard averaged more than nine points a game. So far, he is down to 7.7 points per game.
Winner: The second unit (they're back to looking like the best again)
Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner all scored 17 points on Wednesday night. That's 51 points from Indiana's 'Big 3.'
In addition, Mathurin, who normally is a part of the Pacers' second unit, added 20 points. However, their bench scored 42 points.
As mentioned, backup point guard McConnell and forward Walker combined for 32 points. Ben Sheppard and Obi Toppin, together, added another 10.
The combo of Walker and McConnell did so without missing a shot. They both went perfect on the floor, making all seven of their shots, each.
Neither player failed to connect on an attempt from behind the arc. Walker made all three of his shots from three-point land and McConnell made his only three.
Toppin and Sheppard both went two of three from the floor. Neither player recorded a turnover against the Orlando Magic, either.
Last season, the Indiana Pacers boasted the best bench in the league. Their second unit averaged 46.8 points per game. They were less than five points shy of that mark in the win against the Magic.
With big nights like this from the Pacers' second unit, they will be a playoff team again. They might even return to the Eastern Conference with a little 'magic.'