Pacers improve to 5-0 in ’25
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — A little over a month ago, the Indiana Pacers lost a home game to the Charlotte Hornets JV squad, and Indy’s record dropped to 10-15 that night. The critics were out in full force, saying things like: “Last year’s run was a fluke,” and “This team isn’t good,” or “They’ll be lucky to be a play-in team this year.” Fast forward to January 10th, and the narrative has quickly shifted from “fluke team” to “team that nobody wants to see come playoff time.” For the second time in the last 27 days, the Pacers have won five straight games, and they’re looking like that dangerous squad we saw at the end of last season. Since that 10-15 start, the Pacers are 11-3 in their last 14 games including a win over Golden State on Friday night.
“We’ve had a good month going now,” said Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle. “We’ve got to keep at it. It certainly doesn’t get any easier from here, and we’ve got to keep working to keep it moving.”
Andrew Nembhard’s return has been foundational (12-5 since he came back). The addition of Thomas Bryant has been important (10-3 since his arrival). Tyrese Haliburton remembering that he’s Tyrese Haliburton has clearly played a major role. And the Pacers deciding to play defense has also been vital.
In five January games, the Pacers have trailed in less than 10 total minutes of game action. They’ve started to dominate games and have avoided those head-scratching losses of the past.
On Friday night, it was Tyrese Haliburton and a strong defensive effort leading the way once again. The Pacers’ star had 25 points and 10 assists on 8-of-10 shooting. The Pacers are now 13-2 when Haliburton scores 20+ points in a game. Bennedict Mathurin and Pascal Siakam also had big nights. Mathurin had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Siakam added 25 and 11.
When asked what the biggest difference has been lately for his team, Haliburton said: “We’ve been more connected on the defensive end. Getting Nemby back has been huge. He’s an all-league defender. Myles protecting the rim, and guys communicating more. Looking forward to getting Nesmith back soon as well.”
The Pacers still have a ton of work to do, and the Eastern Conference is pretty loaded. Even winning one playoff series this season will be a huge challenge. But when you look at the current standings, you may be pleasantly surprised. At 21-18, the Pacers are currently the No. 6-seed in the East, and just a 1/2 game out of the No. 4-seed, with half a season to play.
The stage is now set for a big test against the top team in the NBA. The Pacers will play the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-4) the next two games, with Sunday’s game in Cleveland, followed by a Tuesday match-up back at home.
