The Pacers are better than you thought
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — Are the Pacers… decent? That still remains to be seen. But they’re definitely fun. And let’s face it: They’re probably better than you thought.
Tyrese Haliburton is playing like an All-Star. Bennedict Mathurin is playing like the Rookie of the year. Myles Turner is playing for respect (and the bag). Buddy Hield is playing free. Andrew Nembhard is playing like he should’ve been a 1st-round pick. And after an 0-2 start to the season, the Pacers have won five of eight games to improve to 5-5 on the young season.
“Winning is fun,” said Haliburton after defeating the Pelicans on Monday night. “And we’re really close with each other. We really pull for each other. We have a lot of energy and focus. And we’re just playing basketball and enjoying it.”
It’s still a small sample size. This team could still end up racking up a lot of losses, dealing veteran players, and still end up getting that high draft-pick that so many covet. But in the here and now? It’s okay to enjoy what you’re seeing, get excited for the future, and maybe even get a little more excited about the present. The Pacers just defeated the Heat and Pelicans in their last two games, and have made 20+ 3’s in two of their last five games.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle has liked what he has seen of late, but understands it’s a long season: “We’re not going to get carried away,” Carlisle said. “We’re going to keep working every day. We’ll come back and get ready for Denver. But tonight was a great night. I was impressed with every player that stepped on the court, and every player that did not step on the court. We had a real spirited effort.”
I said it before the first game of the season: The Pacers are in a good spot no matter what happens with their record. They either win more than expected- which means guys are developing quickly. Or they lose a bunch of games and get a higher draft pick. Either way, things are getting a lot more exciting for this franchise. Get yourself some shirts to celebrate!
