The Indiana Pacers’ 2022-23 season officially came to an end Sunday afternoon in New York City. They used 41-point first and fourth quarters to complete a comeback and win at Madison Square Garden, 141-136.

They finished the season with a 35-47 record, a 10-win improvement from last season and above what the oddsmakers expected entering the year.

The last three weeks or so have been about the future, both in terms of player development and aiming for a better draft pick. They dropped 10 of their final 14 games, including the previous three. But they failed to complete that task on Sunday.

Why does that matter?

Because at this time of the season, it’s all about lottery odds for a team like the Pacers. And so Sunday’s win was a costly one.

They finished in a tie with Washington for seventh in the inverse standings rather than a tie with Orlando for sixth. The difference in odds for the chance to jump into the top four is about eight percent.

The Pacers also own Cleveland and Boston's first-round selection in the upcoming draft. Cleveland's will either be 25 or 26 after a tie is broken with Memphis, and Boston is slotted in at 29.

And there’s another BIG tiebreaker they’ll be watching closely. Because the Rockets and Spurs won, they tied for the second-worst record (22-40) behind the Pistons. If the Spurs win the coin flip, the Rockets will get the 32nd overall pick and it then becomes the Pacers’ from a previous trade.

However, if the Rockets win the tiebreaker, they don’t own pick 31 or 32 so the Pacers receive the Heat’s pick — which is substantially worse. Plus, they have another second-round pick incoming.

All tiebreakers will be handled prior to the draft lottery, which is held in Chicago in May.

Either way, the Pacers will have a handful of picks and they are not expected to use all of them. There’s just not space or reasonable time for development. Therefore, a deal including a few of them is most likely.

The Pacers clearly committed the final few weeks of the season to the big picture — wisely so, by the way — by sitting Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner to both lead to better lottery odds and to see the young guys in different roles.

Like Bennedict Mathurin, last year’s lottery pick at six. They finished with seven players in double figures during the season finale, led by his 26 points in 37 minutes. Andrew Nembhard, the 31st overall pick, had 19 points and nine assists and Jordan Nwora, acquired midseason via trade, contributed 19.

The photo above is from a memorable moment in the second half.

George Hill landed hard on his right shoulder in the first half, applied heat on it to start the second and then went 3 for 3 from range. Both Hill (17 points) and Buddy Hield (15) made five 3s each in the game, contributing to the team’s 19 that gave them an edge on the Knicks (+12).

Hield, the 30-year-old guard, proudly led the team in games played this season with 80. He also set a new personal and franchise record for made 3s in a season (288).

See Also: The only thing that can keep Hield from playing is the flu and a trip to the ER

And upon returning home from New York City, the veteran players had a surprise waiting for Mathurin. His car was wrapped, a fitting way to wrap the season.

And he knew something was coming, eventually…

“My vets be calling me hardheaded on my team because I ain’t trying to do the rookie tasks,” he said in February. “That’s for Drew (Nembhard), my guy over there. You get drafted to a team and you got some vets and you got to do the tasks. They keep asking me if I like extra butter, trying to get popcorn in my car. I just got to do the tasks.”

The Pacers spent this entire season trying to establish an identity and a culture, something head coach Rick Carlisle has stressed several times is a daily task. Among the character traits the front office went after last summer was highly-determined and -motivated players, guys who were competitors and hated to lose. I think we saw that in Mathurin, Nembhard and a few others.

Sunday was proof of that.

Carlisle, who was hired in June 2021, is under contract for two more seasons.

The focus the past two seasons has largely been on rebuilding and player development. The wins start to matter again next season. The playoffs aren’t just the goal, they are the expectation.

The front office has plenty of options to go, from a handful of draft selections to several players who can be included in trade packages. They need to solidify both forward positions and provide clarity on their approach with excessive guards and centers.

Then, they must make significant improvement on the defensive end, which has been troubling for three straight years.

And this will be the third consecutive postseason where the Pacers aren’t one of 16 participants. Instead, all eyes are on the draft lottery to see how high they will be picking in the NBA Draft.

We will hear from the players on Monday after exit interviews followed by Kevin Pritchard, the president of basketball operations, on Tuesday afternoon.

And I’ll continue to have full coverage right here on Fieldhouse Files.

You can also catch me this week on:

• Sunday, 10:40 p.m.: FOX 59

• Tuesday and Wednesday: Co-hosting The Fan Mid-Day Show (12-3 p.m. ET) on 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis.

• More news to come. Stay tuned.

Key Dates:

• May 16: Draft lottery

• May 17-19: Draft combine

• June 22: Draft

• July 7-17: Las Vegas Summer League

Hello, friends. *in my best Jim Nantz voice*

Happy Easter, and Happy Masters Sunday.

The Indiana Pacers close out the 2022-23 season this afternoon in New York City. At the Mecca. A memorable one to cap off this season.

This Pacers season has featured many high moments, but it has been a trying last three weeks. A lot of losing — 9 of 11, in fact — and few games featuring key, name players. We haven’t seen Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner or Chris Duarte for several weeks.

And Sunday’s game figures to be even worse with eight Pacers on the injury report as Oshae Brissett, Isaiah Jackson, T.J. McConnell, Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith were new names added in recent days.

It doesn't even all fit in one tweet.

It makes for an awful product, which leaves fans with a lot to be desired, but it does serve a purpose. As I’ve written several times, then repeated on the podcast and on the radio, this is the right path for the Pacers. Finally.

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 149-136 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• The same four Pacers are out for the second game in a row: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner and Chris Duarte

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Scotiabank Arena is one of the best game-night environments in the NBA. It’s loud, with a passionate fan base and a team they’ve connected with well.

And with three Pacers players back in their home country on Wednesday, there was inevitably a little extra juice in the building.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Oshae Brissett, along with rookies Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard.

It was the third and final meeting between the teams this season, but just the first in Toronto. So Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle made sure it was a memorable one — both for his players and the country.

Carlisle, having a great feel for the moment once again, elected to start all three. That marked the first time in NBA history that three Canadians had started a game together.

“Historic night for Canada Basketball,” Carlisle said after the game.

Raptors fans are loud and dedicated. You probably remember seeing Jurassic Park, the area right outside the arena, go off during their playoff runs several years ago. And especially during the run to their only title in 2019, led by Kawhi Leonard.

“Definitely a Raptors fans growing up, especially the last few years when they won the championship and the city was buzzing,” guard Nembhard said earlier this season. He grew up in Aurora, about 40 minutes away.

Mathurin, too, was a Raptors fan.

“For sure,” he said. “Growing up, the Toronto Raptors were the only team I used to watch. Having DeMar DeRozan, Vince Carter, Chris Bosh and all those guys. That was for sure a team I was looking at.”

His sister, Jenn, appeared to be sitting in courtside seats on the baseline adjacent to the team bench. She’s been right there several times this season to support her younger brother.

In addition to playing in front of family and friends, the Montreal native appreciated facing one of his college teammates and former roommate at Arizona, Christian Koloko.

“Christian is my guy,” Mathurin said previously. “I’m really proud of him and I’m really proud of what he’s done. … Playing against Christian is great because I remember last year, we used to work late nights and early mornings. He wasn’t really sure about how the process was gonna go and I used to tell him he’s got to work, trust the process and now we’re here.”

As for Brissett, a native of Toronto, his professional career began in 2019 with the Raptors — and then he moved on to the Pacers on the suggestion of former head coach Nate Bjorkgren, who is back as a front-of-bench coach for the Raptors.

Suffice to say, the Pacers had perhaps one of their largest cheering sections across the border thanks to these Canadians Pacers. And then they helped deliver, no one more than Nembhard.

He went off in the first quarter, scoring 14 of his team-high 25 points and finished with 10 assists. “Andrew set the tone for the game,” Carlisle said.

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The Pacers had their way with the Charlotte Hornets for the first 17 minutes Monday night. They had a 21-point lead early in the second quarter off an Isaiah Jackson tip-in dunk, then they slowly unraveled.

The lead was sliced to eight points …

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 141-121 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• Tyrese Haliburton (fourth game), Bennedict Mathurin (fourth) and Chris Duarte (second) are all unavailable due to ankle injuri…

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Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle announced that a right ankle sprain, suffered in practice on Wednesday, would keep All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the heartbeat of the team, out for at least the next three games.

This was hours before the Pacers played the NBA’s best team and in a building where they had never won. And last time they met, the Bucks erupted for 85 first-half points.

See, the Pacers (32-38) helped the Bucks open up Fiserv Forum on Oct. 19, 2018. It was a Bucks 17-point win and they’ve dominated the series over the last five years.

That, along with the fact that the Pacers were without three rotation players and the Bucks have the NBA’s best record (50-20), made win No. 32 their best of the season.

As they often do, the Pacers got off to a poor start and recovered. They trailed 10-3 and 40-30 after 1, but then made some tweaks and outplayed the Bucks the rest of the way for a 139-123 win — snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Bucks.

“Not a great first half, but really a special second half,” Carlisle said after the game. “Our level of aggression, our attitude was much, much better just in terms of understanding how we needed to play to have a chance to hang and get a win here.”

To beat the Bucks, you must have success from beyond the arc. They want you to take 3s so if you’re not making them, good luck. That, among several other reasons, is why the Pacers have struggled over the years.

They shot 56% in the game, including 48% from 3-point range. They made 22 3s, twice as many as the Bucks — and that 33-point difference was too much for the Bucks to overcome. Even with potential NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 25 points despite battling foul trouble in the entire second half.

The Pacers’ second-half numbers were very impressive.

They outscored the Bucks by 25, shot 70% from the field and made 13 of 19 3s while being +7 on the glass and only committing four turnovers.

It was their best half of the season.

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 134-125 overtime win over the Houston Rockets Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• Aaron Nesmith, after sitting out the past two games with left hip soreness, is back and in the starting lineup.

• The Rockets are without Kevin Porter Jr. due to a left thigh contusion. They’re the youngest team in the league — an average age of 23.58 at the start of the season — have only 15 wins, and are the top offensive rebounding team.

• The next three games are a real opportunity for the Pacers to get wins and work on some things. They play the Rockets and then the Pistons twice — the two worst teams in the league.

  • Draft note: Rockets losses are a good thing for the Pacers. If they land pick 31 or 32 in the draft, it then belongs to the Pacers.

• Rev It Up!: Rapper 50 Cent, who also owns Sire Spirits — a liquor brand with cognac and champagne — and has a partnership deal with the team.

  • Before the game, he took photos with Tyrese Haliburton and coach Rick Carlisle on the floor and was invited back to the locker room.

• This one is off to a blistering start. A combined 17 points in the first 3 minutes.

• 6:35: Andrew Nembhard to the bench with two fouls, replaced by T.J. McConnell.

• 4:30: Pacers are productive early, opening up a double-digit lead by shooting 73% and making five of their first eight 3s. They’ve assisted on nine of their first 11 field goals.

• 3:18: McConnell drills a corner 3 for the Pacers’ sixth as they’ve used a 20-4 run to double-up the Rockets, up 34-17. Wow.

• 2:35: Despite the lead, Carlisle is using all of this to be a teaching point. He’s called a timeout, including one here because they were slow to get back defensively and gave up a layup on a second-chance opportunity. As I wrote last week, attention to details has to be there.

• 1:30: Ruh roh. Bennedict Mathurin goes down holding his right ankle. Attacking from the left side of the floor, he beat his man and then Usman Garuba stepped up to help. Mathurin’s right ankle rolls to the outside and then he immediately grabbed the ankle. Veterans George Hill and James Johnson carried him off the court and back to the locker room to be observed by associate head athletic trainer Carl Eaton & team doctors.

  • Click here to read my full report on Mathurin from postgame.

• The Pacers shot 58%, did a good job of running in transition and built their lead up to 11, 38-27, after 1. The one concerning area is second-chance points: 11-3 Rockets.

  • The Pacers have won the first quarter in three of their last four games and they’re +12 in the last seven games. That’s good progress.

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• 5:52: Pacers have grown their lead to 17. With Mathurin out of the game, more minutes can be expected for Chris Duarte.

• 2:42: Kenyon Martin Jr. rips through for a big slam, slicing their deficit to 10 via a 10-2 Rockets spurt.

• With a favorable matchup, going against a very young team, Myles Turner is taking advantage. Coming off a foul-filled game against Joel Embiid and the 76ers, he’s scored 16 first-half points.

• Once up by 18 points, the Pacers’ lead was slashed to six at the break, 64-58. It was a 20-6 Rockets run over the final five minutes of the half. They scored 26 of their 31 points in the quarter inside the paint and outrebounded the Pacers by seven. Rebounding was a big priority for the Pacers entering the game.

  • Carlisle postgame: “I thought the key to the game was the second quarter, where we lost an 18-point lead. We just pissed it away. Some loose offense in the second quarter got them going and led to some transition and rim-attack opportunities. Got them into the bonus, got them to the free throw line and got them believing.”

SECOND HALF

• 7:21: Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 3 overall pick in 2022, living at the free throw line to start the half, making seven of eight attempts. He’s already up to 20 points in 25 minutes.

  • Haliburton postgame: “They went to the free throw line for like every play in the third quarter; we didn’t get any stops it felt like in the third quarter, second half.”

• 3:51: Isaiah Jackson began the game as the backup center, but now Carlisle is turning to Jalen Smith. This isn’t easy for these two young bigs. Inconsistent minutes, in one game and sitting another. Predictability is a big thing, helping to calm a player and allow for them to create a routine.

  • Carlisle: “Once again, Jalen Smith kept himself very much ready and he came in and played a pivotal role. I’ve been real impressed with him.”

• I want to see more from the Pacers. They haven’t trailed in this one, but their lead has continued to hang around six. This is not a good Rockets team and they’re playing down to the competition.

  • Turner: “I think you have a tendency to relax when you play teams like this. It’s second nature that comes with that. But when you step in between the lines, a lot of that goes out the window. You just go out there and compete and hoop. There’s no surprises in this league.”

  • Haliburton: “You got to respect everybody at the end of the day, we’re all NBA players. It doesn’t matter records. They’ve got a lot of young, up-and-coming guys in this league. Eventually they’ll get it to click, but their record I don’t think is a reflection of the talent over there.”

• Haliburton played the entire quarter and had nine points, plus six assists. With 16 dimes already, he needs two more for a new career-high. Pacers up 98-91 after 3.

  Fieldhouse Files with Scott Agness is a reader-supported publication with both free and paid subscriptions available. Those who opt for the paid edition are receiving every post and taking an active role in supporting my independent coverage of the Indiana Pacers. Feel free to forward this story along to family and friends interested in the team.

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• 10:31: Jordan Nwora continues his hot shooting, with 18 points in 21 minutes. Including a pair of 3s to open the final quarter. It’s his sixth straight game in double figures.

  • Carlisle: “Things started clicking when he got here and got an elevated opportunity in a different situation. He does some very unique things for a guy that plays the 4 position.”

• 6:45: McConnell throws it away, then gets swatted at the rim on the next possession. Haliburton and Turner get up off the bench, set to re-enter.

• 4:54: Jalen Green and Smith Jr. sink consecutive 3-pointers and it’s just a one-point game. Rockets, on a 10-2 spurt, have 19 offensive rebounds to the Pacers’ six.

• 4:10: Green completes an and-1, giving the Rockets their first lead tonight. (Though it was short-lived.)

• 2:33: Rockets with three straight empty possessions — two turnovers, then a missed 3-pointer — but the Pacers didn’t take advantage.

• 1:39: Turner fouls out, for the second game in a row, with 1:39 to play. In a one-possession game.

• :15: Haliburton makes two free throws to put them up three. Now they need to get a stop. Rockets burned eight seconds, then called timeout.

• :4.0: Nesmith alerted the officials before the end of the timeout about something, likely that they may foul. Carlisle is #TeamFoulUp3. But then Smith Jr. drilled a turnaround 3 on the right arc to even the game at 115.

  • Haliburton: “The way this league works, you let a team hang around forever, eventually it’s going to come back to bite you. Jabari hits that fadeaway, amazingly tough shot, but we shouldn’t have been in that situation to begin with.”

• The Pacers got the last say and used their final timeout to both discuss and advance the ball. Haliburton gets the ball at the top of the arc, going full steam toward the basket. He collided with Jae’Sean Tate and Smith Jr, but the officials didn’t want to decide the game.

  • Haliburton: “Foul or not, I don’t really know. I probably lost the ball. Jae’Sean did say he fouled me though.”

  • Carlisle: “I haven’t looked at it yet, but what I heard was there was some pretty significant contact and a foul could’ve been called.”

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• 1:21: Haliburton doing what stars do, carrying the team in overtime. He’s scored their last seven points and assisted on two other baskets. And after missing his first seven 3-pointers, he broke through and made one. Rockets called timeout.

  • Haliburton: “I was due to make one 3 today so once that went in, that kind of got me going and guys were just trusting me. It’s a big thing here. My teammates, guys that aren’t playing, coaches, front office — they trust me to close games. So it gives me confidence to go out there, keep trucking in trying to get one to fall and win the game.”

• Before his injury on Jan. 11, Haliburton had helped the Pacers improve significantly in clutch time. Then without him, it dropped off significantly. These moments aren’t for all, but he loves it.

  • Haliburton: “It ain’t pressure, it’s just basketball. It’s understanding that guys expect me to make plays, that’s what I’m here for. The keys to close games is ran through me; coach gives me a lot of freedom to run what I want and make shots, get guys the ball and make plays.”

• The Pacers captured their 30th win of the season, holding off the Rockets in overtime 134-125. Haliburton scored 12 in OT to the Rockets’ 10.

  • They were much more effective in OT (five minutes) than in the fourth (12 minutes): seven FGs, 19 points to six FGs and 17 points.

POSTGAME

• The Pacers, now 30-37, got their first OT win this season after entering the game 0-2.

• Carlisle: “(Haliburton) took over the game in the overtime. He certainly has demonstrated that that is what he’s about. He loves those moments very much the way Reggie Miller loved those moments. He doesn’t get discouraged if some things during the game don’t go exactly his way. He keeps playing and he stays aggressive and he has great confidence. So that gives the team great confidence. He was tremendous, just amazing in the overtime.”

• Haliburton nearly had a 30 & 20 game, finishing with 29 points and a career-high 19 assists.

  • Haliburton: “Just trying to share the wealth, get guys the ball and play right. I will blame Buddy for not having 20. We’ll get there eventually.”

  • Turner: “Just being aggressive. He’s just a confident player, man. We all have a lot of belief in him. In those moments and whatnot, he wants to be the one to take the shot and he’s proven night in and night out that he can do that. I’m just happy that we got the win.”

• Eight Pacers reached double figures, including 21 from Turner before he fouled out, 18 from Nwora and 13 from McConnell.

• Turner: “I was impressed with our poise, especially into the overtime period. When Tyrese is hot, we were in the game, got him the ball and just let him do what he does.”

• The Pacers made 18 3s to the Rockets’ six (+36 points), but they yielded a season-high 82 points in the paint (-24) and were outscored 23-5 (-18) in second chance points. The Rockets grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and were +16 on the glass.

• Smith Jr. shined in his first career game in Indy, piling up 30 points and 12 rebounds in 47 minutes.

• Official attendance: 16,027. (Just six home games left this season.)

Up next: The Pacers are not practicing on Friday. They’re on the road for seven of their next eight games, beginning with two in a row — a weekend series — in Detroit on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 147-143 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• The Pacers are back home for their next two games after a four-game, 10-day road trip. Players say the first game back from a road trip is the toughest, even more so being on a back-to-back. They played last night in Chicago and won by three.

• They’re without Aaron Nesmith (left hip soreness) for the second game in a row. Tyrese Haliburton is good despite Patrick Beverley not giving him space to land and tweaking his right ankle. Myles Turner is a game-time decision, but he was out for warmups and will play.

  • Without Nesmith, Jordan Nwora will start his second straight game. And Oshae Brissett will get minutes off the bench.

• The 76ers, visiting for the first of two meetings within 13 days, are without Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker.

• Actor Will Ferrell is in the building, part of his cross-country journey to film a documentary. He’ll sit on the baseline next to the Pacers’ bench. Rapper 50 Cent will also be courtside.

  • Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle pregame on trying to slow Joel Embiid: “Well, Will Ferrell is gonna be here tonight and he’s gonna be sitting near our bench. I’m hoping he can help us with Joel Embiid. That’s the best answer I have for you.

  • “Embiid’s a great player. He’s probably the greatest physical force that we have in the game today. That, combined with his skill level, he’s a big factor defensively as well. Just a real big set of challenges. He’s seen every coverage. You talk about the ultimate weapon — the force at the rim, the midrange, the long-range, the driving, the passing, the rebounding. He’s a great player. He’ll be MVP one of these years. Maybe this year.”

  • Carlisle said he appeared in “Amazing Grace and Chuck” — a movie from 1987.

• 76ers coach Doc Rivers on the Pacers: “They’re tough. They play hard. They’re young, they run the floor, they space the floor, they play quick-decision basketball, they have shooters and they have a 5 that can spread the floor so that makes them even harder to guard. It’s not an easy team to play.”

• This was a star-studded affair: Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and coach Reggie Wayne were in row 1. Both Herb and Steve Simon were on hand, Governor Holcomb, a prominent player agent and more.

• Rev It Up!: No surprise, it was Will Ferrell. And 50 Cent gave him a push in the IndyCar.

• David Benner’s seat was left open tonight. The longtime Pacers director of PR passed away last Wednesday. There was a moment of silence pregame and he was honored with at his former courtside seat. Bravo, Pacers.

• 11-8: The first few minutes are played at the Pacers’ pace. And so eight of their first 11 points were scored in transition.

• 9:17: Joel Embiid goes right at Myles Turner in the paint and was quick to draw two fouls on him. Jalen Smith, who didn’t play in the last two games, is getting the backup center minutes.

• 4:43: Good start for Nwora. He’s made four of his first five shots and is in double figures for the fifth straight games. Pacers will have a much better understanding of his game and how he can contribute after the final 20 games.

• 3:48: Fitting how the Pacemates’ first routine of the night was a mix of 50 Cent songs while he sat courtside. Afterward, a recording of players welcoming him to the game played on the giant video board. Pacers don’t get celebrities like Will Ferrall and 50 Cent to games often, so they’re going above and beyond.

• Haliburton sank one from half-court and then slapped hands with one of his brothers courtside. But he didn’t get it off in time. The Pacers, who have not been a good first quarter team, have a 39-38 lead. And didn’t turn it over. But Tyrese Maxey already has 14 points and Embiid, who looks like a bull in a china closest against the Pacers, scored nine.

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• 11:05: With Turner already having two fouls, the Pacers will play at least three centers tonight. Isaiah Jackson is in to replace Smith.

• 6:26: Turner returns for his second stint. Game is tied at 57. This has been a close game, back and forth.

• Productive first stint for T.J. McConnell against his former team: 3 for 3 with eight points, two rebounds and three assists.

  • TJM on the second unit: “I feel like we’re playing the right way — making the extra pass, getting downhill and getting in the paint, creating a problem and finding the open guy.”

• If you like offense, this is the game for you. But there hasn't been much defense or many stops. Both teams are shooting about 62%.

• 2:20: Take foul on the Pacers leads to a technical foul shot and Haliburton — not Buddy Hield, like usual — takes it. Technically, Haliburton's FT% is slightly: 86% to 85.6%.

• First to 150 wins? This one is on pace for over 300 points scored.

  • What was it like for the players? “It’s fun,” Haliburton said. “How can you not love that style of basketball? I think there’s just a lot of elite basketball players on the floor making big-time plays, making shots. The game just came down to who would get enough stops in a row. Usually they people say the first one to get three stops in a row — but that game, it’s the first one to get two stops in a row.”

• Haliburton does it again, this time getting the shot off in time from 32 feet to give the Pacers a 79-78 edge at the break. The 79 points make it the Pacers’ highest first-half output this season. But the best thing going their way in this offensive showcase is the Pacers committing only two turnovers. Haliburton is putting on a show with 22 points and nine assists already. With a right ankle that isn’t 100%.

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 121-108 win over the Orlando Magic Saturday night at the Amway Center.

• The Pacers have a clean injury report, with no players listed, for the second game in a row.

• This …

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A 40-point game from Myles Turner, Boston’s two stars combining for 61 points, a chance for the Pacers to win it in regulation and then needing an extra session for the game, with a combined 280 points, to be settled…

Now that was a way to resume the season.

The competitive nature of the game, the intensity and pressure-filled moments is exactly what we all needed to see coming off an All-Star game where no defense was played.

The NBA’s All-Star break was not long enough — it never is — but the Pacers began the final six weeks of the regular season on Thursday against the Boston Celtics. It was a rare home game before being on the road for 11 of their next 14 games, what will be a daunting and unfavorable stretch.

“Yeah, nothing like a 41-minute overtime night straight from the break. I’ll take it though, good win,” Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum said sarcastically after finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists on what he felt an off night for himself. He was 3 for 12 from beyond the arc.

“Everybody in the league is in the same boat for the first game back. Been off for a week so regardless of who you play, the first game is always tough and a good one to win.”

This game featured 14 ties and 22 lead changes. After being down by 10 at halftime, the Pacers still refused to go away. The challenge playing from behind most of the night was that each time they drew even or took a brief lead, the Celtics responded.

And yet, the Pacers (26-35) had two opportunities at the end of regulation after the Celtics turned it over on consecutive possessions. Both times, though, Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton missed on a 3-point attempt while trying to create on the perimeter.

And that, combined with the fact that they lost in in overtime, had the usually upbeat Haliburton frustrated as he sat on the dais to answer questions. The opportunity to get a win out of the break over the team with the league’s best record was right there.

“I missed those shots and that’s on me,” he said after finishing with 22 points, 14 assists and one turnover in 40 minutes. “I should’ve gotten us a better one so put it on me.”

After the 142-138 overtime loss, Haliburton and coach Rick Carlisle briefly spoke in the locker room about the late-game situations and what more could be done.

“We’re gonna look closely at it,” Carlisle said. “Sometimes the best thing is to get out of his way. You try to manipulate the possession so much by bringing up a guy to get a switch and stuff like this and before you know it, you’re up against the clock and there’s a crowd.

“I really have trust in Tyrese and the guys that are out there.”

Carlisle had one timeout available, but he understandably chose not to use it. This team hasn’t been as effective in their half-court offense; they’re best getting it and scoring in transition.

“That’s a tough team to play against.” Tatum said. “They create a lot of problems defensively. They play with so much pace and freedom that they present a lot of problems.”

Calling a timeout would have enabled the Celtics time to huddle together and potentially tweak their lineup. So instead, Carlisle entrusted Haliburton, like he has all season, to read the defense and do what he saw fit.

As much as the team has talked about growth and development, getting into the right situations and closing games is absolutely part of it.

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The team’s sharpshooting all game helped get them in a situation where they had multiple chances to win it. They made 22 3s, one shy of the franchise record, including eight in the third quarter.

Pacers center Myles Turner matched his career high with 40 points. He made 13 of 15 shots, including 8 of 10 from distance — a new career high. And he was 6 of 7 at the foul line with 10 rebounds.

“He was amazingly efficient offensively,” Carlisle said. “In game like this, if you’re gonna beat Boston, your bigs have got to be hitting shots.”

And as we’ve seen with several opponents, they willingly allowed for Turner to be open on the arc. He made those count, shooting as confident as ever and celebrating several times while skipping back on defense.

“He was just hitting shots, got hot and he made us pay,” said Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, who had 30 points and 11 rebounds. “Part of our game plan was we wanted him to take those, but he was knocking them down. We didn’t change our game plan, [coach] Joe [Mazzulla] stood with it — like, ‘he wants to keep shooting out there, shit, let him.’ Everybody else who is more of a threat might not be involved, but Myles did a good job of making us pay.

“He was the reason that made it so hard to guard because we were concerned about him a lot throughout the game, but 13 of 15 from the field — like he didn’t even miss tonight barely. He had a good night. He’s gonna sleep well.”

Turner acknowledged his contributions, but he wasn’t giddy about it. It doesn’t help if it’s not in a win. He read the defense and knew he needed to step up — and into the shot, which was going to be there.

He, too, was surprised they said in it as he made 3-pointer after 3-pointer, including three in a row after halftime. “I’ve played against Boston many times in the past,” he said. “It’s not the first time I’ve shot this well, but I’ll take it.”

And like Haliburton, Turner wasn’t smiling and overly enthusiastic postgame. (Watch the little things, like this, in a developmental season.) He noted how he’s proud of not being a one-dimensional and is instead able to show how he’s a three-level scorer.

“I think the past few years, I’ve kind of settled a lot on the perimeter and floated out there a lot,” he said. “I just like the fact that I’m going back to playing the way I know I can play, inside and out.”

The Pacers gave up 22 second chance points, were out-rebounded by 14, and the Celtics scored 27 points off turnovers. The focus and fight was there. But they lost this one on the details and the very thin margins, as Carlisle likes to say.

Ultimately, this one was a grind. It was a fun battle, one of the more enjoyable Pacers games this season. But it came in a loss, their 17th over the last 20 games.

“Essentially, this is a playoff game,” Carlisle said. “That’s the atmosphere, that’s the level of competition and this is great experience for our guys even though we didn’t win the game.”

The Pacers won’t practice on Friday. They’ll play in Orlando — and see ex-Pacer Goga Bitadze — on Saturday to begin a four-game roadtrip.

“This is gonna be the toughest stretch, the toughest test of the season,” said Turner. “This is obviously the most important. We’re a team that struggled on the road and I think this is a make-or-break point for us. That’s the attitude we have to have. Our backs are against the wall right now and we have to go out there and fight and play like it.”

SALT LAKE CITY — We all knew. We all saw it coming.

Bennedict Mathurin had it in the right corner. Team Pau (Gasol) was up 22-20 in the Rising Stars championship game, and playing to a Target Score of 25, a 3-pointer would end it.

But Thunder forward Jaylen Williams was all over him, so Mathurin passed it to Jose Alvarado on the right arc.

Alvarado, who led all scorers in their first of two games with 13 points, went right into his shot and swished it.

Ballgame at Vivint Arena for the first of three marquee events at All-Star Weekend.

“I’m really happy he made the shot, but in certain kind of situations, I feel like I should take it,” Mathurin said after the win. “But, he made it so I’m really happy for him and happy that he played well.”

Added Nembhard, smiling wide: “Oh, he wanted to [take the last shot]. He definitely wanted that 3.”

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The Pacers entered Wednesday’s game having lost 16 of the past last 18 games, struggling on the defensive end and like the rest of the league, they were eager for the All-Star break.

The break, however, no longer represents the midway point of the season — it arrives 73% of the way into the season — but it does give them a week between games and five days to get away from basketball and relax.

This season has been a lot — from thoughts of a rebuild to a climb up to the sixth seed, then Tyrese Haliburton getting hurt and his time away providing a reality check for them. This is still a rebuild and they are a few seasons away, but that shouldn’t take away from what they’ve accomplished.

The last several weeks, though, have been trying on everyone. Losses, new roles, several players not getting consistent minutes, three players waived and a couple new guys added to the mix. From their 23-18 magical start to a losing streak that stretched to five entering the final game before the break.

Not getting the break until after Game 60 is tough, but even more so for the Pacers with a bunch of guys who are 21, 22 and 23 years old.

“If you’ve got a younger team, you’ve got to do the things to enhance the situation headed toward the break with the young guys in mind,” head coach Rick Carlisle said before the game. “The fact that we added a couple guys this week adds a little energy to the situation, which is good.”

Yet in the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, the Pacers played like their minds were already on the beach with a Piña colada in hand. (Sounds good, doesn’t it?)

The Bulls carved them up early and often and led 39-15 after 1. To top it off, they nailed a buzzer-beating 3.

It was a troubling Pacers start, which sounds familiar because it’s been among their biggest issues. But this was their worst of the season, punctuated by a 24-point deficit after just 12 minutes.

It was alarming because they had spent all of Tuesday’s practice focused on defense, blocking out and rebounding.

The Pacers, meanwhile, had barely reached 15 points by the end of the quarter, had more turnovers (7) than field goals (5), were out-rebounded by eight, shot 27.8% and managed just four points in the paint. To compound the issue, they gave up four 3-pointers to a team that averages the fewest per game (10).

“Our team has continued to play in all these situations all year long,” Carlisle said following their 117-113 win. “We were dangerously close in the first quarter to getting booed by the greatest fans in the NBA. And we responded.

“The majority of it is presence and hard play, and we figured out a few things out offensively. It’s about the defensive end.”

The Pacers woke up for the final three quarters as if they finally got the smelling salts they needed. They chipped away at the Bulls’ lead with a 24-9 start to the second quarter, which trimmed the deficit from 24 to just nine in the first seven and a half minutes.

And helping lead the charge was Chris Duarte, who went from DNP-CD (Did Not Play - Coach’s Decision) to playing the entire second frame and chipping in 11 points.

The deficit was 16 at half, and then things intensified.

After starting T.J. McConnell over Andrew Nembhard — a decision Carlisle made based on McConnell’s strong game against them previously — Nembhard rejoined the starting group for the second half. The Pacers made 13 of their first 14 shots in the third and tallied 40 points in 12 minutes. It was among their best quarters of the season.

Nobody shined brighter than sharpshooter Buddy Hield. After going scoreless in the first half, missing both shots, he did what great shooters do and kept shooting.

Hield made five 3-pointers in the quarter, scored 19 of his team-high 27 points and got fans up out of their seasons as the shots kept going down. And with the crowd behind them, the Pacers would carry the momentum in the fourth quarter only down by four, 86-82.

“I think it was my first banked in 3 too,” Hield said with a smile. “My shot felt weird the past two or three games. Sometimes all you need is one to give you a rhythm.”

For the Pacers, it wasn’t just that their offense was clicking. They were getting stops and had solved some defensive issues.

“We started playing harder,” said Aaron Nesmith, who finished with 21 points and seven rebounds. “We started switching with the 5 man so it made it harder for them to play in their pick-and-roll game, which was picking us apart in the first quarter. So once we did that and started boxing out and rebounding, everything fell into place.”

This game was on brand for both teams. The Pacers started poorly and fell behind by double digits in a hurry, and the Bulls later surrendered a big lead. It was the Bulls' fifth time blowing a lead of 16 points or more, including twice to the Pacers.

You only have to go back to Jan. 24, just three weeks, when they overcame a 21-point hole to beat the division foe.

With 2:46 remaining, Hield drained his sixth 3-pointer and this meant more than your regular 3-pointer. Not only did it even the game at 106, but it was his 230th of the season.

In my best Tom Carnegie voice,  that’s a new … franchise … record.

With 22 games left, Hield surpassed Reggie Miller’s franchise NBA record for 3s in a single season of 229. That was set during the 1996-97 season.

Paul George’s 210 3s during the 2015-16 season ranks third.

“It’s a blessing,” Hield said after the win and receiving the game ball from Carlisle.

“It’s the new NBA, man. We shoot 3s and shoot 3s at a high level. One thing I will say is that I’m not just getting up 3s, I’m shooting at a high clip. Passing a legend like Reggie in Indiana shows a testament to my hard work, my dedication to the game and my teammates finding me in the right open spots.”

And the best part was how the record-setting triple was created from movement, from penetrating and kicking out, then getting to the left arc to let it fly.

Hield is a diehard Kobe guy, but he’s long admired the outside shooting of the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

He wasn’t just standing in the corner, he moved like they so often move.

Hield leads all NBA players in made 3s. Portland's Anfernee Simons is second (194) and Thompson (194) is third.

“Buddy is gonna go down as a historically great 3-point shooter in this league,” Carlisle said.

“I just love watching the officials trying to get the ball out of his hands during timeouts when he goes to grab it. He’s obsessed with the art of shooting. When you’re obsessed with something and you work at it and you have the ability to go along with it, you can change the game. There’s a reason he’s leading the league in 3-point makes.

“There’s really two reasons: The work he puts in and Tyrese Haliburton. This doesn’t happen without Tyrese putting the ball on a platter for him too. It’s a very significant accomplishment.”

Earlier this season, Hield scored the quickest 3-pointer to start a game. He’s headed to Salt Lake City for his third time participant in the 3-point contest, this time with Haliburton as his competition as well. And for how good his shooting is and has been, his best attribute is availability.

He and rookie Bennedict Mathurin are the only two Pacers to play in all 60 games to start the season.

(I’m in Salt Lake City so there will be a lot more on Hield over the next five days.)

The Pacers could’ve given up, mentally been on the beach with their toes in the water and thrown in the (beach) towel. But this young bunch regrouped and enter the much-needed break on a positive note.

“I was proud of them,” Carlisle reiterated. “It’s been a very tough three and a half weeks. This break comes at a much-needed time.”

Added Hield: “We’ve been struggling the last 20 games. Hopefully we go into this break with a fresh start and come [back] and everybody’s locked in and on the same page to get after it for this last push.”

Of Note

• Daniel Theis was not available due to a right thumb sprain.

• Fun, young lineup late in the first of Nembhard, Duarte, Mathurin, Nwora, Jackson. It wasn’t together long, but I’m here to see more of it.

• Isaiah Jackson ruled out for the second half with a non-Covid illness. He played six minutes in the first half as the backup center, but then got dehydrated.

• Carlisle on Jalen Smith’s seven minutes, all in the fourth quarter: “I thought his minutes were probably the difference in the game. … He was ready. That’s the kind of player that we’re looking to build with, a guy that’s a straight professional and always ready to go.”

Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 116-111 loss to the Miami Heat Wednesday night at Miami-Dade Arena.

• Chris Duarte is available after sitting out of Sunday’s game with left ankle soreness. He practiced on Monday and went through shootaround.

• Entering this one, the Pacers have lost nine straight games on the road. Their last win was in Miami on Dec. 23. It was the game Tyrese Haliburton erupted for a career-high 43 points.

  • You can tell Haliburton truly respects Miami and coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat are a smart team, they adapt and try to make opponents uncomfortable. “This is gonna be a big game, in terms of at the end of the year, you want to be winning that season series and not be tied. I’m looking forward to the chess match that will be there between us and coach Spo.”

  • And after wearing a heavy brace for his left elbow sprain, the training staff said he doesn’t have to anymore. “I was shooting it poorly and it’s hard not to blame this big-ass JJ Watt brace on my arm. But what can you do? I’m excited because they told me I ain’t got to wear the brace anymore, so thank God. Now if I’m missing shots, I can only blame myself.”

• One Year Ago: Pacers acquired Haliburton and Buddy Hield from Sacramento. Haliburton then: "It's been a whirlwind. It's been crazy, a lot of emotions. But I'm excited to be here and excited to get started."

• The Heat are without Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Victor Oladipo due to injuries.

• At practice on Monday, Rick Carlisle emphasized to the team that they must get back to playing their style, which starts with a passionate spirit. They watched clips of portions of the season where they had success and played to their strengths.

  • “When you have tough nights, you got to hit the reset button and re-identify who you are and how you need to play. We had a good, spirited practice today to hopefully get back to that.”

• This is the Pacers’ final game before the trade deadline, Thursday at 3 ET. Here’s what I wrote entering the final 24 hours. (FO stands for front office)

• Pacers most often start slow shooting from outside, but not in this one. 3 for 3. (Then they missed their next four attempts. Of course.)

• 23-9: After being tied at nine, the Heat scored the next 14 points to take a double-digit lead. Heat dictating the game early on.

• Daniel Theis continuing to get backup center minutes. His first stint was 10 minutes.

• T.J. McConnell giving the Pacers a lift after they got down by 16. He’s 4 for 4 with nine points.

• All-Star Bam Adebayo just beats the clock with a jumper to give the Heat a 39-30 lead. Haliburton played the entire quarter but seemed more focused on getting teammates involved so he piled up six assists.

  • Haliburton on Miami’s defense going into the game: “Definitely expect to see some different things throughout the game and I think that’s the beauty of the game of basketball — you can just mix it up and see so many different things as the games go on.”

  • (The Heat made 4 of 6 3s in the first 12 minutes, then went 2 for 13 the rest of the game.)

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• Between quarters, the Heat congratulated LeBron James for becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer last night against Oklahoma City.

• 8:45: McConnell not hesitating to shoot 3-pointers anymore and for good reason: he’s making them. Now 2 for 2 with a game-high 14 points. They need for another bench player to step up with him as they’re within two points.

  • Carlisle postgame: “T.J. was amazing in the first half and real gritty in the second half.”

• 7:09: Bennedict Mathurin is subbed out and is visibly upset, pulling his jersey over his head. He’s had a tough stretch the last few games and only got one shot attempt in his first stint.

  • I went back and watched his minutes. He gave up a corner 3 and turned it over once on offense. They did not get him involved offensively and that’s on the point guards. I did not see enough to warrant his low minutes.

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 122-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• This is the final game of a three-game homestand for the Pacers, who snapped a four-game losing skid on Friday against Sacramento. Team owner Herb Simon attended all three games.

• At 3:01 p.m. ET, minutes after the Pacers completed their pre-game walkthrough, news broke of a significant trade: Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple draft picks. It was interesting to see and hear the shock of several players and coaches as I informed them during individual shooting.

  • Talent is critical, but I’m not sure why any team would bother with Irving for more than a minimum or non-guaranteed deal. Culture matters and he’s left Cleveland, Boston and now Brooklyn worse than he before he arrived.

• Chris Duarte (sore left ankle) was a late scratch, announced just as the team took the floor for pre-game warmups. And him not playing last game was a coach’s decision, head coach Rick Carlisle said pregame. He wasn’t listed on the injury report.

  • After the game, Carlisle explained that Duarte’s left ankle still isn’t right. It bothered him Saturday during a workout and then again before the game so he was ruled out.

  • Carlisle: “We’re hoping this was a short-term thing. He has been making gradual, steady progress. To my knowledge, not a long-term thing and hopefully a day-to-day thing.”

• Former Pacer Caris LeVert is out due to right hamstring soreness. However, he looked good during an individual workout session of about 20 minutes — and it was during the team’s pregame meeting. He sat out their previous game.

• Rev It Up!: Boomer, the Pacers’ mascot, and eight mascot friends joining him to celebrate his birthday at the game. That included Blaze (Trail Blazers), Burnie (Heat), Gorilla (Suns), Rocky (Nuggets), Mad Ant, Freddy Fever, little Freddy and little Boomer.

• Duarte wasn’t on the court for team introductions or pre-game handshake routines with the starters.

  • With the trade deadline on Thursday, this is a strange and uncomfortable week in the league for everybody. Any time any player is out, like LeVert and Duarte tonight, the first thought is to wonder whether it is potentially related to a trade.

  • Carlisle: “We’ll try our best to help our guys get through this. With Myles’ situation resolved with his contract and stuff like that, this is not what it would’ve been had that not been taken care of.”

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 107-104 win over the Sacramento Kings Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• Tyrese Haliburton and Daniel Theis are both good to go after both returned from injuries last night.

• The Sacramento Kings arrived in Indy Thursday afternoon ahead of Game 4 of this seven-game road trip. Something that interests me: Over a nine-game stretch, six of the games are part of three series’ matchups where they play the same team in back-to-back games.

  • Former Pacers center Domantas Sabonis found out yesterday, in Indy, that he was voted an All-Star for the third time in four seasons.

  • And De’Aaron Fox, who has blossomed as the featured point guard, just missed out. And he’s unavailable for this one due to personal reasons. Davion Mitchell starts in his place.

• Myles Turner’s family finally made it out of the Dallas winter storm and is courtside for the game, his second since signing a two-year extension.

• I’m very disappointed in NBC Sports California. The announcers for the Kings’ telecast did not travel and are doing the game remotely. Their radio announcer, however, is here.

• Rev It Up!: Ashley Nora, a local artist.

• Just before tip-off, Myles Turner and Sabonis embrace. A big hug and smile before jumping to get this one started.

• Really good start by Myles Turner with Sabonis. He won the tip, then held Domas scoreless (0 for 3) in the first 5+ minutes, making everything difficult around the basket. You could see him anticipating each move since they know each other so well.

• 6:47: Up by one, the Pacers subbed in Bennedict Mathurin and Daniel Theis for Hield and Turner. Mathurin scored on a reverse layup, then Theis added a dunk and a 3-pointer. He can match Sabonis’ physicality and give Turner a break. The other reserve bigs were told to stay ready, but the logjam got even worse with Theis’ return from injury.

• It was a low-scoring quarter, a 28-27 lead for the Pacers. After being outscored in 11 of the last 12 first quarters, they’ve now won three in a row. Progress!

  • Buddy Hield postgame: “Obviously 0 [Haliburton] is back and the way he pushes the ball. No disrespect to none of our point guards, but he just brings a different aspect to our game. The way he pushes the ball, his passing ability and playmaking ability, and the way he can shoot it. When you run in transition, you don’t know what he’s going to do. He has this knack for making the right play and that’s what he’s been doing for us.”

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• Some good minutes for Trey Lyles, the Indy product from Tech High School who played at Kentucky. It’s his first year with the Kings, his fifth team in eight seasons.

• 5:47: Pacers with an offensive jolt, four 3-pointers in 1:28 for a 12-0 run and their first 10-point lead.

  • Three of those 3s were from Aaron Nesmith, who is coming off a 24-point game last night against the Lakers. It’s easy to forget that he’s just in Year 3, a lottery pick in 2020 with Haliburton in Jalen Smith. Like every young player, he just needed an opportunity.

  • Turner on Nesmith’s growth: “Confidence, man. Absolutely. Aaron is just knocking down shot after shot. He goes out there and guards the other team’s biggest matchup every single night. He brings it. He’s got a dog mentality and that’s what Indiana basketball is about.”

• 2:09: The Pacers aren’t doing a good job of defending without fouling. Nesmith heads to the bench with three fouls, then Mathurin was called for not being straight up. Interesting how when Carlisle wants a timeout, he’ll occasionally wait to call it until the opponent is between free throws.

• 1:14: Haliburton gets to the rim for a contested layup. It was just his second field goal of the half.

• The Pacers were +11 in the quarter and have a 60-48 halftime lead. They shot 50% from 3 in the half, 10 for 20, and scored 17 points in transition.

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 112-100 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night at the FedExForum.

• Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was asked by reporters pregame about Myles Turner’s contract e…

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 141-131 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• Myles Turner tweaked his right ankle in the final minute of their loss at Orlando, but he is good to go. Aaron Nesmith will play and Andrew Nembhard is b…

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 126-120 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday at the Amway Center.

• Andrew Nembhard is out for the second consecutive game due to a non-Covid illness. However, he did make the trip and wa…

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Here are my running thoughts from the Pacers’ 116-110 win over the Chicago Bulls Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

• Andrew Nembhard did not practice on Monday so it’s no surprise that he’s unavailable for this one due to a non-Covid illness. Chris Duarte will start in his place.

• The Bulls played last night at home, an 11-point win over the Atlanta Hawks. There are 4-4 this season on the second night of a back-to-back. They are without Lonzo Ball, Goran Dragic and Javonte Green.

• The NBA announced tonight that pregame, before the 2023 All-Star Game on Feb. 19, there will be a draft of the teams for the first time. The two captains, which will likely be LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, will choose their teammates live based on the roster of players voted to the game. Good addition by the league.

• During team warmups, the Pacers celebrated Mark Boyle, the radio voice of the team, announcing his 3,000th game Saturday in Phoenix. It was CEO Rick Fuson, along with Nancy Leonard — and I appreciated how they introduced her as the First Lady of the Pacers. At center court, Boyle was given a navy Pacers jersey with 3k as the number, plus a basketball painted to mark the occasion.

• Rev It Up!: NHRA Top Fuel Dragster Antron Brown, who lives in Pittsborro, Ind.

• 6:46: 15-5 Bulls score the first eight points and jumped ahead by 10 as the Pacers started 2 for 10 from the field, including 1 of 5 from distance. Early appearance out of the timeout for two-way guard Trevelin Queen.

• 4:08: Expect to see a variety of lineups and here’s another one. It includes Terry Taylor, who has mostly been out of the rotation.

• Pacers switch it up defensively, go to a 2-3 zone to try to slow Chicago down.

• Sluggish first quarter once again, outscored for the ninth time over the last 10 games. The Pacers trail 33-21 and their lack of offensive firepower was obvious. They didn’t turn it over, but shot 35%, including 1 for 8 from distance.

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• 11:15: Rick Carlisle uses a timeout 45 seconds into the quarter after the Pacers gave up two layups on the Bulls’ first two possessions, including a rebound tip-in.

• 7:43: A 3-pointer for T.J. McConnell. The team started 2 for 12 and McConnell has now made 7 of his last 8 over the past six games. In the first 40 games, he was 6 for 21 (28.5%). Great progress.

• 6:20: Out of the timeout, the Pacers gave up an easy dunk to Nikola Vucevic. Unacceptable and bad communication on a baseline out of bounds play.

• 3:01: The Bulls’ lead balloons to 20, scoring far too easily. Getting whatever they want.

• There’s very little to like from the Pacers in the half. Offense was hard to come by, especially while down two point guards. But it starts defensively, bringing the force that Carlisle often talks about. Where was it?

• The Bulls, who lead 62-46, shot 55% and were far too comfortable. Vucevic (12), DeMar DeRozan (11) and Derrick Jones Jr. (10) all are in double figures.

  • Carlisle postgame: “I thought the key was getting a little traction defensively in the second quarter. And while we didn’t win the quarter, we held them under 30. We had a positive halftime. We talked about the fact that we were very much in the game, that they played last night and we were starting to do some things that were causing them some problems.”

SECOND HALF

• 8:34: Really good burst by Myles Turner to begin the half. He had eight points at halftime, then scored nine of their first 11 points, hitting inside and out, to cut the deficit to nine — and led the Bulls to call timeout.

  • Carlisle shared postgame that they put in a new action for him at practice on Monday to get him multiple looks. “It was effective, he was able to score some and his activity led to some open shots. … It was something we thought was needed and could help. In the third, it got us organized.”

• He’s still going. And he finished the quarter 7 of 11 for 16 points.

  • Turner postgame: “My mentality, that’s all that was. Being more aggressive. My guys trusted me, coach gave me some play calls and I was able to get busy a little bit. It was perfect.”

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