The Pacers are not where they thought they’d be three weeks into a new season.
After winning the opener in New Orleans, they’ve dropped eight of their last 10 games. All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been sidelined for two weeks after suffering a hamstring strain. He played four games in the first six days of the season, including a back-to-back, in four different cities. That isn’t easy.
Injuries to other players — including Ben Sheppard’s torn meniscus and T.J. McConnell’s hamstring strain, which sidelined him and now has him on a minutes restriction, hasn’t helped.
What if I told you that rookie second-round pick Braden Smith has started as many games as Haliburton has played this season?
What if I told you that Larry Nance Jr. has appeared in more games than Jay Huff?
And what if I told you that center Ivica Zubac wouldn’t be averaging double figures in either points or rebounds?
Each of those developments has been a surprise.
The Pacers often talk about being an ecosystem, but the reality is they’re a team built around Haliburton and his strengths. So as much as you may want to deflect about what happened during last year’s 19-win season, the numbers — including their record — show that this is not close to the team they could be with Haliburton running the show. Because every subsequent move was made with him and his playing style in mind.