The Indiana Pacers misplaced their first preseason sport to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday evening. It got here right down to the wire with Seth Lundy hitting a 3 to present Atlanta the victory within the last seconds. Neither workforce performed their typical rotation gamers within the last 18 minutes of motion as they marched by the preseason.
“There have been undoubtedly a whole lot of positives with all the fellows that performed,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. mentioned after the match. “The starters did some good issues.”
This beginning 5 solely performed within the first half of the battle. The second half for the blue and gold was crammed with bench gamers and deeper reserves because the workforce made an evaluation. That’s what preseason exhibitions are for.
The ultimate rating was 131-130. Though it is solely preseason, there are nonetheless some vital takeaways for the Pacers.
Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam took benefit of reps on the ball
Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam had been the driving forces behind Indiana’s offense with the beginning 5, and so they dealt with the ball usually. They each had a utilization charge of simply over 24%, based on NBA Superior Scoring, whereas the Pacers’ typical major ball handler, Tyrese Haliburton, had a utilization charge of 21.6 %.
Nembhard initiated the offense a number of occasions by rapidly getting Indiana into his units or attacking the paint. The Hawks could not cease him from going the place he needed to go, and he made them pay with some mid-range buckets that turned his signature. He completed with 10 factors and three assists.
Siakam, in the meantime, had extra alternatives to push in transition than on a median evening final yr, and he seemed efficient doing so. He too had extra ball dealing with and passing than standard and had a profitable evening, scoring a team-high 15 factors.
Haliburton was a bit of extra off the ball than most nights final season. He was nonetheless very concerned, but when Nembhard and Siakam can play and maintain the workforce’s offense buzzing, it bodes nicely for Indiana’s offense for the upcoming season.
Indiana’s protection nonetheless wants work
The Pacers hope to enhance their protection this season. They completed 18th in defensive score final season after the All-Star break and determine to have an opportunity to take care of that kind. A full coaching camp with Siakam may assist.
But their normal struggles from final season on the defensive finish had been nonetheless current on this sport. Atlanta’s working backs danced within the paint. The Hawks made practically 53 p.c of their photographs and generated open threes.
“We had some defensive errors, we have to repair that,” Carlisle mentioned.
Trae Younger and Jalen Johnson – two good gamers, to be clear – had been efficient and located their footing. Nebhard defended the children nicely, however many of the different matchups had been straightforward for the Hawks to punish.
Zaccharie Risacher additionally had a superb outing for the hosts.
The Pacers had been with out two vital defensive items, Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson, however their protection struggled to open the preseason.
Some ups and downs from new gamers
The Pacers do not have many new gamers, however the ones who made a primary impression on Tuesday confirmed good occasions and dangerous.
James Wiseman, for instance, was environment friendly on offense and did not miss a single shot. However his protection was mediocre and wishes work, particularly in pick-and-rolls. Cole Swider, a brand new Indiana winger, confirmed the power to take deep photographs and even confirmed some talent placing the ball on the ground. However he pressured the difficulty at occasions and did not have sufficient of an impression on the protection.
These two may find yourself being the Pacers’ solely new gamers this season with NBA expertise, and so they’ve had some up-and-down nights. Kendall Brown, who’s preventing for a spot on the checklist and is Swider’s essential competitors to make the checklist, has not impressed. Quenton Jackson, who signed with Indiana in March, has been efficient. These two are on the fringes of the checklist however nonetheless put in exceptional performances.
Indiana subsequent performs tomorrow evening once they tackle the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Then they are going to return residence for over per week till the common season begins.
