The Indiana Pacers are off to an uneven begin within the first week of their 2024-25 common season.
After an encouraging additional time win over the mighty Boston Celtics (in a rematch of the 2024 Japanese Convention Finals) on Wednesday, Indiana managed to construct its report to a semi-respectable 2-3. All-NBA level guard Tyrese Haliburton, the staff’s greatest participant final yr and its shiny future star, has struggled mightily as a shooter to this point. The 6-foot-5 Iowa State product is averaging simply 14.6 factors on a brutal .346/.250/.667 slash line, 6.6 assists and 5.0 rebounds throughout his first 5 video games.
Former two-time All-NBA energy ahead Pascal Siakam has been the membership’s greatest participant this yr. The 6-foot-8 veteran, 30, is averaging 20.6 factors on .547/.458/.625 capturing splits (that will be, by far, his greatest 3-point conversion fee on a full season – on 4.8 makes an attempt!), plus 7.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 0.8 steals per night time.
Now the Pacers have been fully demoted in a latest league-wide staff energy rankings from Stephen Noh from sports activities informationshifting 5 spots on its preseason checklist to No. 17.
“Tyrese Haliburton had a tough begin,” Noh admitted. “He made a extremely contested miracle 3 to ship the Pacers into additional time in opposition to the Sixers and had his first good recreation in Monday’s loss to the Magic, however he made simply 26.5 p.c of his 3s with averaging 14.0 factors per recreation. His timing appears very off.
Noh additionally noticed that the staff, which had thrived on a “run and gun” scoring fashion, had declined in that side this yr.
“That transition offense that outlined their path to the Japanese Convention Finals final season is gone – they twenty second within the league on common earlier than capturing,” Noh wrote.
Extra Pacers: Myles Turner shouts out younger guard after stellar efficiency in opposition to Celtics
