We have actual basketball to watch tonight. Against another team, even.

The Pacers open preseason against Minnesota at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, bringing Tyrese Haliburton back to his old college floor. After a week of practice reports and Sunday’s FanJam, we finally get a look at how the pieces fit against someone who hasn’t spent training camp learning the same plays.

Here’s what’s worth catching up on before tipoff.

Haliburton is back—and headed home

The most encouraging news remains the simplest: Haliburton is practicing and playing.

After the first camp session, he explained that his summer workouts had deliberately been more demanding than practice. Indiana has adjusted its offseason preparation and tracked workloads to address the soft tissue problems that have troubled the roster. Haliburton says he arrived prepared for the work.

Sunday gave fans their first public look at him playing again. In the twelve-minute FanJam scrimmage, he finished with eight points and four assists on 3-for-6 shooting. He also requested a challenge. Apparently, rehabilitation did nothing to diminish his interest in officiating.

Tonight brings a more meaningful milestone: a game against NBA opposition on his old Iowa State floor.

Haliburton says playing in Ames was his idea, and he arranged tickets for students to help provide the atmosphere. As of Tuesday, Carlisle hadn’t announced a minutes plan. Haliburton wanted all four quarters and hoped for at least a half, but that was his preference rather than a coaching commitment.

I’m more interested in his comfort than his shooting percentage tonight. Getting into the paint, changing direction, finding teammates through traffic—those are the things I want to see.

Zubac and Haliburton are getting their reps

Ivica Zubac and Haliburton have been paired for essentially every camp rep, according to Tony East. Their chemistry is one of the most important things Indiana needs to establish.

Lloyd Pierce offered a useful distinction when comparing the pairing with Zubac’s work alongside James Harden. The Pacers want movement before the pick-and-roll and action afterward. Zubac is learning to get into those possessions faster, with more happening around him.

Tonight, I want to watch the sequence after the screen. When the defense commits, does the next pass arrive on time? Does Zubac find space around the basket? Do the other three players keep moving?

The Pacers should still have opportunities to run. Zubac’s value becomes particularly interesting when the defense gets back and Indiana has to create something in the half court.

Oubre has made himself comfortable

Kelly Oubre Jr. has been one of the consistent bright spots.

After Wednesday’s practice, Carlisle praised his shooting and defensive activity, including his ability to stick with opponents and fight through screens.

Oubre has also sounded comfortable with Indiana’s emphasis on quick decisions. He’s worked in similar systems before and has been getting additional court time with Pierce as he learns this one.

Then he scored seventeen points on 7-for-10 shooting at FanJam, helping the blue team beat the starters’ white team, 39–28. Zubac finished with twelve points and six rebounds for the white team.

Twelve minutes of an intrasquad scrimmage won’t settle anything, but Oubre’s activity has shown up throughout the week.

Against Minnesota, I want to see him moving the ball, cutting, and staying involved will help him fit as much as finishing the possessions that reach him.

The bench is getting bigger

The second unit appearing together during camp has been T.J. McConnell, Oubre, Jarace Walker, Obi Toppin, and Jay Huff. It’s an early look at Carlisle’s plans, with plenty of time for adjustments.

There’s considerable size around McConnell. Carlisle has emphasized its importance for rebounding, contesting shots, and defending. Huff says the group has been coming together and maintaining the pace established by the starters.

That group interests me. There’s length, athleticism, and a point guard who will happily push the ball whenever someone secures a rebound. Finishing defensive possessions consistently would give them a chance to use those strengths.

Carlisle mixed lineups during Tuesday’s practice, according to Tony East, so tonight should also give us some combinations of starters and reserves. That’s where most of the actual season will be played anyway.

Walker and Sheppard have their assignments

The message to Walker is straightforward: become someone Carlisle can trust within the system. Sound familiar?

Carlisle and Haliburton both praised his early work. Walker says he’s concentrating on rebounding, running, taking available shots, and limiting turnovers. His offseason work with Siakam also included simplifying his game.

We’ve seen enough flashes to understand the appeal. It's time to see consistency.

Ben Sheppard is keeping himself in the conversation, too. Pierce said he made four of five threes during Saturday’s practice while getting time with the starting group. Sheppard wants to play more aggressively and believes a steadier assignment can help after last season’s changing roles.

His case remains familiar: defend, move the ball, and make the shots the offense creates. Neither player needs to settle the rotation tonight. A dependable evening would be a good start.

Huff finally gets some continuity

Huff is returning to the same NBA team for consecutive seasons for the first time. He knows the system and has been helping newcomers learn its pace and decisions.

Carlisle says he got stronger over the summer and praised his passing and feel for the game.

That should help someone who appears headed for the backup center minutes.

Smith could get an early opportunity

Braden Smith has added fifteen or sixteen pounds since the draft, which he says should help him absorb contact and defend.

He also outlasted everyone in Indiana’s conditioning test. Players needed to reach eleven segments; Smith was still going at fifteen when Carlisle stopped him.

That’s a useful introduction for a rookie point guard. Tonight could give him a more substantial assignment.

McConnell and Quenton Jackson missed FanJam for what Carlisle called “physical considerations.” Both were dressed for practice and shooting afterward on Tuesday, but Carlisle hadn’t confirmed whether they would play against Minnesota.

If both sit, Smith could get significant minutes. Indiana can also stagger Andrew Nembhard to handle the ball with the reserves.

I’ll be watching how Smith handles ball pressure and the smaller passing windows. Being prepared to run is helpful. Knowing where to go with the ball will be the next test.

The latest availability update

As of Wednesday afternoon’s listings, McConnell, Jackson, and Larry Nance Jr. remained questionable. Johnny Furphy remains out while recovering from his ACL injury.

Nance has been limited to five-on-zero work by a mild hamstring injury. At the start of camp, Carlisle expressed optimism about a return to full participation within a week or two. Furphy has been shooting after practice, with the front office’s tentative return timeline pointing toward the middle of the season.

Jalen Slawson worked as the blue team’s reserve center at FanJam, another option worth watching while Nance is limited.

Tonight’s game

Opponent: Minnesota Timberwolves
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, October 7
Where: Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa
Watch: DAZN locally; NBA TV nationally, subject to local restrictions.

Carlisle described Minnesota as a big, physical team with playoff experience and high aspirations—a useful first opponent for this group.

The result won’t tell us much about where Indiana will finish. The possessions should give us something to discuss: Haliburton running the offense again, Zubac working alongside him, Oubre finding his place, and the reserves making their cases.

We’ll probably spend tomorrow arguing about someone’s minutes. Tonight, we get Haliburton back on his college floor and Pacers basketball against an outside opponent.

That’s a pretty good Wednesday.

What are you most interested in seeing tonight?

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