Welcome home, Hali.

Indiana returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight after beating New Orleans 123–120 on Wednesday. Dallas supplies the opposition for a home opener that should feature a fairly substantial ovation for the starting point guard.

A familiar fourth quarter

The opener gave us several things we’d missed: Haliburton creating offense, Siakam making difficult baskets look routine, and the Pacers finding a way out of a predicament they had helped create.

Indiana led 38–31 after the first quarter, then lost the second 35–18. New Orleans carried a ten-point advantage into halftime and still led by six entering the fourth.

Apparently, we needed to reacquaint ourselves with the full experience.

Haliburton finished with twenty-three points and twelve assists, scoring thirteen in the fourth quarter. He played nearly thirty-four minutes in his first regular-season appearance since the Achilles injury.

The preseason had been encouraging. Watching him help close an actual NBA game felt like digging into your favorite home cooked meal.

Pascal deserves his paragraph

Siakam led Indiana with thirty points. Obi Toppin added twenty off the bench, while Nembhard supplied eighteen points and nine assists.

With so much attention understandably fixed on Haliburton, Siakam remains an excellent person to remember you have.

He gives Indiana somewhere to go when the initial action produces nothing. Those possessions matter, especially while the team works through the timing of a new starting center and a returning point guard.

I’d happily take another productive evening from Pascal without requiring quite so much fourth-quarter repair work.

Quenton made himself useful

Quenton Jackson finished with six points, four rebounds, and three steals in sixteen minutes. Carlisle called him the “hero of the game” and said he earned his place in the closing group.

That’s a useful contribution from someone whose role could change considerably from night to night.

With McConnell unavailable, the Pacers need energy and dependable decisions from the reserve guards. Jackson gave them defensive activity and a reason to keep him on the floor.

Tonight, I’m interested in whether that performance earns him an earlier call—and whether he can provide the same disruption without trying to reproduce an entire game in his first two minutes.

Dallas would prefer a different second quarter, too

The Mavericks opened with a 128–110 loss in Houston. Cooper Flagg scored thirty-two points, and Kyrie Irving contributed fifteen in his return from an ACL injury.

Flagg is the immediate concern. His ability to attack with size puts pressure on the first defender and whoever arrives to help. Indiana needs to make his catches uncomfortable, show bodies early, and avoid turning every drive into a trip to the foul line.

Irving presents a different problem. Staying attached through his changes of direction requires patience and staying down.

Dallas has enough individual talent to make defensive lapses expensive. The Pacers should arrive prepared to defend for 24 seconds each possession.

There should be opportunities to run

Indiana outscored New Orleans 27–10 on the break. Dallas allowed twenty-nine fastbreak points against Houston and committed twenty-one turnovers.

That seems like something worth investigating.

The Pacers should push when the opportunity is there, particularly after live-ball turnovers. Make Dallas retreat, find the player ahead of the play, and get into the next action before the defense settles.

The other requirement is securing the ball in the first place. Zubac can help on the glass, but everybody has a job when the shot goes up. A good defensive possession ought to end with Indiana heading the other way.

Who’s available?

As of the latest report, Aaron Nesmith is questionable with a left hamstring strain. Ben Sheppard is also questionable with left knee soreness after leaving Wednesday’s game. McConnell remains out with his right hamstring strain, and Johnny Furphy continues his ACL rehabilitation.

Nesmith’s return would be particularly welcome against Flagg and Dallas’s perimeter size. If he sits again, Oubre and Walker could have substantial defensive assignments.

Dallas will be without Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama, Caleb Martin, and Tarik Biberovic. Jett Howard is questionable. Those frontcourt absences give Indiana another reason to involve Zubac early and make the available big men work.

Tonight’s details

Opponent: Dallas Mavericks
When: Friday, October 23, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Watch: CBS4 locally; DAZN
Listen: 93.5/107.5 The Fan.

My wish list: enjoy the welcome home, make Dallas defend at Indiana’s pace, and find a way to participate productively in the second quarter.

Starting 2–0 would be lovely. So would an evening where we can appreciate Haliburton’s return without needing him to rescue the proceedings.

What are you watching for tonight?

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