Team USA Hype

After a perfect run in exhibition-play, Team USA's FIBA World Cup tournament officially starts this Saturday against New Zealand. Though Tyrese Haliburton has been coming off the bench for the Americans, his stellar outing against Germany has the basketball world's most prominent talking heads wondering out loud whether he deserves a bigger role. Sam Vecinie went as far as to call Tyrese the team's third best player.

The hype stems from Haliburton's game changing performance against Germany. Germany, arguably the second best team in the world, was the aggressor for much of the outing and by late in the third quarter appeared to be cruising to a double-digit victory.

Haliburton provided the spark the Americans needed to get back into the game. He hit three straight threes and brought the team within four points by the end of the period.

The energy Haliburton brought to his teammates was seized by two players with whom he's forming an undeniable synergy: Austin Reaves and Anthony Edwards. If Reaves and Haliburton were the middle relievers (both finished with 16 points), Edwards was prime Mariano Rivera. He poured in 14 of his game high 34 points in the fourth quarter, a performance that not only slammed the door on the feisty Germans, but also cemented Edwards' status as "unquestionably the guy" in the eyes of Head Coach Steve Kerr.

I don't know if Kerr will change his starting lineup, but the chemistry between Haliburton and Edwards is hard to ignore. The high IQ, unselfishness, and floor spacing of Hali a better complement to Edwards' score-first mentality than what Brunson offers. If nothing else, I expect to see Haliburton close more games as the tournament heats up.

Based off Ant's social media, that chemistry seems to be tangible off-the-court as well. I love Haliburton entrenching himself among the best players in the world. Maybe he can deliver on what Paul George couldn't and recruit one of his national teammates to Indy. (No, I don't recommend holding your breath).

Pacers Team Hype

The Haliburton Team USA hype is spilling over into season previews. The promise of a healthy Haliburton, the defensive impact of Brown and Walker, and some healthy internal development has made the Pacers a trendy pick as a playoff team this year.

Bicentennial Unity Plaza Opening

Tomorrow the Pacers unveil the brand-new Bicentennial Unity Plaza outside of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The development was done in anticipation of the Pacers hosting All-Star weekend this year and should be one of Downtown's better attractions.

The plaza will combine public art installations with "a covered basketball court, which can be transformed into an ice-skating rink during winter months, and open spaces designed to be programmed for community and private events throughout the year."

If you're an Indy local, checkout the four days of free public events starting tomorrow which "will have activities for guests of all ages, including a Friday evening happy hour, a nighttime market on Saturday, a Sunday Jr. Hoops Clinic for kids, arts and crafts, live music, and much more."

Bicentennial Unity Plaza Opens with Four Days of Free Public Events August 24-27
NBAWheat Hotchkiss

Happy B-Day

Everybody wish a happy birthday to Zionsville's tallest motocross enthusiast and Pacers' legend Rik Smits.

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