Nine games into the season, the Pacers are 6-3, third in the East, and all over the stats leader boards. Seriously, go to https://www.nba.com/stats/teams – you'll find the words "Indiana Pacers" littered everywhere across the top-5 lists.

  • First in points per game
  • First in assists per game
  • Second in field goal percentage
  • First in three pointers made
  • Fourth in three point percentage
  • First in offensive rating
  • Fourth in fast break points per game
  • Fourth in points in the paint per game
  • Second in pace
  • Third in miles ran per game
  • First in average speed
  • Fourth in percentage of points coming from three
  • Second in corner three point percentage
  • Third in mid-range field goal percentage
  • First in bench points per game
  • Second in bench minutes per game
  • Two of the top-5 highest single game point totals this season
  • The first and second spots in highest single game assist totals this season
  • Tied for fourth in highest single game steals totals
  • Tied for second in highest single game three point totals

Despite all of that, nobody could blame you for feeling there's something slightly illegitimate about this team. In fact, you don't have to look far for seeds of doubt. The drubbing by Boston (admittedly without Haliburton), the losses to Chicago and Charlotte, the non-existent defense, the over reliance on three point shooting... take your pick. Sure, the Pacers are fun and can put up Star Wars numbers (to quote the other Indy sports franchise owner), but can they actually put up a fight when it matters? Can they compete? If not for titles, for a playoff series?

Before last night I would have said "no" somewhat confidently. Today, the answer might still be "no," but without any confidence whatsoever.

The beauty – perhaps the anguish – of this season is it's one of metamorphosis. Last year was a cocoon: we were young and plucky but there were no expectations. In fact, many fans were likely happy that we ended up with a top-10 pick in the draft. The highlights were enough to extrapolate from, the lowlights dismissible. The future looked bright and that was all that mattered.

This year the insect begins to emerge. We get to see just how brightly colored our wings are... or aren't. If we show signs of growth, both individually and collectively, we're free to keep extrapolating – the dream lives on. If we don't show signs of growth, we're forced to face the stark reality that championship teams are nearly impossible to build.

Luckily, we've seen plenty of growth in the early stages of the season. Impressive team stats aside, Smith and (Ne)smith have taken big individual leaps (should their current production prove sustainable). Tyrese is every bit the offensive savant we hoped he'd be and Nembhard has effectively replaced TJ McConnell as the back up point guard. The dream is well and truly alive.

But again, the signs of stagnation have been present as well, namely in the form of atrocious defense and inattention to detail. So why was last night's game – an outing where the Pacers surrendered 124 points – such a confidence booster?

The Pacers won a game they would have lost last year: a game where the opponent dictated tempo.

Tempo

It's no mystery that the Pacers want to run and gun. The team's pace and shooting drags opponents into a track meet, forcing them to catch up or get blown out. Look at the defensive ratings of the teams that have played against Indiana.

The big concern is that when the game slows down – as it most assuredly will if the Pacers make the post-season – the team won't be able to grind out a win.

Well, the team did exactly that last night. Though the Pacers got off to a fast start, Giannis Antetokoumpo reminded the world why he's a yearly MVP candidate, seizing the game by the throat. His deliberate interior scoring not only minimized fast break opportunities, but also his ability to draw a foul on seemingly every possession eliminated any flow from the game. As a result, the Pacers played more half-court offense than they have all season.

Not only did the Pacers survive a game where the opponent imposed a slower pace, the team executed remarkably well. While the team's lack of size can be a problem on the defensive end of the floor, the surplus of players who can both shoot and handle the ball makes the team incredibly versatile offensively. This is especially true when Maturin is locked in as a scorer.

Mathurin's Big Night

Mathurin showed up in a big way last night. His offensive stats get the fancy graphics but his competitiveness against Giannis defensively was the most encouraging aspect of his play.

Mathurin has been maligned (fairly) by much of the fan base for his mental lapses on defense. There are no shortage of clips of him getting lost off ball or standing too upright. But last night he took on the challenge of stopping the unstoppable and he made winning plays when it counted. That's growth.

According to Rick Carlisle, Mathurin's progress has been hard earned.

Benn Mathurin is taking significant strides each game now. He's starting to really understand what it means to have the responsibility of being one of those guys that we rely on to score and rely on to be solid defensively and to secure possessions. I'm real proud of him because this transition (from sixth man to starter) is not easy. It involves a lot of sacrifice. It involves really having to take a different view of yourself and the game and how you fit into a group of players that you care about. He's been tremendous these (last) two games.

It's clear that Mathurin is someone who thrives off of competition and will rise (or fall) to the occasion. I hope the coaching staff continues to put responsibility on his plate because I truly believe that the more he's challenged, the better he'll be.

And if he maxes out his potential, we may not be dreaming big enough.