The game against the Hawks was a night of firsts for the '23-'24 Indiana Pacers. It was franchise-player Tyrese Haliburton's first game of the season. It was the first game in front of the home fans. And most importantly, it was the team's first win.

We're all familiar with the many amazing things Haliburton can do on a basketball court, so I won't spend too much time stating the obvious. We know that when Tyrese is in the lineup the team plays faster and the ball moves quicker. We know that his deep shooting ability stretches the defense, creating extra space for his teammates. We know his unique combination of height, vision, passing, and ability to float lets him see over traps and make mid-air reads once the defense has committed.

But the single biggest contribution that Tyrese brings to a team is his joy. When he is in the game you can feel an atmospheric shift. Everyone is simply lighter. Regardless of what he does statistically, I'm fully convinced he's worth every penny of his ridiculously large extension because he's something money can't buy: a rising tide.

If there's one play that encapsulates what I'm talking about, it's the following.

Tyrese Haliburton is fun to play with, fun to watch, and you should all make the appropriate tributes to the deity of your choice in gratitude for the blessing that Haliburton is to the Indiana Pacers. I, for one, plan to sacrifice a whole jar of Rao's Marinara in tribute to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Anyway, enough religion, how did the Pacers beat the Hawks? By dominating the second quarter. The Pacers won the frame by a score of 43-15, a glimpse of the dizzying heights this team can reach when things are clicking on both sides of the ball. The run was a full team effort, kicked off by the bench unit and the hot shooting of pre-season standouts Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith. When the starters came in, they grabbed the baton seamlessly, continuing to get stops and punish the Hawks in transition.

Though the Pacers reverted to the mean in the second half – even allowing the game to get as close as single digits – the lead produced by the second quarter frenzy proved insurmountable.

Things I Liked

Benn Mathurin's Growth as a Passer

Mathurin knows that the league is aware of his ability to score the ball. He knows that the next step in his evolution as a player is being able to use that attention to set up his teammates for easy looks and he concentrated a lot of his off-season workouts on developing that skill.

Yesterday, the work paid off. He made numerous good reads when help defenders left their assignments to close in on him. I'm having some technical difficulties clipping all of them but the play below is illustrative.

The Obi-Myles-Haliburton Trifecta

A lot of ink was spilled last year on how playing as a traditional center revitalized Myles Turner's career. He wasn't bashful about stating his preference for matching up with opposing 5s vs 4s. So when the Toppin trade happened – and the high flying possibilities of an Obi/Tyrese pick-and-roll captured the imagination of Pacers fans everywhere – some smart analysts wondered what that would mean for Turner. Would using Obi as a roll man push Myles back to the perimeter where he lived during the Domas days? Would it make last year an outlier?

So far, the answer is yes and no. Toppin was used as the roll man quite a bit against the Hawks and, predictably, that pushed Myles back outside (where he cashed in his open looks, by the way). However, unlike Domas, Toppin is 1) an outside threat and 2) someone who runs like crazy. I don't think many teams will want to put a center on Obi because he's just too athletic, which should keep Myles happy.

Having two bigs that can run, roll, and shoot makes them interchangeable and should create a lot of advantages for a pick-and-roll maestro like Haliburton to exploit.

For a more detailed read on the effect of Obi as a roll man, I highly suggest your read Caitlin Cooper's latest article.

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The Nesmith Bandwagon Gains Steam

Aaron Nesmith had another great game. He posted 15 points in about 16 minutes of action, shooting 6/10 from the floor and 3/6 from deep.

The competition for minutes on the wing is fierce but Nesmith has risen to challenge thus far.

Jalen Smith Seizing the Back-Up 5

Smith's solid play has made him the front runner for the position. According to Carlisle, Jalen has raised his level of play over the off-season by increasing his intensity and making his presence felt. Carlisle believes the fourth year center is stronger, more physical, and his feel is constantly evolving. The fact that Smith is one of the best rebounders on the team (especially offensively) is a big advantage as the finishing possessions is still a problem area for the Pacers.

Ben Sheppard Kicking Down the Door

Sheppard is ready. After playing four years in college he's older than the typical rookie and that maturity has allowed him to hit the ground running. Carlisle had nothing but good things to say about the rookie.

Myles Turner said he's been the biggest surprise thus far and that he's "kicked down the door" in the battle for minutes.

Things I Didn't Like

Walker Floating

Walker's signature move is the floater. It's almost a funny to see a man of that size opt for finesse rather than bowling defenders over when barreling down the lane. And while I'd like him to be more aggressive on drives, that's not the floating I'm talking about.

When he's on the floor, Walker just floats. He doesn't seem to know where to be or what to do. He's reading the game instead of anticipating it. His passes, many of them good ideas, are often a fraction late. When a shot goes up, he's watching the ball instead of getting into position for the rebound.

My guess is that he feels more like the game is happening around him and less like he is a part of it. I know that feeling and it helps explain why he'll stop the ball and settle for iso-jumpers a couple times each game. He doesn't know where his spots are in the flow of the offense so he tries to inject himself when he has the chance.

Walker has all the talent in the world and a good basketball IQ, so I have confidence that he'll figure it out sooner rather than later. But right now the coaching staff needs to give him a clearly defined role to help him feel more comfortable on the court. In fact, I'd imagine Jalen Smith could teach him quite a bit, seeing as Smith seems to be emerging from the other side of that journey.

Fouling

The Pacers foul way too much. Everyone admits it but thinks it's correctable. The general consensus is that they need to be more disciplined in keeping their hands off of opponents, especially when they get beat on the perimeter. When that happens, the team has to trust that a teammate will rotate and provide cover.

Things Of Note

  • In-game lineups are more important that starter/reserve designations. Much like Mathurin last year, Buddy is going to play significant minutes with the "starting unit," even if he permanently comes off the bench. Carlisle has always taken rotations on a game-to-game basis, so I'll be tracking lineup usage all year long.
  • Tyrese mentioned that he wants to make an effort to get Benn the ball more often. It's clear that being the focal point of the bench offense was a more comfortable role for Mathurin than trying to fit into the faster paced, more unselfish first team unit. Carlisle, however, thinks Benn just needs to run more if he wants the ball. He said Benn will be at his best when he learns to use his iso ability to make quick decisions within the movement offense.
  • Nembhard is back with the team and Carlisle expects him to play on Friday against the Cavs.

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