Indiana Pacers
The 2021-22 Indiana Pacers can be defined by not having an identity — until they traded previous All-Star Domantas Sabonis before the trade deadline to the Kings for Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield.
What did we learn?
The Pacers finally split up Sabonis and Turner.
And now they have their point guard of the future.
This season got off to a middling start after many expected back-in-Indiana Rick Carlisle to have this Pacers team ready to compete for a playoff spot in the East. Indiana was competitive for a little while but seemed to lose every close game they played. (Because they did.)
The thought of Carlisle paired with Malcom Brogdon and T.J. McConnell sounded like a team with good structure and organization, but the Pacers once again dealt with a litany of injuries.
Malcom Brogdon: 36 games played
T.J. McConnell: 27 games played
Myles Turner: 42 games played
T.J. Warren: 0 games played (injured Dec. 2020 just four games into the 2020-21 season)
By the time the calendar flipped to 2022, this Pacers season was already cooked. The team continued to look lost and uninterested in doing what it takes to win ball games. A December/January stretch saw the Pacers lose 12 out of 14 games.
The Pacers were barely ahead of the Pistons and Magic. That’s when Kevin Pritchard decided to do what he does best: Trade his star player. Sabonis joined Paul George and Victor Oladipo as recent Pacers All-Stars sent packing.
The first game with Haliburton and the new run-and-gun Pacers was NUTS, lighting up the Cavs for 47 first quarter points. (Yes, first quarter.) Haliburton did not waste any time putting on a show in Indiana and showing Pacers fans and the world why everybody was so upset when the Kings traded ‘Rese. His big-assist games were a joy. Haliburton averaged 9.6 assists per game in a Pacers uniform.
Haliburton was sensational — a true League Pass marvel and passing wizard. 17 assists and 0 turnovers!? Yep, he had two games of 15+ assists and 0 turnovers, something no player had ever done before turning 23 years old in NBA history.
The new-look Pacers still didn’t win many games. That was perfectly fine. The Indiana Pacers found their identity. And the new run-and-gun version was definitely a lot more fun than the previous aimless edition.
It would not be a Pacers Season Review if we did not mention the Pesky Pacers. For those unfamiliar, we had not been able to hit a bet involving the Pacers in the two years since we started this blog. However, dear friends, it is with great pleasure and joy to let you know that we took out the Pesky Pacers with the Junder (Jazz Under) during our experimental Chasing Pure Locks segment on a random Thursday night back in November.
Even so, the Pacers will forever be pesky, especially now that they have Tyrese motherfuckin’ Haliburton.
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Additional Notes
The Return of Lance Stephenson was a lot of fun, the pinnacle being the 20 points he scored in the 1st quarter of that Nets game which just so happened to be unvaxxed Kyrie’s first game of the season.
Oshae Brisset had some cool highlights and we say that sincerely.
Chris Duarte’s first game of the season on Opening Night II was wild, hitting six 3s en route to 27 points in his NBA debut. (That would tie his season-high.)
Isaiah Jackson came on strong. He had a splendid power dunk on Zach Collins and led the team in total dunks.
It’s funny that Haliburton and Jalen Smith are teammates now, because they were always linked through the Draft Day What If Thought of: What if the Suns had drafted Haliburton instead of Jalen Smith at 10th overall? (Answer: They wouldn’t be teammates on the Pacers right now.)
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
In Brogdon, Sabonis and Carlisle we trust. Over 42.5 wins.
Pacers 2021-22 record: (25-57)
NOPE. Our preseason Over/Under prediction did not hit. Not even close.
The last time the Pacers lost this many games? The 1984-85 season. It had been 37 years.
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What’s Next?
The #6 pick in the draft. The Pacers also currently have the first pick in the second round (#31) and the last (#58).
Figure out what to do with their cap space. Can Indiana actually lure in some free agents?
Do the Pacers move Brogdon now that Haliburton is here? Brogdon still has two years left on his current contract, so perhaps they see how the fit plays out for another year, and then they could move his expiring deal.
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Favorite Pacers Highlights of the 2021-22 Season:
20 points in the first quarter vs. the Nets in unvaxxed Kyrie’s first game of the season, featuring a 3 at the first-quarter buzzer. Strumming that guitar.
A 47-point Pacers first quarter vs. the Cavs in Haliburton’s first game.
Four points away from the most points scored in a first quarter in NBA history.
