Indiana Pacers begin season chasing a playoff berth instead of biding time to rebuild
INDIANA PACERS
Last season: 35-47, missed playoffs
Coach: Rick Carlisle (7th season with Pacers, 241-251; 22nd season overall, 896-793 )
What to expect: All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton took one big step last season and another this summer at the FIBA World Cup. Now, he's ready to take the Pacers on a new journey — back to the playoffs. Haliburton realizes the fastest way to end a three-year postseason absence is for the Pacers to improve defensively. And with their deepest, most talented roster in years they just might. Ten players on the roster were first-round picks. Guard Andrew Nembhard was the first pick in the second round in 2022. Buddy Hield and Obi Toppin, both college national players of the year, are expected to play key roles while Oscar Tshiebwe, the 2021-22 college player of the year, plays primarily in the G-League. But after spending the past two years near the bottom of the league in scoring defense, the Pacers have gone all-in on a fix. They signed two=time NBA blocks champion Myles Turner to a contract extension last winter and added versatile defender and, NBA champion Bruce Brown in free agency. They acquired Toppin in a deal with the New York Knicks and spent their first two draft picks on defensive-minded players in forward Jarace Walker and guard Ben Sheppard. It's not just quantity. The Pacers have quality depth, too, with veteran point guard T.J. McConnell, first-team all-rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin and Hield, one of the league's top 3-point specialists. Isaiah Jackson, Aaron Nesmith, Jordan Nwora and Jalen Smith all have shown they can fill useful roles. Will it be enough to make the playoffs, end a franchise-worst nine-game postseason losing streak and take their first playoff series in a decade? Haliburton believes it is.
Departures: F Oshae Brissett, G Chris Duarte, G George Hill, F James Johnson, F Terry Taylor, G Gabe York.
Additions: G/F Bruce Brown, G Ben Sheppard, F Obi Toppin, F Jarace Walker.
Player to watch: SG Bennedict Mathurin. He came off the bench most of last season but still made it into the rookie of the year conversation. This year, Mathurin has bulked up, spent the summer working on defense and may be the starter from opening day. If he develops the way Indiana believes he will, the Pacers could look like a very different team.
Season opener: Oct. 25 vs. Washington.
Fanduel NBA title odds: 260-1.
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