Even after an NBA Finals appearance, the Indiana Pacers knew they would take a step back this season after the loss of leader Tyrese Haliburton.
Three weeks into the season, the decline in team play has been striking.
Entering their game against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday in Indianapolis, the 1-11 Pacers are a loss away from the worst 13-game start to a season in franchise history. The 1988-89 team started the season with a 1-11 record before winning their 13th game.
Compounding Haliburton’s torn Achilles in the Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the injury-plagued Pacers are without Obi Toppin (foot) until at least February, while Bennedict Mathurin — who averaged 31 points through the team’s first two games — hasn’t played since Oct. 25 with a toe injury.
Things went from bad to worse in Indiana’s 133-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, as Aaron Nesmith exited with a knee injury and is expected to miss time.
“It hurts,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Nesmith’s impending absence. “He’s a top player on the team and it’s going to affect us. We’ve got some things to figure out, and we’ll figure them out. We’ve got to stay in a highly competitive mode. NBA games are difficult. They’re physical. Everybody’s amped up the physicality and pressure and we’re going to need to do the same.”
Veterans Pascal Siakam (24.1 points per game) and Andrew Nembhard (17.2 points, 6.8 assists) are among the few healthy contributors from the reigning Eastern Conference champions. The Pacers now return home after a four-game road trip that saw them lose by an average of 26.8 points per game.
“We’ve just got to stay in process mode,” Carlisle said. “The season is very long. There’s an awfully long way to go. This has been a tough trip, but we’ve got to get regrouped at home and figure out Toronto.”
The Raptors enter with six victories in their last seven games. They have won three of four to begin a five-game road trip that ends Saturday, most recently earning a 126-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.
Scottie Barnes has continued to emerge as a team leader, averaging 20.2 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 50.5% from the field and 42.9% on 3-point attempts. The fifth-year star had 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists at Cleveland, with his impact extending further than the offensive end.
“It’s easy to identify that he had a good game, but he does so much more for us defensively,” Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “The deflections that he’s creating, his rotations, how he’s covering for us defensively, he’s doing an outstanding job. I think Scottie Barnes definitely deserves to be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year early in this season.”
Brandon Ingram paces the Raptors with 20.5 points while adding 6.1 rebounds, and RJ Barrett averages 19.1 points.
–Field Level Media
