INDIANAPOLIS – The s' preseason slate has concluded with a 128-127 loss in time beyond regulation towards the s in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Assistant Lloyd Pierce served as head coach for the Pacers with Rick Carlise in Charlottesville, Va., for a sorority occasion for his daughter.
Indiana was led in scoring by m, who scored 24 factors. The main target now shifts to the common season, which begins with a recreation on the s on Wednesday.
Listed here are three observations from the preseason finale:
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Pacers offense explodes
Earlier than all of the starters have been taken out for the second half, the Pacers led 71-56 at halftime. The 71-point half was the most effective for the group in all eight halves of preseason basketball.
The Pacers hardly struggled on offense within the first half and ball motion was a key motive why. The Pacers had 19 assists within the half, with 13 coming from the beginning backcourt of Tyrese Haliburton (six assists) and Andrew Nembhard (seven). If the Pacers don't have T.J. McConnell – who missed each preseason recreation with an undisclosed harm – to start out the common season, Nembhard will seemingly function the backup level guard when Haliburton is off the ground.
4 of the Pacers' 5 starters reached double-digit factors, with Kelly Oubre Jr. – who began rather than Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) — scoring simply 4 factors. With Haliburton again within the lineup, this offense can but once more be potent, and Friday confirmed that.
Huge man rotation stays an uncertainty
Heading into the common season, it's unclear what the Pacers need to do when Ivica Zubac isn't on the ground. After Larry Nance Jr. missed the preseason opener, he was the middle who performed off the bench – over Jay Huff – within the first half of the second and third video games. On Friday, neither Nance nor Huff performed within the first half.
When Zubac was off the ground within the first half, the Pacers used Obi Toppin – who's historically a ahead – on the heart spot. Toppin shared the frontcourt with Siakam and two-way participant Kobe Brown when he performed heart within the first half.
g off the bench to start out coaching camp, nevertheless it doesn't appear to be both has gained the belief of the teaching workers. As soon as the Pacers head to New Orleans, they could choose to downsize with Toppin as the middle anytime Zubac isn't enjoying.
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Pascal Siakam finds his groove
Siakam began the sport with three turnovers and two missed discipline targets earlier than he hit a pair of free throws with 43 seconds left within the quarter. The All-Star proceeded to attain one other 22 factors to guide the Pacers' offensive cost.
Siakam made all eight of his discipline objective makes an attempt, together with 5 3-pointers, within the second quarter to tally these 22 factors. The Cameroonian made open pictures, transition 3s and late-clock pictures to replenish the scoreboard.
Within the first three preseason video games, Siakam averaged simply 9.7 factors per recreation and made 38% of his discipline targets. On Friday, he appeared way more like himself.
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