The Indiana Pacers could once again blow past expectations this season, and they have the potential to emerge as a Top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. GM Kevin Pritchard has assembled a talented group that has already shown what they’re capable …
The Indiana Pacers could once again blow past expectations this season, and they have the potential to emerge as a Top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. GM Kevin Pritchard has assembled a talented group that has already shown what they’re capable of, especially after their surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
The addition of Pascal Siakam in January solidified the Pacers’ core. Siakam’s stellar play, shooting a career-high 54.9 percent from the field and averaging 20-plus points per game for the fifth consecutive season, adds a critical piece to Indiana’s offense. Pairing Siakam with Myles Turner gives the Pacers the potential to turn their already elite offense into a more balanced team. If they can lift their defense into the Top 15 in defensive rating, they could be one of the most complete units in the league.
Tyrese Haliburton‘s health will be key, as he drives the engine of the offense, and with the depth the Pacers have their rotation is stacked. Obi Toppin, who played all 82 games last season and averaged a career-high 10.3 points, strengthens an already deep roster.
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Happy Friday, folks! Welcome back to Layup Lines. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you’ve got an awesome weekend ahead of you .
NBA basketball is officially back. The league’s very first preseason games are being played today with the Nuggets and Celtics kicking things off in Abu Dhabi. If you’re tuned into games this preseason, you might feel like you’re watching a more physical brand of basketball with fewer free throws and a bit less free movement around the court.
That’s what we should be preparing ourselves for. At least, according to Rick Carlisle, anyway.
The Pacers head coach recently hopped on The Wake Up Call podcast to talk about this upcoming season for his team. The physicality in the game from the second half of last season was brought up. Carlisle said we should expect more of that this coming season.
Shoutout to Basketball, She Wrote’s Caitlin Cooper, who pointed this out. Carlisle said the league told coaches that last year’s physicality was here to stay. “Games are going to look a lot more like FIBA than the old, freedom-of-movement NBA,” he said.
This was all according to plan. The NBA sent out a memo on official points of emphasis at the end of last season. League officials were made to focus more on proper defensive positioning and less on contact. It led to a sharp dip in scoring around the NBA. The decline in free throws started in February and scoring dipped right along with it.
If the NBA continues to emphasize these previous points, we should expect a stark contrast between this season and the last few years. That’s probably a good thing.
Let’s put offense in perspective. According to Basketball Reference’s data, the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors had the greatest offense ever, with a 115.6 offensive rating. That’s the team with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all in their primes.
That offensive rating would’ve been just above league average (115.3) last season — and that’s with the NBA tightening things up in the second half of the year. Offensive efficiency records have been breaking yearly in the league, with no concessions to the league’s defenses.
We’re about to see a bit of a correction if what Carlisle says holds true. I’m here for it.
Wemby might just win DPOY, but don’t bet on it
(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama is probably going to be a pretty popular bet for Defensive Player of the Year this upcoming NBA season. Nobody can blame you for putting your money on him — he was the runner-up for the award last season despite playing on a 22-win team.
But Bryan Kalbrosky says that, at -250, it’s a pretty bad value pick for any bettors out there.
“That means an individual would have to bet $250 to win $100 if the Spurs star wins Defensive Player of the Year. The return just simply isn’t great!
Over the past ten seasons, no other preseason favorite has even approached that sort of expectation. The closest was when Draymond Green entered the year with +160 odds in 2017.
However, each winner since 2015 has had an average betting return of about 11-1.”
Plus, Kalbrosky writes, the Spurs likely won’t be very good anyway. While he’s elite, the rest of San Antonio’s defense isn’t quite up to snuff. Their defensive rating probably won’t be in the top half of the NBA’s rankings. And, if it’s not, history says Wemby won’t win the award.
Save your money. Or maybe just put it on someone else.
If Joe Mazzulla says the Pacers were THIS good, we should keep an eye on them.
With a sparkling 16-3 playoff record, it didn’t seem like the Boston Celtics faced much resistance en route to winning the 2024 NBA title. However, according to one-man quote machine Joe Mazzulla, you must read between the lines. Because while the series ended up being very short, Mazzulla said one team did push the Celtics more than they anticipated.
It was the Indiana Pacers, who the Celtics swept in the Eastern Conference Finals, but not without a big fight.
In a new interview with Boston Sports Journal’s John Karalis, Mazzulla claims that the Pacers made the Celtics sweat more than any other squad they faced in the postseason. In fact, he went as far as to say that the Celtics were lucky this series didn’t go seven against upstart Indiana.
“That Indiana series was by far the toughest series, and we swept them, but it should have went seven,” he said [Mazzulla]. “You have to have an understanding that we have to fight for the things that we can control, but there’s so much that goes on that you can’t control. We’re trying to foul up three and give (Aaron) Nesmith a wide-open corner 3. If he makes that and we go in the overtime on the road, it’s a completely different game.”
Mazzulla makes a great point. While I find it hard to believe the Pacers would’ve ever won that series with the Celtics — especially after Tyrese Haliburton missed most of it with a hamstring injury — they probably deserved a better outcome than an outright sweep. They wouldn’t have been blanked if not for a few unlucky bounces here and there. But that’s just how sports and basketball shake out sometimes.
For what it’s worth, Mazzulla claiming a team the Celtics swept gave them their toughest challenge has recent precedent for being a harbinger of what might come for a defending NBA champion.
After the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA title, some Nuggets players, like key reserve guard Bruce Brown, said Anthony Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves pushed Denver the most in its championship run even though it won in a five-game first-round series. When the Nuggets and Timberwolves met up a year later in the second round, we saw many of the similar fits Minnesota gave Denver in 2023, which helped Edwards and Co. upend their rival in a climactic Game 7 on the road.
None of this is to say that the Pacers are necessarily the Celtics’ biggest challenger on paper. Far from it, in fact.
But the NBA is a lot more about matchups than some people like to think. The Celtics’ five-out offense, where everyone can shoot and a defense loaded with elite perimeter talent, is equipped to handle almost every opponent well. But the Pacers don’t really play into that. They almost always push the tempo and control the game on their terms, even in a way where the Celtics are uncomfortable — as we saw in these two teams’ first Conference Finals battle.
Perhaps most importantly, like the Timberwolves, this was only the young Pacers’ first experience with the playoffs. A safe assumption is that they will come back more prepared for the postseason pressure and gauntlet moving forward. That can only help them in another potential battle with Boston.
If the Celtics and Pacers match up in the playoffs again, I wouldn’t be surprised if Indiana takes Boston to its absolute limit and then some. And if you don’t believe me, you should definitely listen to Mazzulla.
Tyrese Haliburton knows how special Caitlin Clark is.
One Indiana basketball staple paid tribute to another at their shared stadium on Friday night.
Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton attended Friday night’s Indiana Fever game against the Phoenix Mercury, one where rookie phenomenon Caitlin Clarkhad one of her best starts of the season.
Haliburton wanted the world to know what he was seeing at Friday’s game, as he tweeted while he was in attendance: “Hope y’all seeing what 22 doin at Gainbridge.”
That is such a cool way for Haliburton to give Clark her flowers as the two try to forge a new era for excellent Indiana basketball in the NBA and WNBA.
Tominaga was chosen to represent the United, a team comprised of the top G League prospects, against Mega MIS, a program in the top professional league in Serbia. The two-game exhibition competition will take place Sept. 4-6 at the Kaiser Permanente Arena.
Joining Tominaga on the roster so far are Stockton Kings forward Deonte Burton and Isaiah Wong, who was with the Indiana Pacers last season. The complete roster will be announced at a later date.
Tominaga was named to the All-Big Ten second team last season after averaging 15.1 points and 2.3 rebounds on 37.6% shooting from 3-point range as a fifth-year senior. He produced eight 20-point games, including a season-high 31 points on Feb. 4.
The 6-foot-2 guard is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers after going undrafted this year. He skipped summer league to represent Japan in the 2024 Olympic Games and totaled two points and one steal in eight minutes with the team.
Tominaga and the United will also participate in the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, featuring teams from six countries. The competition will run Sept. 12-15 in Singapore.
Former UConn Huskies point guard Tristen Newton inks two-way deal with Indiana Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers inked former UConn Huskies guard Tristen Newton to a two-way contract on Saturday.
Newton was the 49th player selected in the 2024 NBA draft, joined in the draft class by fellow UConn starters Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and Cam Spencer.
The 6’5 guard averaged 9.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across five Summer League games, although he shot just 20% from the field and 18.2% from the three point line.
“Tristen Newton, tremendous [growth] from game one to game five,” Pacers summer league head coach Jannero Pargo said. “Understanding our offense more, playing more confident. Being able to call plays and run our sets and be more comfortable out there.”
Newton averaged over 15 points, six assists, and six rebounds in his final season with UConn, leading Dan Hurley’s team to back-to-back national championships as the primary ball-handler.
Now, his experience, winning mentality, facilitation, and positional rebounding skills will give Indiana additional point guard depth available throughout the season, although Newton will likely spend most of his time in the G League with the Mad Ants.
Newton debuted with the Pacers in the NBA Summer League, averaging nine points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in five games.
Former UConn guard Tristen Newton, the 49th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, signed a two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, the team announced.
Newton was a consensus first-team All-American last season, averaging 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists on 41.5% shooting from the field as a fifth-year senior. He registered two triple-doubles and 11 double-doubles in 40 games.
The 23-year-old helped the Huskies to back-to-back national championships after spending three years at East Carolina. He was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player and the Big East Tournament MVP.
Newton debuted with the Pacers in the NBA Summer League, averaging nine points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in five games. He finished off his run in Las Vegas with three consecutive double-digit performances, including 17 points and six rebounds on July 20.
The 6-foot-5 standout established himself as a second-round pick for his scoring and ability as a lead guard in college. He displayed those traits with the Pacers this month and will have the opportunity to showcase them next season at the next level.
Newton will split his time between the NBA and the Indiana Mad Ants in the G League. He is eligible to be active for up to 50 games in the NBA and will earn a flat salary equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service.
Quenton Jackson will stay with the Indiana Pacers organziation headining into next season
For those of us who had the pleasure of covering former Texas A&M star guard Quenton Jackson during his final collegiate season with the Aggies, his basketball career would only continue from there, whether in the NBA or playing in the international circuit.
Going undrafted after the 2022 season, Jackson joined the Washington Wizards’ G-League organization while appearing in nine games during the 2022-2023 NBA season before transitioning to the Indiana Pacers, who have committed to developing Jackson’s skill set.
Extremely athletic, Jackson took full advantage of his elevated playing time during the NBA Summer League. The 25-year-old recorded an impressive 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in the Pacers’ 100-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier last week.
On Saturday, the Pacer’s leadership took notice of what they have in Quenton Jackson as a potential contributor on the court, signing him to his second two-way contract with the team, as he will continue playing for the Indiana Mad Ants in the G-League with the potential to appear in the 2024-2025 NBA regular season.
Former East Carolina/UConn guard Tristen Newton was also signed to a two-way contract with the Pacers.
we have signed guards Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton to two-way contracts.
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Former Gator Andrew Nembhard has it made in the shade after a spectacular performance in the playoffs for the Pacers.
Former Florida basketball standout [autotag]Andrew Nembhard[/autotag] signed a three-year, $59 million contract extension with the Indiana Pacers that will take him through the 2027-28 season, Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani of Life Sports Agency told ESPN on Wednesday morning.
He agreed to the maximum allowable money available and Indiana will decline his $2.2 team option in 2025-26, allowing the new deal to begin for him next year. The former Gator became eligible to sign the deal on Monday.
Nemhard, who is originally from Canada and attended Montverde Academy in Central Florida, played his first two collegiate seasons with the Orange and Blue before transferring to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 2020. He spent the next two seasons with the Zags before being picked with the 31st overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2022 NBA draft.
Since joining the NBA, he has averaged 9.3 points while dishing out 4.3 assists and grabbing 2.4 rebounds per game in 26.4 minutes played per regular season game. Appearing in 143 games the past two seasons, Nembhard has started 110 of them, noting that he switched positions from shooting to point guard last year.
The guard had a breakout performance in the 2024 Eastern Conference playoffs, starting all 17 games while averaging 14.9 points and 5.5 assists on 56% shooting in the Pacers’ deep playoff run.
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As the 2024 NBA Summer League comes to a close on Monday, most teams played their final games in Las Vegas on Sunday, including the Pacers.
As the 2024 NBA Summer League comes to a close on Monday night, most teams played their final games in Las Vegas this weekend, including the Eastern Conference runner-up.
On Saturday afternoon, shooting guard Quenton Jackson finished strong for the Indiana Pacers during a 100-93 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Texas A&M alumnus stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks. In 26 minutes of action, he converted 9-of-12 field goal attempts, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
Jackson joined the Indiana organization four months ago after signing a two-way contract on March 4. He split time between Indianapolis and Noblesville, which is home of the Pacers G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants.
After playing for three seasons in College Station, Jackson went undrafted in 2022. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter has also suited up for the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls.
Jackson was named NBA G League Player of the Week in February during his stint with the Windy City Bulls.
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Quenton Jackson finished the #PacersSummer slate with a bang‼️
