Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle ripped his team after losing to the Miami Heat on Friday night. Indiana has gotten off to a poor start in the regular season and the NBA In-Season Tournament. Last year’s conference finalist has looked anything but as star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has struggled through these first twelve games. Carlisle pointed towards a clear indication of his team’s terrible form in a blunt statement to Forbes Sports reporter Tony East.
“Pretty clearly, being booed twice by your home fans is cause for alarm.”
Indiana Pacers have taken a dip in offensive production
Despite coming into this year with lofty expectations, the Pacers have struggled to gain momentum. At 5-7 overall, many of Indiana’s issues are due to its offense taking a dip in production. This side of the floor took the NBA by force last year. The Pacers averaged 123.3 points per contest for the 2023-24 season, which led the NBA. So far, Indiana has only put up 113.6 points per game this season, which is 13th in the league.
Despite the defensive improvements, the Pacers’ offensive dip has been more significant. Consequently, Tyrese Haliburton is having his worst year in points and assists since he was traded to Indiana. While the team has been without starters Andrew Nemhard and Aaron Nesmith for a few games, this has been an unacceptable start.
The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have pulled away in the Eastern Conference. The Orlando Magic, at 8-6, are currently the three-seed, while the New York Knicks, at 6-6, sit at four. Now is an excellent opportunity for Indiana to lock into a higher seed in the East so that the road back to the Conference Finals is easier.
While the 2023-24 season was very successful, the Pacers were fortunate healthwise compared to their opponents. Even though, it is important to note that they were missing Bennedict Mathurin for that run. Still, having to play their postseason mainly on the road is not a consistent recipe for success. It’s early, but Indiana is currently the eighth seed in its conference, which is a very disappointing position to be in.
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Despite the poor run of form, Rick Carlisle’s team will get an opportunity to build momentum very soon. After a three-game road trip against struggling teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, the Pacers will host the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Detroit Pistons. These teams are all under .500 and, aside from the Pelicans, are considered among the worst in the league.
Should Indiana get back on track, it has a prime opportunity to shoot up the standings. The good news is critical role players like Nembhard, Nesmith, and Obi Toppin are returning from injuries. In addition, Bennedict Mathurin is taking the next step in his development. The third-year player out of Arizona is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and field goal percentage.
Overall, the cement is dry for this franchise and young core. However, if the Pacers don’t improve as this season continues, many will see them as a one-hit wonder.
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