INDIANAPOLIS -- The stage was set for one of the most anticipated home openers in Pacers history on Friday night. Tyrese Haliburton made his return to his home court in front of a packed out, sea-of-gold arena. Unfortunately for Haliburton and the Pacers, the Dallas Mavericks came in and spoiled the party.
The Mavs dominated the Pacers from start to finish, ultimately winning by a final score of 121-105. Here are some of the main takeaways from Indy's home opener.
Pacers unable to recover from horrible start
Before fans could even get settled, it was 33-19 in favor of Dallas. By the end of the first quarter, it was 44-27, as the Mavericks shot 70% in the opening frame. The Indianapolis crowd was ready to explode but had very little to cheer about.
Early leads in the NBA don't often mean a whole lot. In this case, the second quarter wasn't any better for Indiana. The Pacers had just four second-quarter points in the first 7 1/2 minutes. They got outscored by 17 points in the second frame as well, and trailed 77-43 at the Half.
The Pacers showed some life in the 2nd Half, cutting the lead to 13 at one point, but it was too little, too late. The damage was already done, and the Pacers never led in the game.
Turnovers and missed shots
The Pacers had 13 turnovers in their opening night win in New Orleans. On Friday night, they had 13 turnovers by halftime. They were able to tighten things up a bit down the stretch, but they finished the game with 19 turnovers.
It's possible the Pacers were a little too amped up for the home opener, but you also have to give credit to the Mavs activity on the defensive end.
It's also a "make or miss" league, and sometimes, it's as simple as that. For the game, the Pacers were just 7-for-32 from behind the arc, while the Mavericks shot 14-for-34.
Haliburton's return still special despite the loss
I've been covering games in this building for the last 12 years, and I think the roar for Haliburton at half court was the loudest I've ever heard it. That includes NBA Finals games, his introduction at the All-Star Game here in town, and other huge moments. It was a long road back, and the fans showed their appreciation in a big way.
Recording Haliburton until he misses.. pic.twitter.com/NnaZxjBy8H
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) October 23, 2026
For the game, Haliburton had a solid night with 18 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. He made several of his patented passes to teammates and has looked solid in the first two games after the long layoff.
Slawson and Jackson impress late
The comeback attempt fell short, but the Pacers still left here with something. Jalen Slawson and Quenton Jackson both brought a ton of energy and showed they want more minutes moving forward. Both guys were diving on the floor for loose balls, playing solid defense, and igniting the crowd that so desperately wanted to have something to cheer about. They were the only Pacer players in the plus in the net for the game.
With the loss, the Pacers fell to 1-1 on the young season. They will look to get back in the win column on Sunday night in Brooklyn.
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