INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers preseason came to an end on Friday after a 128-127 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a successful preseason despite a 1-3 record.
Indiana was able to get some much-needed reps for Tyrese Haliburton as he returns to NBA action after missing nearly 16 months. Additionally, they were able to see what Ivica Zubac, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. look like in their system.
Despite losing three out of four preseason games, the Pacers managed to lose by only a total of five points in those three games. The contests were competitive and showed us a lot about this roster.
With that being said, here are my winners and losers of the preseason.
Tyrese Haliburton - Winner
After missing nearly 16 months of action while recovering from his Achilles tear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton was able to use the exhibition games to get himself reacclimated with the speed and pace of the game.
He struggled the most in his first game back against Minnesota --which was to be expected since it was his first game in 472 days-- but he still put up solid numbers considering, 7 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 2 blocks and a steal.
He set out the next game against Atlanta with a minor ankle injury, but finished the preseason strong in games against Oklahoma City and Milwaukee.
He had 24 points on 9-14 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks against OKC. In the finale against Milwaukee, he had 17 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. He was a +11 on the court in OKC and a +15 in Milwaukee. Indiana looked AWESOME with him on the floor in those final two games.
Jay Huff - Loser
Many believed that Huff would enter the season as the Pacers backup center but the preseason told us otherwise.
Huff didn't see the floor until the second half of every preseason game as the team elected to go in a different direction with their backup center.
In the first and last games of the preseason, Obi Toppin was the only big to play off the bench in the first half. Against Atlanta and Oklahoma City, Larry Nance Jr. was given the backup center minutes, playing next to Toppin.
Huff was consistently inserted as the third-string center during the preseason, indicating he is likely out of the 10-man rotation heading into the season.
He went 13-31 in four preseason games for 36 points, grabbed a total of 10 rebounds and had 4 blocks. His play on the floor was okay, but mostly iconsistent. Getting stronger on the glass and providing more of a physical presence down low will increase his chances of playing more.
Jarace Walker - Winner
Walker missed the last two games of the preseason with an undisclosed inijury. However, his first two preseason performances gave fans so many positives.
Everything the Pacers' coaching staff and front office asked of Walker came to fruition with his high-level play. In the first game against Minnesota, he had a team best plus-minus of +18. He added 10 assists, 0 turnovers, 7 points and 5 rebounds. Doing all the little things to help the team succeed.
He followed it up with another strong performance against the Hawks. He had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 20 minutes of play. Not quite as impressive as the first game, but still a strong showing.
If Walker continues to play like this for the rest of the season, he will have a significant role within the Pacers system. His size, skill set and versatility make him an intriguing piece for a roster ready to win-now.
Ben Sheppard - Loser
Sheppard, contrary to expectations, was a part of the Pacers’ 10-man rotation throughout the preseason and even started one game. Unfortunately, his performance was underwhelming, as he struggled to provide any real positive moments outside of his second half performance against the Timberwolves second and third string.
Similar to Walker, Sheppard is entering a contract season and is looking to prove he's worthy of a new one with the Pacers. Throughout his three seasons with the team, he's consistently found himself on the outside or the rotation looking in, but inevitably got an opportunity to play with injuries and proved he belonged.
He needs to approach this upcoming season with that same mentality. Doing the little things and being a system player is the best bet for Sheppard to show his value. If he continues to play uninspiring basketball, he might fall completely out of the rotation once everyone is fully healthy.
Sheppard averaged 19 minutes per game and shot 26% from the field. His 3.8 points per game were the third lowest on the team, trailing rookie guard Braden Smith and veteran James Johnson who was waived Saturday.
Ivica Zubac - Winner
Last season Big Zu played five games in the regular season before breaking a rib against the Portland Trail Blazers and missing the remainder of the season.
This preseason was his first time on the court with the Pacers superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and NBA champion and multitime all-star Pascal Siakam. Getting significant reps with the Pacers best two players was essential for this team before they head into the regular season.
From the first game in Ames, Iowa against Minnesota to the preseason finale against Milwaukee, you saw how much more comfortable he looked within the system.
His best showing was in the third game against Oklahoma City where he had 13 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in 18 minutes of play. Against Milwaukee he had 11 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, a block and a steal in 20 minutes of play.
He looked great and this group is still in the early stages of establishing chemistry with one another. If there were any concerns about how he'd fit within this fast-paced system, the last two games should silence that noise for awhile.
Obi Toppin - Winner
Toppin had a terrific preseason and proved just how important he is to the Pacers' ecosystem.
He played in all four games and was the only big man off the bench to be involved with the 10-man rotation every game.
In just 15 minutes of he averaged 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks per game. He shot an outstanding 63% from the field, 46.2% from three and 100% from the free throw line.
His elite speed, out of this world athleticism and understanding of his role in this system make him nearly impossible to replace. He spent time at the backup five spot, the backup four spot and even played a little at the three when Walker and Nesmith were injured the last two games.
Hopefully his strong play in the preseason carries over into the regular season.
Quick Thoughts on the Remainder of the Roster
Pascal Siakam - Loved the way he played in the majority of the preseason besides some inconsistent shooting nights. Needs to be a little stronger on the glass, but hard to complain about his overall performance.
Andrew Nembhard - In three preseason games Nembhard shot 55.6% from the field, 42.9% from three and 100% from the free throw line. If his offense can take another step while remaining an elite defender, this could be his best year yet.
Aaron Nesmith - Limited to just two preseason games because of a hamstring injury, Nesmith looked like his former self with Haliburton back in the lineup. He finished the preseason shooting 60% from the field, 50% from three and 100% from the free throw line.
Kelly Oubre Jr. - Joining a new team and system can be challenging, but Oubre fit in well. He started in the final three games, but is expected to come off the bench. He shot the ball well (52.2% from the field, 46.2% from three) and showed flashes of defensive upside.
Larry Nance Jr. - Returning from a mild hamstring injury, Nance looked better than expected. He rebounded the ball well, hit a few threes and had strong passes within the system. His name was called before Huff's at the backup five spot once healthy and he proved to be reliable.
Quenton Jackson - Q spent most of his time at the point guard spot and it was a mixture of good and bad. He is a scoring two guard first, but can also play the one. He averaged 2.5 assists per game to 2.3 turnovers. Nothing stood out about his play.
T.J. McConnell - The veteran point guard did not play in the preseason while recovering from an injury. If he misses the start of the season in New Orleans, that would have me more concerned than I am right now. At age 34, the Pacers have to be more cautious with McConnell. He is a huge part of who this team is.
Two-Way Guys - Slawson looked the best out of the three even though his shooting numbers were atrocious (33%). His shot blocking was noticeable with 1.8 per game and was used as small-ball center with Nance out. Brown showed flashes of strong play and rebounded well, but his three-point shot was an underwhelming 30%. Lastly, Smith shot an atrocious 26.3% from the field and 14.3% from three as he struggled to get his shot off. His best strength was his passing, averaging 5.5 assists a game.
Exhibit-9/10 Guys - Mast was the most impressive of the three and had the highest three-point percentage on the team shooting 66.7% from distance. Keita struggled overall, but was effective around the rim in his 6.8 minutes per game, shooting a team best 81.8% from the field. Johnson was the least used in preseason play but that's clearly not what his role was. He did a great job of being a veteran leader and practice player during training camp and received high-praise from his teammates.
You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.
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