NBA · 1 year ago

5 Things We Learned About the Indiana Pacers in Round 1

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Milwaukee's Injuries Must Be Acknowledged
The Indiana Pacers largely dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular season when the Bucks were healthy but the injuries to Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo undoubtedly swung this series. Milwaukee's ailments paved the way for the Pacers to stroll into the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. Lillard was still available for the bulk of the series but Giannis missed all of it. The Pacers still get credit for taking care of business and finding their first playoff success but the impact of the injuries must at least be acknowledged.

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1. Tyrese Haliburton Was Good Enough
Tyrese Haliburton has not been the same since returning from a midseason injury and there are lingering concerns about his status thanks to a back issue. While he has not reached the All-NBA heights he played at during the first couple of months of the season, Haliburton was good enough. He looked more assertive and comfortable as the series went on and he showed the playmaking maestro chops that makes the Indiana Pacers offense operate, averaging 9.3 assists per game against Milwaukee.

Haliburton will need to be better against New York and Jalen Brunson but he was solid against the Bucks and that was good enough to get the job done for the Pacers. It was a good first step in the playoffs for the young star.

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Indiana Pacers (+5.5) at New York Knicks - Game One
2. Myles Turner Found Success
The last several seasons have featured rumor after rumor of the Indiana Pacers moving on from Myles Turner. The big man from Texas was always listed as a player likely to be dealt as Indiana tried to reset their roster. Instead, Turner stayed through the roster transition and has been a mainstay in the lineup. Once trade season was over, Turner’s name disappeared from the national discourse and he had yet to help the Pacers win a single playoff series. During the first portion of this set, Turner was on fire from three and averaged 26.7 points per game in games 2, 3 and 4 as the Pacers took control of the series. He struggled in games five and six but the damage was done as the Pacers wrapped things up in six. His play early on opened the door for Indiana to advance. After a long wait, Turner has his playoff win and the Pacers front office was rewarded for sticking with him.

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3. Pacers Bench Dominated
The Indiana Pacers had the highest-scoring bench in the NBA during the regular season and that continued in the playoffs as players like Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell exploded to lead the team in scoring in game six. The bench for Indiana was strong all series but the game six clinching performance was outstanding as the duo of Toppin and McConnell both topped 20 points and the Pacers bench outscored Milwaukee’s 50 to 10. That kind of unexpected production in a game or two can swing a series.

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Indiana Pacers Odds to Win Series: +225
4. Pascal Siakam's Veteran Leadership Was Key
The Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam with the hopes that he could take their young core and help boost it into the top tier of the Eastern Conference for years to come. While Siakam is not a superstar, he is an All-Star level player that has valuable playoff and championship experience.

For a team with no playoff success to speak of, that was a critical trait and it showed up big-time in the first round matchup against Milwaukee. Siakam was often the best player on the floor. He played 37 minutes per game and scored 22.3 points per game with 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Siakam has fit right in with the Pacers’ scheme and his 37 points in the Game 2 win in Milwaukee seemed to infuse Indiana with a sense of belief.

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5. Milwaukee's Injuries Must Be Acknowledged
The Indiana Pacers largely dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular season when the Bucks were healthy but the injuries to Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo undoubtedly swung this series. Milwaukee's ailments paved the way for the Pacers to stroll into the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. Lillard was still available for the bulk of the series but Giannis missed all of it. The Pacers still get credit for taking care of business and finding their first playoff success but the impact of the injuries must at least be acknowledged.

More NBA: Read up on SportsGrid's NBA Betting Guide for Mon. May 6.
1. Tyrese Haliburton Was Good Enough
Tyrese Haliburton has not been the same since returning from a midseason injury and there are lingering concerns about his status thanks to a back issue. While he has not reached the All-NBA heights he played at during the first couple of months of the season, Haliburton was good enough. He looked more assertive and comfortable as the series went on and he showed the playmaking maestro chops that makes the Indiana Pacers offense operate, averaging 9.3 assists per game against Milwaukee.

Haliburton will need to be better against New York and Jalen Brunson but he was solid against the Bucks and that was good enough to get the job done for the Pacers. It was a good first step in the playoffs for the young star.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.

Indiana Pacers (+5.5) at New York Knicks - Game One

5 Things We Learned About the Indiana Pacers in Round 1

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