Written By Michael Masterson
November 14th, 2023
Did somebody say pace? Well, the Indiana Pacers are playing with the best offensive pace in the league this year at 121.5, compared to last season when they finished at 112.4 (19th). Sure, it’s early, but there is no denying that the Pacers have figured out exactly how they want to play this year.
Tyrese Haliburton is emerging into a bona fide, undeniable star. He is leading the charge on the offensive end and is becoming someone the team can count on night in and night out to be their leader on that side of the court. The acclamations of Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin are paying off as they are both players who shine when getting up and down the court on fastbreak opportunities.
The Pacers rank 1st in offensive rating and assists, Field Goals made, and Field Goals attempted while ranking 2nd in Field Goal percentage, 3 - 3-pointers made, and 3-point percentage—major building blocks of a high-powered, fast-paced offense.
Touching on my last article, this speaks to the parity around the league. The in-season tournament has definitely ramped up the competitive juices earlier this year. Teams don’t seem to know what they are fighting for exactly, but each team knows one thing: WE WANT TO WIN IT even if they don’t know what IT is.
The Pacers are currently 3rd in the East, having already beaten Milwaukee and Cleveland twice and putting up a mind-blowing 152 points on the Spurs. While the Pacers have things figured out on the offensive end, the other side of the ball is another story. The Boston Celtics dropped 155 points on the Pacers in a tough loss, and they are on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to defensive ratings.
Truly, that will be the story to watch over the course of the season because their success will more than likely be dependent on how their defense holds up when the team is having an off-shooting night. We all know that when playoff time comes, things tighten up on both ends of the floor, and stops on defense become more and more important down the stretch. Many people probably didn’t see this coming from the Pacers, but everybody is most definitely enjoying the show being put on for fans on a nightly basis.