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T.J. McConnell T.J. McConnell chips in with 18 off the bench
Mon, May 6, 2024, 4:55 PM
T.J. McConnell shot 9-of-16 from the field in Monday's 121-117 loss to the Knicks, scoring 18 points with one rebound, three assists, and three steals in 22 minutes.
Analysis: With Tyrese Haliburton struggling in Monday's series opener, McConnell stepped up to lead a bench unit that combined to score 46 points. The veteran point guard scored 20 points in Indiana's Game 6 win over Milwaukee, so his ability to punish the Knicks is unsurprising. Also reaching double figures off the bench was former Knick Obi Toppin, who tallied 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one block, and two 3-pointers in 19 minutes. Add Isaiah Jackson (8/5/1/0/3) and Ben Sheppard (8/2/2 with two 3-pointers), and the Pacers' reserves played well enough to win Game 1. Unfortunately for them, the combination of New York's Villanova trio and a few controversial calls was too much to overcome. |
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Pascal Siakam Pascal Siakam posts 19/6/5/1 line in Game 1 loss
Mon, May 6, 2024, 4:48 PM
Pascal Siakam amassed 19 points (8-of-16 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 36 minutes in Monday's loss to the Knicks.
Analysis: Siakam has scored 19 points in his last two postseason games, appearing to turn the corner after going quiet in Games 3 through 5 of Indiana's first-round series with Milwaukee. While all teams deal with injuries to a certain extent this time of year, it's clear that Tyrese Haliburton's back is still causing him trouble. As a result, the Pacers will need more production from Siakam and Myles Turner, and they combined to score 42 points in Game 1. Indiana will look to even the series at one game apiece on Wednesday. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton scores six points in Game 1 loss
Mon, May 6, 2024, 4:42 PM
Tyrese Haliburton shot 2-of-6 from the field in Monday's 121-117 loss to the Knicks, recording a stat line of six points, two rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and two 3-pointers in 36 minutes.
Analysis: The Pacers hope this series will work out similarly to their first-round triumph over Milwaukee regarding Haliburton's offensive production. He reached double figures in the final five games of that series after scoring nine points in the first-round opener, and the All-Star point guard was limited to six on Monday night. Haliburton did rack up eight assists and four steals, so all wasn't lost for DFS players. However, he'll need to do more as a scorer in this series, even with Indiana's overall firepower. Haliburton will look to rebound in Game 2 on Wednesday. |
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Myles Turner Myles Turner leads Pacers with 23 points in Game 1
Mon, May 6, 2024, 4:19 PM
Myles Turner shot 8-of-16 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Monday's 121-117 loss to the Knicks, tallying 23 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes.
Analysis: One of the critical subplots of the Pacers/Knicks series is how New York will defend Turner when he's the screener in Indiana's two-man game. Conventional âdropâ coverage is unlikely to succeed consistently because of the Pacers' big man's perimeter shooting ability. Turner got his points in Game 1 in multiple ways, going 6-of-10 from two and 2-of-6 from three. Given his performance on Monday, considering the over for Turner's point total in Wednesday's Game 2 wouldn't be a bad idea. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) available for Game 1
Mon, May 6, 2024, 12:41 PM
Indiana Pacers on X
Tyrese Haliburton (lower back spasms) will play in Game 1 against the Knicks on Monday.
Analysis: Unsurprisingly, Haliburton will suit up for the first game of this series. He is still managing this back issue, but he didn't miss any time during round one. He should continue to start and play a ton of minutes. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) questionable for Game 1
Sun, May 5, 2024, 11:53 AM
NBA Injury Report
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) is questionable for Monday's game against the Knicks.
Analysis: Haliburton dealt with low back spasms during the Pacers' first-round series against Milwaukee but did not miss any games. T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard would pick up additional minutes if the All-Star point guard cannot play on Monday, but DFS players should expect Haliburton to be available. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton drops 17 points, 10 assists
Thu, May 2, 2024, 3:58 PM
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) finished Thursday's Game 6 win over the Bucks with 17 points (7-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), six rebounds, 10 assists, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes.
Analysis: Haliburton only surpassed the 20-point mark once in six games, but the Pacers received enough production throughout the roster to eliminate the shorthanded Bucks in six games. The All-Star point guard hit double figures in assists for the third time in the series, with the Pacers winning all three of those games. Regardless of when the New York/Philadelphia series ends, Indiana won't play again until Monday night, giving Haliburton and his teammates extra time off. |
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T.J. McConnell T.J. McConnell records 20/2/9/4 line in Game 6 win
Thu, May 2, 2024, 3:49 PM
T.J. McConnell made the most of his 23 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee, accumulating 20 points (7-of-9 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), two rebounds, nine assists, four steals, and two 3-pointers.
Analysis: Indiana is headed to the second round for the first time in ten years, and their bench is a significant reason why. McConnell and Obi Toppin combined to score 41 points in Game 6, with the former also racking up nine assists and four steals. While Tyrese Haliburton is the headliner, and rightfully so, the Pacers have three solid point guards in the rotation. In addition to McConnell, starter Andrew Nembhard (14/5/4/2/1 with one 3-pointer) had an efficient Game 6. Next up for the Pacers is either New York or Philadelphia, with Game 1 of the second round scheduled for Monday. Indiana would have home-court advantage if Philadelphia advances. |
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Obi Toppin Obi Toppin scores 21 in series-clinching win
Thu, May 2, 2024, 3:44 PM
Obi Toppin was outstanding in Thursday's 120-98 win over the Bucks, finishing with 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, two assists, one block, and three 3-pointers in 24 minutes.
Analysis: The Pacers are off to the second round after eliminating Milwaukee in six games, and Toppin was a massive factor in Game 6. A double-digit scorer in the series' final four games, the fourth-year forward scored a team-high 21 points in Game 6. Toppin's production was critical, as Indiana's starting frontcourt struggled with fouls. Pascal Siakam (19/7/4/1 with one 3-pointer) and Myles Turner (5/5/1/0/1) were whistled for four fouls, while Aaron Nesmith (15/3/1 with three 3-pointers) picked up five. Indiana's depth was a significant factor in the first round, and that could also be the case in the second, whether they get New York or Philadelphia. Game 1 is on Monday night. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) available for Game 6
Thu, May 2, 2024, 11:39 AM
Indiana Pacers on X
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) will play in Game 6 against Indiana on Thursday.
Analysis: Despite being listed as questionable, Haliburton will be available to play in this game. They have a chance to close out the series on their homecourt, so it would have been surprising if he was forced to sit out. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) questionable Thursday
Wed, May 1, 2024, 11:42 AM
NBA injury report
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) is listed as questionable for Thursday's Pacers-Bucks matchup.
Analysis: Haliburton struggled in Game 5 after popping up on the injury report with the same back issue but still led his team with 16 points. Whether the ailment will affect him in Game 6 remains to be seen. |
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Ben Sheppard Ben Sheppard logs 24 minutes off bench in Game 5
Tue, Apr 30, 2024, 6:28 PM
Ben Sheppard logged 24 minutes off the bench and finished with seven points (2-of-4 FGs, all 3PTs), three rebounds and one steal against the Bucks on Tuesday.
Analysis: Sheppard has played a pretty consistent role off the bench since January, and it has grown since March. Often times, teams will tighten their rotations for the playoffs, but Sheppard has still played a decent-sized role. He hasn't done much other than hit a couple of 3-pointers, but Rick Carlisle clearly trusts him, which bodes well for his value long-term. The rookie likely wouldn't be seeing as many minutes if Bennedict Mathurin was healthy, but it has been a great opportunity for him to prove that he belongs. |
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Obi Toppin Obi Toppin chips in 12/6/4 line off bench
Tue, Apr 30, 2024, 6:24 PM
Obi Toppin provided a boost off the bench with 12 points (3-of-7 FGs), six rebounds, four assists and two triples against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Analysis: Toppin was once again a solid scoring option off the bench as he scored in double figures for the third straight game. However, his most notable moment from this game was getting into a scuffle with Patrick Beverley that resulted in a technical foul for Toppin. The Bucks had started the second quarter on a 12-2 run, and they were in complete control after the technical. Toppin will look to provide some buckets off the bench once again in Game 6 on Thursday. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton leads Pacers with 16/4/6 in loss
Tue, Apr 30, 2024, 6:19 PM
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers on Tuesday with 16 points (6-of-14 FGs), four rebounds, six assists and four triples in a 115-92 loss to the Bucks in Game 5.
Analysis: Haliburton led the team in scoring, but that doesn't mean that this was a good game for him. It was an ugly loss for a Pacers team that had complete control of this series and was looking to close it out. Haliburton was one of five players to score in double figures for Indiana, but they set a new season-low for points in the loss. They scored less than 100 points only once this season, but they have scored 94 and 92 points in their two losses this series. The offense will have to be much better in Game 6 in order to avoid having to go back to Milwaukee for Game 7. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) cleared to play in Game 5
Tue, Apr 30, 2024, 2:33 PM
NBA Injury Report
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) will play in Game 5 on Tuesday against the Bucks.
Analysis: Haliburton was also questionable ahead of Game 4 with this back issue, but it hasn't kept him off the court. With both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard out again, Haliburton will look to lead his team to the next round with a win in this one. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) questionable Tuesday
Mon, Apr 29, 2024, 12:38 PM
NBA injury report
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's Pacers-Bucks game.
Analysis: Haliburton is on the injury report after scoring 24 points on his best shooting night of the playoffs so far. However, now his status for Game 5 is up in the air. TJ McConnell will likely see an increase in minutes should Haliburton be ruled out. |
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Pascal Siakam Pascal Siakam scores 13 on 14 FG, but Pacers win
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 4:35 PM
Pascal Siakam finished Sunday's win over Milwaukee with 13 points (6-of-14 FG, 0-of-4 3-Pointers), nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block across 40 minutes.
Analysis: Siakam was monstrous on offense in Games 1 and 2, combining for 73 points on 31-of-48 shooting. In Games 3 and 4, however, his scoring regressed, and he totaled just 30 points on 13-of-31 shooting. Siakam's poor showing on offense was buoyed by the duo of Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton, who combined for 53 points and 12 triples on 18-of-33 shooting. Despite his woes as a shooter, Spicy P was still able to make an impact thanks to his rebounding, playmaking and defense. He'll look to get back on track with his efficiency in a close-out Game 5 on the road Tuesday. |
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Myles Turner Reggie Miller reincarnate: Turner nails 7 triples
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 4:07 PM
Myles Turner racked up a game-high 29 points in Sunday's win over Milwaukee, adding nine rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots and seven three-pointers across 38 minutes.
Analysis: Turner etched his name in the history books, as he tied Bojan Bogdanovic, Chuck Person, Paul George and Reggie Miller for the most threes made in a Pacers playoff game. Tyrese Haliburton had a strong game of his own, going for 24 points and five triples on 8-of-16 shooting, but it was Turner who stole the spotlight with this masterful performance. The depleted Bucks kept this one close, but Indiana won its second straight at home to take a commanding 3-1 series leading heading back to Fiserv Forum. Indiana can close out the first-round series with a win on Tuesday and advance to the Conference semifinals for the first time since the 2013-14 season. If Turner plays like this again, it will be tough to stop Indiana. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) available for Game 4 Sun.
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 12:36 PM
Indiana Pacers on Twitter
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) is available for Sunday's game against the Bucks.
Analysis: The Pacers endured a scare on Sunday afternoon, as Haliburton was a late addition to the injury report. He has since been cleared so that Indiana will roll out its usual starting lineup. Haliburton is joined by Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. |
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Tyrese Haliburton Tyrese Haliburton (back) questionable for Game 4
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 12:08 PM
Jeremiah Johnson on Twitter
Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bucks.
Analysis: Haliburton is a late addition to the injury report, which is a concerning turn of events for the Pacers. With Andrew Nembhard already in the starting lineup, Ben Sheppard and T.J. McConnell would pick up additional minutes if Haliburton cannot play. The Pacers' star point guard has not missed a game since January 28, before Buddy Hield was traded to the 76ers. |
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