It has taken a number of clutch, late-game three-pointers this week, but the Indiana Pacers are finally winning with Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf.
Pascal Siakam had a clutch steal to go with his 29 points and Andrew Nembhard hit the go-ahead three-pointer as Indiana beat the Dallas Mavericks, 135-131. It was the Pacers’ second straight win with Haliburton sidelined with lower back soreness, after they began the season 0-4 in games without their star point guard.
Monday, the Pacers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves when Obi Toppin hit a game-winner in overtime. Indiana won that game without four of its normal starters, three of whom returned for Wednesday’s win.
The Pacers didn’t play a lot of defense Wednesday, but a few players stepped up to fill Haliburton’s usual role. Bennedict Mathurin got to the foul line for 12 free throws and scored 23 points. Nembhard delivered eight assists, as did backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who didn’t turn the ball over a single time. The starters combined to shoot 9-for-20 from three-point range as well.
Indiana badly needs Haliburton for the playoffs, but it also needs him healthy. Last year, the Pacers made the conference finals, but a series of injuries kept Haliburton out of most of the series. They’re in a three-team race with the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons for fourth place (and home-court advantage) in the East, but the more they can rest their star, the better.
This week was crucial. In their last 14 games of the regular season, the Pacers face the lottery-bound Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards twice each, along with the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets. Escaping with two last-second wins gave them a one-game cushion over their immediate rivals, just as the schedule eases up.
Depth doesn’t always matter as much in the playoffs, when rotations get shorter and teams get more rest. But the Pacers’ depth, especially when it comes to ball handling, is keeping them afloat just as the grind of the regular season really hits home. If head coach Rick Carlisle can grab home-court and rest his stars at the same time, another deep run could be within their reach.