Pacers head home still hunting for magic, first win
For the third time in four tries, the Pacers have come up short with a chance to win at crunch time.
It was such a familiar scenario, everyone thought the shot was going in.
After chasing the Mavs much of the fourth quarter, the Pacers had an improbable series of events go their way over the final 3.4 seconds of the game while trailing 107-104.
After the Pacers earned a stop at the defensive end, RayJ Dennis was fouled with 3.4 seconds to go before getting close to creating a final shot. Dennis cut the lead to two and then fired a quality miss off the back iron which landed in the middle of the lane where a scrum ensued that saw Pascal Siakam hit the deck and punch the ball out to Aaron Nesmith, open behind the arc with a shot for the win.
AA splashing that 3-ball for the win seemed like a given. After a rough shooting night (real rough), the redemptive game winner is just the type of magical moment these Pacers are used to delivering.
But then it bounced…
A slap in the face to all Pacers fans who were accustomed to all of the big time winning moments they enjoyed last season, that this is new season with much different vibes and all of that magic couldn’t last forever.
Looking at the bench further hammered that point home with so many familiar faces in street clothes.
The effort continues to remain the same as last season regardless of who is on the court, but the execution continues to come up short. Gutty efforts from the backcourt reserves Dennis, Quenton Jackson and Mac McClung kept the Pacers in touch after the good guys let go of an early double-digit lead. Dennis made 4 threes to finish with 17 points and 5 assists. QJackson had 8 points and McClung added 7 points in his Pacers debut, along with two steals including a stunning play to break up an attempted lob over his head on a pick n roll.
As for the starting backcourt, Ben Sheppard and Nesmith set the tone for hard play and giving every bit of effort they could muster. However, the execution part, in particular putting the ball in the basket is where they fell short. Nesmith’s last missed three put him at 1 for 9 for the game and overall 2 for 16. Shep was 1 for 7 from the field and missed all 4 of his threes.
The Pacers also missed 10 free throws, with Siakam once again missing more than his share making 7 of 12 freebies.
Jarace Walker was finally inserted in the starting lineup after a couple of odd combos in the prior two games. Walker continues to take a confident and aggressive approach on the court. His ability to drive to the hoop and draw contact is becoming a signature move which he cashed in by making 6 of 7 FTAs. There is still plenty of development for Walker to make a big impact. When he’s not getting to the rim, he often takes difficult shots or fires up a 3-ball out of rhythm. Some go in and some don’t, but there has to be a more efficient way to get good looks.
Walker scored 20 points, but need 19 shots to get there. He also added 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and a block all with only 1 turnover. Overall, a quality 35-plus minutes on the floor with plenty of room to grow going forward.
The Mavs had to absorb an early exit from Anthony Davis after he tweaked his leg after less than seven minutes. Rookie Cooper Flagg finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the Mavs’ reserves really helped fuel the win lead by Dwight Powell (18 pts, 6 rebs) and Brandon Williams (20 pts, 7 rebs).
As for the Pacers center situation, we saw much of the same with Isaiah Jackson starting but not finishing. Jay Huff making a 3-ball and blocking 4 shots while playing the most minutes (21 mp), but Tony Bradley playing the most critical fourth quarter minutes finishing with 6 points and 8 rebounds as the most reliable defender and rebounder of the trio.
Rick Carlisle has been mixing and matching lineups and roles for the bigs, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if IJax was not in the starting lineup on Friday.
Speaking of Friday, the Pacers are back home to host the Hawks who have yet to hit their stride. Atlanta did beat the Nets on Wednesday but they lost Trae Young in the process with a kneed injury that is expected to keep him out against the Pacers.
This is the first of four games, and three in four days at the Fieldhouse. With the Warriors on Saturday and Bucks on Monday, it would be nice if the Pacers could tap into a little magic and deliver the Fieldhouse faithful a W for the first time this season.
On the injury front, no Pacers left the game in Dallas, so the list remains the same. Heading into the official game time injury update, the good news is that Johnny Furphy and Taelon Peter have been upgraded to questionable.
Pacers vs. Hawks
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
When: Friday, October 31, 2025 - 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Odds: Pacers +2.5
Projected Starters
Pacers: Ben Sheppard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Jarace Walker, Isaiah Jackson
Hawks: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Zachharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, Kristaps Porzingis
Injuries
Pacers: Taelon Peter (groin) - questionable, Johnny Furphy (ankle) - questionable, Obi Toppin (hammy) - out, Bennedict Mathurin (toe) - questionable, Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) - out, TJ McConnell (hammy) - out, Kam Jones (back) - out, Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) - out
Hawks: Trae Young (knee) - out