Pacers not ready for Heat in NBA Cup opener, will try again on Sunday
The Pacers couldn't get it together against the Heat on Friday and now have a second chance to face their foes from Miami at the Fieldhouse on Sunday.
Las Vegas in December is overrated.
At least, that’s the vibe the Pacers put off in their first NBA Cup group play game on Friday, a 124-111 loss to the Heat. The Pacers could certainly rally in their less than stellar group to advance in the tournament, but if they play like they did on Friday, there will be no return trip to Vegas for a shot at the NBA Cup title.
Oof.
The starting unit was nowhere close to in sync with abundant defensive lapses that the current offense, which is also nowhere close to the elite level that pushed them to Vegas last year, could overcome.
Earlier in the day, one of my sons asked me what was troubling the Pacers coming off the frustrating loss in Orlando. I focused on the basics, taking care of the ball when they have it and going to get the ball when they don’t. You know, the fundamental 4th grade CYO ball stuff.
Welp, in the third quarter, Rick Carlisle made a classic 4th grade CYO move when his frustration following two timeouts in less than a minute had him sub out all five starters for a fresh reserve unit. That group, lead by Obi Toppin who finished with a team high 21 points, which eventually included two-way players Enrique Freeman and Quenton Jackson and rookie Johnny Furphy may not have had the firepower to come all the way back against the Heat, but they did display the requisite effort and intensity Carlisle was looking for.
One play is often a snapshot of what went wrong (or right on a good night) and the following play is what best represents the starting unit’s overall failed effort in this game. Following a MADE FREETHROW, Tyer Herro beat the Pacers down the court to the left corner, while Terry Rozier pushed the ball up the court. Tyrese Haliburton and Ben Sheppard appeared to miscommunicate (I’m being kind) as Shep picked up the ball while pointing Haliburton to the corner. Instead, Haliburton went to the middle of the court leaving Herro open to knock down a 3-ball.
Haliburton earned an earful from Carlisle as he went to the bench during the timeout. The Pacers had two empty possessions after the timeout while the Heat scored on an open floater by Rozier and then the final straw saw Kevin Love cut backdoor on Bennedict Mathurin and get an open layup down the lane as any defensive help was late to react.
Timeout. Full lineup change. Ballgame in a nutshell.
Try, Try Again
The Pacers will face the Heat on Sunday evening at the Fieldhouse which means Miami has been in Indy for three nights. Were the roles reversed, concerns of the “South Beach Flu” would be highlighted. Maybe Miami will suffer from the “South Meridian Flu” or something like that.
Several Miami players went to IU’s game against South Carolina. Not only were former Hoosiers Thomas Bryant and Kel’el Ware there, but also Jaime Jacquez, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Herro’s little brother is on South Carolina’s roster, although he did not play. So…maybe the spoils of postgame fun on Kirkwood in Bloomington could catch up with the Heat.
Regardless, it shouldn’t matter what shape the Heat are in for them to find a feisty Pacers team ready to make up for their losing effort in the past two games. In Orlando, the reserve unit offered very little, while on Friday the starters were a no show. I guess that makes them due to deliver an effort that can electrify the Fieldhouse.
The current starting lineup without Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith is playing at a -9.3 net efficiency, which is similar to the rating when both Nembhard and Nesmith were in the starting lineup, compared to the lineup with Nembhard and Mathurin which was playing at a +15.9 together. I don’t have any suggestions, but it will be interesting to see if Carlisle adjust that starting unit, moving Shep back to the reserve group to try something different. Maybe Jarace Walker? I guess that’s a suggestion which at this point couldn’t hurt to try but it comes down to the stars stepping up and leading by both example and voice.
So forget the NBA Cup and the current 5-7 effort, the Pacers have to find a way to work through these different playing rotation by taking care of the details and playing like a team that can only succeed by player better together than the sum of their parts.
Take the challenge on each possession. Somebody make a play.
Pacers vs. Heat
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
When: Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Odds: Pacers -2.5
Projected Starters
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Ben Sheppard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
Heat: Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, Bam Adebayo
Injuries
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith (ankle) - out, James Wiseman (Achilles) - out, Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out, Andrew Nembhard (knee) - out
Heat: Jimmy Butler (ankle) - out
This is not the team that did so well in Vegas last season. The dynamic of the team has changed without Buddy and 0 should have spent the last few months lifting, re-morning habbing and working on his game. Now he’s about image
I do find it interesting that the Pacers came out so flat against the Heat and did not respond well to all the timeouts Carlisle took. This says to me that they are tuning Carlisle out.