Pacers Notes: Rematch with 76ers and In-Season Tournament Game 2
Pacers Notes: Rematch with 76ers and In-Season Tournament Game 2
The Pacers wrap up their brief stay in Philly on Tuesday night.
The Pacers face Sixers on Tuesday night in the second game of the In-Season Tournament, working toward a different result than the wild 137-126 loss the top team in the East handed the Pacers on Sunday evening.
Inside, outside, on the run, Philly was able to successfully attack the Pacers in a variety of ways in the first game. After the first quarter, Joel Embiid had an easy 19 points and looked to be in the process repeating Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 50+-point effort against the Pacers. Tyrese Maxey helped by getting into the lane and letting Embiid clean up after the defense was distracted.
But over the final three quarters, Maxey scored 42 points to be the one to finish with fiddy, making seven threes from all over the gym to be the true difference maker in handing the Pacers the L. Maxey was 7 for 11 from 3-land with some incredible step backs and deep threes, often contested. In fact, the two most open looks Maxey had from behind the arc, bounced harmlessly off the rim.
Of course, the 23 offensive rebounds by the Sixers made any miss a decent play for Philly. Considering that number and the 87 points from Maxey and Embiid, the Pacers ability to actually take a second half lead in this game was impressive.
The rematch will feel a bit different with a change in uniforms and court design for the Sixers. Also, Philly plays Boston on Wednesday and now list Embiid as questionable for a sore hip. Considering the ultimate goals for Philly now that they have some solid depth and the emerging Maxey to team with Embiid, their focus on beating the C’s as opposed to winning an IST game may meant the Pacers won’t have to deal with the force Embiid always plays with against Myles Turner.
Regardless, the Pacers first adjustment needs to be to close out defensive possessions with the actual ball. Philly had 70 points in the paints thanks in large part to those 23 ORebs.
Tyrese Nation
Tyrese Haliburton had another exceptional game in the loss on Sunday with 25 points, 17 assists and 0 turnovers. Hali leads the league in assists with 12.2 per game, two more per game than Trae Young and almost four more than Luka Doncic. Plus, Tyrese turns the ball over half as much as those two.
No. 0’s impact is starting to be felt around the league and noticed by media outside of Indiana. The Ringer’s Rob Mahoney delivered a massive profile on all there is to love about Hali on Monday. The story is linked here. Grab some snacks and a beverage and enjoy a good long read.
Game Details
Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, PA
When: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, 7 p.m. ET
TV: Bally Sports
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Projected Starters
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner
76ers: Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, Robert Covington, Joel Embiid
Injuries
Pacers: None
76ers: Joel Embiid (sore hip) - questionable, Nicolas Batum (personal reasons) - out, Kelly Oubre Jr. (fractured ribs) - out
I say this because I see it as a major issue with this franchise going forward: The coaching staff using the tired “earn your minutes” mantra is going to stunt the growth of the young talent. This isn’t an high school team. The future of the Pacers becoming a true contender rests with players like Mathurin, Walker, and Sheppard. Yet, here we are with Buddy and TJ playing minutes just so the Pacers can win a regular season game in November. Prioritizing winning over development is a huge reason why this franchise has not won anything in its entire existence in the NBA. I’m sure fans who like early playoff exits are cheering wins in November, but I am frustrated. It’s not helping the future, and that should be the priority.
Wells Fargo Arena is in Philadelphia. Forgot starting time.