Pacers salvage split in Paris and return home better than when they left

Tyrese Haliburton took the lead and sparked a big win over the Spurs, which brought the Pacers home from Paris in great shape to attack the next phase of the schedule.

The Pacers started strong and finished strong, surviving a near lethal stretch of poor play in the third quarter to beat the Spurs 136-98 in the second game between the two teams in Paris.

The win let the Pacers exhale on the way home and soak in what turned out to be positive experience across the pond as they showed off their brand of ball to a European audience and those tuning in across the globe on Saturday.

Tyrese Haliburton saved the trip late in the third quarter after the Pacers 15-point halftime lead had evaporated with the Spurs taking a one point lead. While it appeared the Pacers let go of the proverbial robe that was so taught in the first half, Haliburton went on a heater, scoring 16 of this 18 third-quarter points in a little over two minutes of game time which made it more than OK for his teammates to join in, sparking what turned into a route for the good guys.

While Haliburton played the lead role in closing out the win, making 6 of 9 3-balls to finish the game with 28 points, the Pacers showed a strong team effort in the first half and fourth quarter.

All five starters finished the first half scoring in double figures as the Pacers slowed down the Spurs significantly, to take a 65-50 lead to the half. Pressuring all over the court and forcing Victor Wembanyama to work much harder on both ends of the floor, took San Antonio out of the rhythm they enjoyed in the first game.

This was how the Pacers like to win games, utilizing their depth to make opponents uncomfortable while constantly attacking on offense. Thomas Bryant and TJ McConnell finished with double figures to give the Pacers seven players with at least ten as they spread the wealth inside and out.

So, the Pacers survived Paris without disaster and actually gained some ground in the crowded middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Heading into their matchup with the Pistons on Wednesday, the Pacers are in fifth place, two games ahead of Miami and 2.5 games ahead of the Pistons.

Detroit has lost their last two games and is just 5-5 in their last 10 games. No doubt they will be hyped up and ready to attack the Pacers after the minor postgame scuffle in Detroit after the Pacers won the last matchup. The Pistons will be tough enough to take on, but the added dynamic of adjusting back to Indiana time over the past few days with one full practice on Tuesday will be a challenge for the home team.

The Pacers depth may come in handy once again, particularly if Andrew Nembhard is unable to answer the bell. Nembhard (back) was a late addition to the injury report on Tuesday, listed as questionable.

With Aaron Nesmith fully back in the mix, the odd man out in Paris was Jarace Walker. Regardless of Nembhard’s status, it will be interesting to see if Walker would see some minutes against the Pistons, just because of the length the Pistons have, compared to the Spurs (other than Wemby). Walker has been good for a few minutes, covering Cade Cunningham in the past matchups, so it would make sense to use Walker if the Pacers want to extend pressure.

Ready or not, the Pacers have the Pistons on Wednesday and then Hawks on Saturday at home. Both teams trying to make noise in the battle for playoff real estate in the East. After getting past the Paris trip, the Pacers have to focus on finishing through the All-Star break now which is eight games out (Feb. 12 at Washington is last game). And of course, before that, the team has to survive trade deadline rumors until Feb. 6 when the deadline passes a few hours before the Pacers play the Clippers in Los Angeles.

So, yeah, assuming Nembhard’s back isn’t a major problem, the Pacers are back home and in great shape among their peers in the East. But that full team effort on display in their blowout win over the Spurs, executing at both ends of the floor, has to remain the norm to keep the good vibes rolling and maintain the chance to make this season special.

Pacers vs. Pistons

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

When: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers -5

Projected Starters

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, AndrewNembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren

Injuries

Pacers: Andrew Nembhard (back) - questionable, James Wiseman (Achilles) - out, Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out

Pistons: Jaden Ivey (leg) - out