With the football season ending, here comes the basketball season! The Pacers pre-season has officially started. The Pacers have had four games during the pre-season and have won two games out of the four with winning scores of 121-116 against the Hornets, and 129-117 against the Cavaliers. During the game against the Hornets, Nba.com’s Jordan Morey stated, “Pacers center, Myles Turner, led the Pacers with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, Freeman finished with 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting, and Tyrese Haliburton and Sheppard each had 14 points. Brandon Miller, the second overall pick in 2023, led all players with 20 points (5-for-7 3-point range), Nick Smith Jr. scored 14, and Moussa Diabate had 11.” Also during the game, Nba.com’s Jordan Morey stated, “In the middle of a broken play following the ensuing inbounds pass, Sheppard scooped up a loose ball on the left side of the arc, made the three, and was fouled. He then made the free throw to force overtime. In the extra period, the teams stayed close until Freeman scored a trio of baskets from close range, including a dunk with 49 seconds left, to put the Blue & Gold in front 120-114. The Pacers then stayed ahead as Freeman split free throw attempts and the team got enough defensive stops.” This was a great game and also a great win for the Pacers.
The game against the Cavaliers was also an awesome win for the Pacers. During the game, lots of things happened. Fearthesword.com’s Tony Pesta states, “Indiana boasted their usual offensive potency, running the floor and scoring in bunches. Benedict Mathurin scorched the Cavs for 25 points in just 19 minutes off the bench while his team finished the game shooting 16-39 from deep.” This game was tough for the Pacers because it was only preseason. Indystar.com stated, “Though their starters called it a night at halftime, the Pacers finally took full control of the game in the third, outscoring the Cavs 32-18. They were 11 of 26 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3, posting 1.20 points per possession while the Cavs shot 8 of 21 and 2 of 9 and finished with 0.72 points per trip. Benedict Mathurin scored 14 points in the third quarter alone and he has presumably checked out for good with 25 points on 8 of 12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Really strong performance from him all around. Also, Jarace Walker leaves with 12 points on 3 of 3 shooting including 2 of 2 from 3-point range, plus 4 of 4 at the line.” Halftime for both games was very nerve-wracking for both teams, because of how well all players played.
Overall, the preseason has gone pretty well for the Pacers. The preseason ended, with a two-game losing streak, to the Rockets on Wednesday, but the regular season officially has started. Hopefully, the Pacers will find their groove in the Emirates NBA Cup tournament.
