A player-by-player breakdown of the Pacers roster
Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner are a few of the many names to know.
Celtics-Knicks always felt like destiny, but the Pacers made their own destiny to advance to the Eastern Conference finals in a surprising twist.
The Pacers may be the No. 6 seed, and they may have relatively little playoff experience, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly. They’re averaging by far the most points in the playoffs at 114.2 – while shooting shooting a ridiculous 50.7 percent over 13 games – and just dropped 130 at Madison Square Garden in Game 7.
Indiana has given Boston fits in recent years, winning two of five matchups this season and four of the last 10 overall.
Here’s a look at each player in the Pacers’ rotation heading into Game 1 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at TD Garden.
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton is the head of the snake for a plucky Pacers team that prides itself on pushing the ball and generating easy looks offensively.
The Celtics want these games to be in the 100s or 110s, rather than the 120s or 130s, but the Pacers can quickly become a well-oiled machine when Haliburton is cooking.
He’s averaging 18.8 points, 8.1 assists, and 5 rebounds in the playoffs, and his play has often served as a barometer for Indiana’s success as a whole. In wins against the Knicks, he averaged 24 points per game; in losses, he averaged 17.7.
Don’t let his set shot fool you; when he has a sliver of space, he’ll knock it down. He’s always a threat as a passer, but when he’s a consistent threat as a scorer, the Pacers go from good to great.
Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam is the player on the roster with the most playoff experience. He was the No. 2 option on the Raptors team that won it all in 2019.
Siakam is up to 21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the playoffs after dropping 25 in Game 6 and 20 in Game 7. He plays at his own pace, is lethal in the mid-range, and is a reliable defender.
It’s very possible he’ll match up with Jayson Tatum. At 6’8, 245 pounds, he’s capable of containing him, but Tatum has a quickness, length, and shooting advantage.
Myles Turner
Myles Turner is an ideal modern NBA five-man and someone who could present problems for the Celtics.
Offensively, he does much of his damage from beyond the 3-point line or in the pick and roll. He dropped 40 against Boston in a game last year.
Defensively, he’s an elite shot blocker, at 1.8 per game in the playoffs. Turner makes many simple yet significant plays throughout a game that amount to winning.
Kristaps Porzingis would help against Turner on both ends – to alter his shots at the rim and to bring him out of the paint on the other end.
T.J. McConnell
He comes off the bench, but T.J. McConnell is arguably the Pacers’ fourth-most important player.
McConnell, a spry, in-your-face guard with a knack for rattling the opponent, is averaging 10.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 0.9 steals in the postseason. It’s very possible he’ll be enemy No. 1 in Boston in a few days.
What he lacks in 3-point shooting, he makes up for in the paint as a penetrator and prober. McConnell has a relentless motor and never slows down.
Payton Pritchard will have his hands full, but if you like jittery, confident, and pesky guards with a chip on their shoulder, this is the matchup for you.
Aaron Nesmith
Ah, yes. Old friend Aaron Nesmith.
Yes, the same Nesmith the Celtics drafted. Yes, the Nesmith who everyone was convinced was a bust. Well, it turns out all he needed was an opportunity and a green light. He’ll say all the right things, but it’s no secret this one means a little extra.
Nesmith has blossomed into a steady contributor with the Pacers. He’s averaging 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the playoffs, including a 19-point masterpiece (on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting performance) in Game 7 on Sunday.
He showed flashes in Boston, but now he’s put it all together and is a reliable role player who fights like crazy for loose balls, knocks down open shots, and makes timely hustle plays.
At the same time, Jaylen Brown and Tatum know his game quite well, and there’s no doubt they’ll look to exploit him whenever they can. His level of confidence and execution is a key to the entire series.
Andrew Nembhard
Don’t sleep on Andrew Nembhard. He may not be the most flashy player on this list, but he’s the glue for the Pacers.
He’s shooting 48.7 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs and is also a strong defender. At 6’4, he’s a natural matchup for Derrick White, but it’s a matchup White is more than capable of winning.
Nembhard’s the kind of player who can blend in for three quarters, then hit clutch shots in the final minutes when the opposition is keying in on Haliburton and Siakam.
Obi Toppin
When Obi Toppin is busting out highlight-reel dunks, that’s rarely a good sign for the opposition – although sometimes he does so even in tight games.
The former NBA Slam Dunk champion is a high-flyer who excels in transition (there’s a theme here; they don’t call them the Pacers for nothing) and does most of his damage above the rim.
One interesting wrinkle is that if Toppin is going to earn playing time, he’ll likely have to guard Brown or Tatum. He’s not known for his defense, but he is somewhat long and disruptive when he wants to be.
A few other names to know
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle goes deeper into his bench than most coaches do in the playoffs.
Rookie Ben Sheppard, a 6’6 guard out of Belmont, has come on strong for the Pacers and earned a spot in the rotation. He would be a natural fit to chase Sam Hauser around.
Isaiah Jackson is a dependable rim protector, but he may have a tough time sticking to Al Horford on the perimeter.
Sharpshooter Doug McDermott and rangy Jalen Smith also log occasional minutes.
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