As the first quarter of the 2022-23 National Basketball Association regular season is in the books, one could argue the biggest surprise is the fact the Indiana Pacers are three games above the .500 mark at 12 wins and nine losses. This improvement is only one season after the Pacers finished 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25 wins and 57 losses.
The rise from 13th to fourth in the East, was not predicted by Joel Beatton or myself, as we both had the Pacers last in the Central Division. What we are seeing from the Pacers this season is strong overall production from guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was traded in February from the Sacramento Kings, and exceptional rookie play by first round pick Bennedict Mathurin of Montreal. Haliburton is averaging 19.3 points per game. Mathurin is second on the team with 19.2 points per game. What makes Mathurin’s points per game average so impressive is the fact that it has not been happening from a starting role.
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Three more Pacers are averaging double digits in points. Buddy Hield, who the Pacers acquired last year from the Haliburton trade with the Kings, and Myles Turner are both averaging 17.1 points pet game, while Jalen Smith, who the Pacers acquired from the Phoenix Suns in a trade last season, is averaging 11.4 points per game.
Someone else who deserves high praise is Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. There was hope that Carlisle would turn things around in Indiana. It just that not too many people expected it would happen so soon.
Among the notable wins for the Pacers this year were a 101-99 victory over the Miami Heat on November 4, and a 129-122 win over the drastically-improved New Orleans Pelicans on November 7. The Pacers have their next four games on the road, where they will face the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
In your opinion are the Pacers the most surprising team in the NBA for you so far this season? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
