Pacers earn first victory of the season
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — It took six games, but the Pacers are finally in the win column. A 21-5 run and some spirited play down the stretch led Indiana to a 114-109 victory over Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. For a team decimated with injuries, it was refreshing to see one finally go their way.
“It feels good to win one,” said Head Coach Rick Carlisle after the game. “Difficult circumstances, but we showed the kind of toughness that’s been our calling card.”
Pascal Siakam has been his usual productive self all season, and he was again against the Warriors with 27 points on 12-of-23 shooting. This time, however, he got the help he has been needing. Aaron Nesmith had a career-high with 31 points. Quenton Jackson did his Tyrese Haliburton impersonation with 25 points, 10 assists, and zero turnovers, (becoming the third player in franchise history to put up that stat line). And Isaiah Jackson was also a major contributor. Rick Carlisle had high praise for all of the above:
“Shooters shoot. And they keep shooting,” Carlisle said about Nesmith. “All the great ones have short memories. And he’s a great shooter. Something that happened before, don’t matter. He was phenomenal tonight.”
Carlisle continued: “I can’t say enough about Quenton Jackson. He’s an attacker. He has to be in attack mode. He’s a hybrid guard that can play one or two but it’s important that he is who he is in his soul: an attacker.”
This could be a season of looking for player-wins instead of team-wins, and Quenton Jackson could be someone who plays himself into a bigger role with this group moving forward. He certainly looked the part on Saturday, putting up that stat line while also defending the greatest shooter of all time in the process.
“He gave us energy, and he got us going,” Pascal Siakam said of his teammate. “If you play hard and giving it everything you have.. Not having the minutes before and then getting that opportunity.. no fear and just competing, I feel like you can never be wrong with that.”
After the 0-5 start and the incredibly long list of injuries, I was already tweeting about the number of days remaining until Opening Night 2026. Many fans have already started to dream about the scenario of adding a top draft pick to go along with Haliburton’s return for next season. That may still end up being the best path forward, but the current group is still going to battle, just as they did on Saturday night. Johnny Furphy returned to action in this game, and the Pacers hope to get Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, and possibly TJ McConnell back at some point this month. This team can absolutely make something out of this season, which is still extremely young. And even if they don’t, player development and draft position will become a very solid Plan B.
Next up? The Pacers host a rival as the Milwaukee Bucks come to town on Monday night. Myles Turner makes his return in what will surely be a great atmosphere at the Fieldhouse. Get the popcorn ready!
