Pacers end wild year on sour note
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The year 2024 was a wild ride for hoops in the state of Indiana. The Pacers were hoping to finish the year with a bang against the Milwaukee Bucks, but the visiting team had other plans. Despite the loss on New Year’s Eve, the Pacers continue to inch closer to the team we saw in the spring.
After a dismal 10-15 start to the season, the critics were out in full force, the injuries were taking their toll, and the Pacers had more questions than answers. Where did that elite offense go? What happened to the confidence of a team that just went to the Eastern Conference Finals? Was last year truly a fluke?
Over the last nine games, the team we all expected has finally started to arrive. The Pacers are 6-3 in those nine games, with victories over Boston, Phoenix, and Golden State. The only losses have come at the hands of Oklahoma City and Milwaukee in close games, as well as the other game played against the Celtics. It hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been getting a lot better.
The earlier losses from this season obviously still count, and they undoubtedly could come back to haunt the Pacers’ chances at a higher seed when it’s all said and done. And a few of these recent losses have been gut-wrenching as well. At 16-18, the Pacers won’t have much margin for error down the stretch. The good news, however, is that there are nearly 50 games to still play and Indy is starting to resemble the team we saw last year in many ways.
Tyrese Haliburton has still given the occasional clunker, but has mostly produced really strong numbers over the last 20 games. The Pacers’ defense has also greatly improved of late. And the biggest development might just be the return of Andrew Nembhard. The Pacers are now 11-8 this season when Nembhard suits up, compared to 5-10 when he’s out.
Despite all of that, losses like Tuesday sting even more when you miss a big opportunity. A 19 point lead halfway through the 3rd quarter needs to end up in the win column, but instead of a 7-2 finish to the year and a team back at .500, the Pacers settle for 6-3 and 16-18 overall.
“Games aren’t 30 minutes long,” said Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle. “The last 18 were abysmal. We all own it. We lost our aggression. We just have to learn from it and move on.”
I still believe there’s a lot to look forward to for this team in 2025. It will be difficult to replicate last year’s run especially as a lower seed, but I can also see this team clicking at the right time later in the year and becoming a team higher seeds don’t want to face.
Goodbye 2024…
I’ve written a lot of New Year’s Eve columns over the years, and it’s interesting to look back at the overall feel of those articles. You could call some of them depressing, while others were a little more hopeful. One thing is certain: 2024 was one heck of a year in Indianapolis for basketball.
The city hosted the NBA All-Star Game. Tyrese Haliburton had an All-NBA season. The Pacers went to the Eastern Conference Finals and they gave extensions to several key players. And let’s not forget the Caitlin Clark effect for the Indiana Fever.
While the football team across town has a lot to sort out, there’s a lot to be excited about as we look to 2025. Happy New Year, friends!
