Pacers’ Defense Struggles in Blowout Loss to Mavericks

The Indiana Pacers escaped with a win in their first game of the season, but were blown out on Friday night, losing 121-105 against the Dallas Mavericks.

The game got out of control in the first quarter, with Dallas holding a 44-27 lead. It only got worse by halftime, as the Mavericks went into the locker room with a 77-43 lead. Indiana could not contain the offensive pieces on Dallas's roster, as Kyrie Irving had 24 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and 5-for-10 from three.

PJ Washington also had a strong game with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks, shooting 6-for-11 from the floor and 2-for-4 from deep. Cooper Flagg was also very effective in 17 minutes, as he had 14 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals, shooting 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from distance before leaving with a left shoulder injury.

The Mavs were efficient, shooting 51 percent from the floor and 41 percent from downtown. Indiana's defense didn't have any answers, and their offense didn't do them any favors.

The Pacers turned the ball over 19 times, leading to easy opportunities for Dallas. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton finished with 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and two blocks, shooting 8-for-17 from the field and 0-for-4 from distance. 

It wasn't a poor offensive performance from Haliburton, but the team could use more as a collective in their upcoming games. 

Pascal Siakam had a quality performance, as he had 23 points, three rebounds, and three assists, but turned the ball over five times. The veteran forward shot 8-for-13 from the floor and 3-for-5 from behind the arc.

Ivica Zubac was solid with nine points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Nembhard had 16 points, and Obi Toppin had 13 points. 

Forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who was a key addition in free agency, struggled mightily, finishing with three points, shooting 1-for-10 from the field and 1-for-6 from three.

Through the first two games of the season, Oubre is averaging 3.5 points, two rebounds, 2.5 assists, and a steal per game, shooting an inefficient 20 percent from the field and 11.1 percent from three-point range. The Pacers will need more out of Oubre on offense, as on paper, he should be a great fit due to his athleticism and scoring ability.

Indiana will look to get back on track in a matchup on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets.