Andrew Nembhard commented: 😂😂😂 rickyy

"I wanna die"

4 games, 2-2, injuries, best player getting back into game shape. It has not been perfect at all, and there are lots of questions, but this team and front office have earned a little grace and patience from us.

The bench needs some work, but half the league can not be traded right now. Oubre plus Jarace's salary could net us a decent bench piece.

Love this team and I feel confident they will grow.

Random Thoughts from behind the Pacers bench:

1. That was one of the strangest atmospheres I've ever seen for a game. I bet at the end of the day there were probably 4,000 people there in a 17,000 seat stadium. There were entire portions of the 200 level with less than 20 people in it. I've never been to a major sporting event that was that empty.

2. Ware is a better player than Turner right now, but they're going to play Turner because of that contract. That said, a dude like Ware is an absolute matchup nightmare for this Pacers team. We don't have anyone to match up against a guy like that. His speed around the rim killed the Pacers.

3. On the offensive rebounding issue, Milwaukee was just crashing the boards faster and harder.

4. Hali looked exhausted from the third quarter on. When he wasn't in the game he had ice on his hamstring and was on the bike.

5. It felt like a couple of the players were frustrated with the substitution patterns last night. At least once, I think twice, Rick called for Slawson and ended up putting someone else in.

6. We really missed Nembhard as a second ball handler once Rollins started picking up Hali full court. Q allowed the D to sag more than Nembhard would.

7. You could just tell that they were worn down in the second half last night. They were going to live or die by the three in that second half because I don't think they had the legs to take it to the hoop. A frustrating loss, but I have to give the Bucks credit. They didn't pack it in when they went down 10, and under the circumstances they really could have.

Edit

1. One more thing to add. Rick huddled with his assistant coaches for about a full minute before he pulled all the starters and put in the bench. I don't know if he was sending a message but it sure felt like it.

I member

I have two and can't go. If you can go, and especially if you are taking a kid to the game, please let me know and ill transfer the tix.🤙

1. We have a great starting big man, then we have a solid 3rd string big man (Huff), and finally we have a guy who should be playing in the Big 3 (Nance).

2. Jarace Walker has not shown anywhere near enough for me to stick around. The good news he has a nice $8mil contract that is very tradeable and very expiring.

3. I'm slightly concerned about TJ, I know we are looking for that next guard via the draft. First with Kam Jones and now Braden Smith, but I feel like we need to have a look at players already in the league.

4. James Johnson will fix everything when he signs his standard non-guaranteed deal in early November.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/De8ReCFOVFn/

Siakam 25 PPG 6 RPG 3 APG 55% FG , 50.0% from 3 FG , Haliburton 20 PPG 10 APG 4 RPG 53% FG , 35% from 3 in the Pacers first 3 Games of action in Week 1 .

I died when I saw this live

Stating with wanting to plan for the future, ended up drafting as a fan 😅

watching the Milwaukee Brewers cake-walking their way to a World Series title has been quite fun, even though I'm a Cubs fan... the way they play reminds of the Pacers. You don't need the biggest payroll to win a chip.

These threads are simply TOO GOOD to have for this season only. We need to keep them around like we did with the Hickory for a few years (or longer). PLEASE DO NOT RETIRE THEM AFTER THIS YEAR PACERS, I BEG OF YOU!!!

Once TJ is back and drew + nesmith + Zu are fully healthy so Kelly and Jay come of the bench I’ll feel a lot better, but we’re carrying so much dead weight right now and even once we’re fully healthy I feel like our team isn’t quite as deep as I’d like it to be. Q and Slawson have been great, so much hustle and fight in those two, but they’re not consistent at all on offense, Q shooting 39% from the field and Slawson only 2ppg. Just not good enough offensively for 2nd stringers on a championship contender. Their contributions are mostly on the defensive side of the ball and that would be fine except the bench goes downhill from here offensively and the offense is where we’re struggling right now. As a team we’ve only shot over 30% from three once this season. I want to give Jarace more time but we really don’t have much of it. His defense hasn’t been good, hes shooting below 30% from the field this season and his playmaking and passing aren’t nearly as good as in preseason. He does absolutely nothing for us. Larry Nance Jr has been straight buns this season. Starters have been good but the bench outside of Obi has been so lackluster and the shooting has been abysmal so far which is a huge problem for a team that got to the finals on elite 3 point shooting and depth and is trying to run it back with the same game plan. Our guys can’t hit wide open shots. Hali would be averaging 17 assists rn if they could. Maybe it’s just a slow start and we’ll bounce back (I know we started slow in 2025) or maybe Rick is working some developmental magic, but I’m sick to my stomach right now watching everyone shoot 30% from the field outside our top 4 guys. Are y’all worried or am I overreacting

Now please don't get into an accident 🫣

He definitely had some lapses in the 2nd half. Poor shooting night but that was everyone.

His stat like was 10/8/2/2/2

I thought he played good defense. Did really well when he was assigned Herro. He needs to attack close outs with more assertiveness. But overall I though he earned his minutes tonight looked good. I don't understand the critics tonight.

I can remember seeing Paul George and Gordon Hayward get injured in real time. Their legs literally snapped in half. JDub’s injury was eerily reminiscent of those guys’ injuries. I don’t know if any of you were fans of Gordon Hayward, but I definitely was when I was younger and seeing him and Paul George get injured like that was agonizing.

I know we don’t like OKC but man that is brutal. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. As an Indiana fan, I witnessed 2 of my favorite players (at the time) getting hurt like that and I understand. I hope his return turns out less like Hayward and more like PG.

Sorry, does anyone know where I can buy the sweater that the dude is wearing? Looks dope