One of the best projected Eastern Conference teams in contention to make the NBA Finals happens to be one that was one of the worst last season. But the key to the Indiana Pacers going from the bottom of the standings back to contention is their franchise cornerstone: Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton notably took his game to the next level during the 2025 playoffs. He drilled iconic, buzzer-beating shots. He kept the electric Indiana offense going. He transformed his game from that of an All-NBA player to performing like one of the best in the league.
Then came Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Haliburton looked like he was en route to an all-time night. He scored nine early points and looked unstoppable. But in the first quarter, Haliburton injured his Achilles.
His injury not only derailed Indiana’s shot at hoisting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. It completely torpedoed the Pacers the following year. Indiana went 19-63 in 2025-26.
Haliburton remains central to getting the team back on track where it was two postseasons ago.
The Pacers Are a Contender With Haliburton and a Lottery Team Without Him
Before his Achilles injury, Tyrese Haliburton found himself playing the best ball of his young career.
He’s averaged 19.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game in his three full seasons with Indiana. During that stretch (2023-2025), Haliburton either made the All-Star Team or All-NBA Third Team.
Haliburton’s impact went beyond counting stats. In 2023-24 and 2024-25, Haliburton’s Pacers finished top-10 in points per game and offensive rating, per Basketball-Reference. Indiana ranked 27th in points per game and 29th in offensive rating last year.
And as a team, Indiana had its most success in over a decade with Haliburton in the lineup. The Pacers won 47 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals in ’24. The next year, Indiana improved to 50 wins and made the Finals for the first time since 2000.
Admittedly, the road could be a lot tougher this time around for Haliburton and the Pacers. The retooled Eastern Conference features new contenders, a few more superstars, and plenty of teams who believe they have a shot to win.
As for Indiana, Pascal Siakam is the next-best player behind Haliburton. He is an All-Star player heading into his age-32 season. Andrew Nembhard remains a great secondary creator and ideal guard next to Haliburton, but for a true contender, he cannot be asked to do more than that. The rest of the core that’s still here from the 2024-25 team includes complementary pieces and role players.
To compete against the likes of Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Miami Heat, or the new superteam in the Philadelphia 76ers, Haliburton being healthy for the playoffs is the only way to compete.
If he can get back to borderline top-10 player status, Indiana’s chances to get back to the Finals suddenly become a lot more realistic.
Zubac and Oubre Give Haliburton New Pieces to Work With
While most of the Finals core is back for the Indiana Pacers, there are a few new players joining Tyrese Haliburton on the court.
The first of those joined the team in the middle of the 2025-26 season. Indiana traded for Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, effectively to replace Myles Turner. The Pacers are hoping the major acquisition will be beneficial.
In Indiana, Zubac will serve as a go-to roll man for Haliburton on offense, while protecting the superstar guard defensively.
In free agency, Indiana mostly stayed quiet but did add an under-the-radar name to its lineup in Kelly Oubre Jr. He can fill the Aaron Nesmith spot off the bench and potentially close for Indy. Oubre Jr. also bolsters Indiana’s identity, which includes running in transition, playing with pace, and aggressive ball pressure.
With Zubac and Oubre Jr., the rest of the Pacers’ Finals core still there sans Turner, and a healthy Haliburton, Indiana should find itself in the title conversation.
Haliburton’s Scoring Consistency Must Improve for Indiana to Contend
Navigating recovery from the Achilles injury is already a lot for Tyrese Haliburton. Going through a shingles diagnosis only added another barrier to getting back to form. Those issues aside, one part of Haliburton’s game needs to evolve for Indiana to be in the mix.
Haliburton’s scoring between the regular season and playoffs is nearly identical. He’s at 19.7 PPG over his last three regular seasons at Indiana. In the playoffs (appearances in ’24 and ’25), he’s at 17.9 PPG.
To be clear: Haliburton’s impact goes without question. He’s the engine who drove the Pacers to these recent, successful runs. Without him, Indy has no shot.
But for it to capitalize on its current championship window, Haliburton has to become a more consistent scorer.
Look no further than the 2025 playoffs. In 22 postseason games — excluding Game 7 of the NBA Finals — Haliburton was held to under 15 points nine times (41%), compared to seven games with more than 20 points.
Haliburton doesn’t need to play like Jalen Brunson all the time. But he will need to do it sometimes, especially with Siakam getting older, Nembhard only being able to do so much, and the rest of the supporting cast counting on him to do so.
At the end of the day, the Indiana Pacers’ title chances will begin and end with Haliburton.
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