Breaking down the Pacers lineup ahead of the Mavs-Monday matchup

The Indiana Pacers, coming off a solid season that saw them lose in four games to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, come to Dallas to try to extend their winning streak against the Mavericks after They beat them both times last season. In those two contests, the Pacers scored 137 and 133 points, respectively, giving the Mavericks a lot of trouble at the rim as they hit 18 of 39 three-pointers in one game and 14 of 31 in the other.

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The starting shooting guard is up in the air for tonight, but the typical player in that role is Andrew Nembhardwho makes a playing time decision due to a knee problem. Given the number of injuries Indiana has already suffered, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Pacers used Nembhard to ensure he doesn’t aggravate the illness again. If that’s the case, they’ll play guard/wing as a sophomore Ben Shepparda long-range shooter who hit 6 of 11 three-pointers in his last game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 1st.

The Pacers are also a bit banged up at the small forward position as they are missing their starter Aaron Nesmith. In the meantime, wing Benedict Mathurin has filled his role admirably, averaging 16.3 points per game on 53.3% shooting from the field this season. You will use a mixture of Mathurin, Sheppard and Jarace Walker tonight against Dallas at the forward position, with Mathurin getting the lion’s share of reps at that position.

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Pascal Siakam will retain the power forward spot for the Pacers, an elite talent acquired from Toronto in January 2024 that has significantly raised the ceiling of this Indiana unit. For the year, the all-around offensive forward averaged 19.8 points, 7.3 points and 5.3 assists while shooting a respectable 54.5% from the field. Walker could also play minutes in the foursome if Siakam needs rest.

At the center is Myles Turnera University of Texas product who played his entire career at Indiana. Turner is a down-to-earth player who can also run the rim. This season with the Pacers, Turner averaged 14.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, along with 1.8 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. While he is a good shot blocker, he has struggled at times to protect the paint and rebound at a high level, meaning the Mavs’ two centers should be able to handle their duties at the rim.

While the Pacers have struggled on offense lately, Dallas is on its second night in a row and Indiana is coming off two days of rest. This could mean an energy deficit for Dallas, but fortunately, last year’s results aside, they have enough talent disparity to overcome this. To win, Dallas must force Haliburton to shoot from outside instead of driving and kicking, and also limit the impact Siakam can have. If they can do these two things, they should emerge victorious.

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