The Pacers are used to life without Tyrese Haliburton, but they were hoping they wouldn’t have to experience it so early in the season.
Haliburton’s impressive return from an Achilles tear is on pause as he recovers from a hamstring injury. While the Indiana star could be back in a matter of weeks, the Pacers are under pressure to stay afloat in a crowded East until he returns.
Haliburton isn’t the only Pacer battling injury. Ivica Zubac and T.J. McConnell are also out for Friday’s game against the Heat, so a shorthanded squad will need other pieces to step up.
Here’s a look at who the Pacers will need to step up in Haliburton’s absence.
3 Pacers who need to step up with Tyrese Haliburton out
Andrew Nembhard
There is no doubt Andrew Nembhard is facing pressure to rise to the occasion with Haliburton out, particularly with McConnell also in and out of the lineup. Nembhard answered the call from an assist standpoint against the 76ers, finishing with 14 dimes, but he was an inefficient 5-of-16 from the field in a close loss.
Nembhard was efficient over his first three games of the season, but he’s playing a different role as a distributor with Haliburton out and will have to find a balance between those two facets of his game.
Kelly Oubre
Oubre isn’t a direct replacement for Haliburton, but the Pacers need an offensive punch from somewhere and can get it from Oubre. The veteran has averaged better than 14 points per game in each of his last eight seasons but got off to a quiet start this year, scoring in the single digits in three of his first four games and shooting just 3-of-15 over his first two contests.
After an improved game in Haliburton’s absence, Oubre will look to build on that and showcase his scoring ability in the weeks ahead.
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Quenton Jackson
Jackson opened the season in Rick Carlisle’s rotation even with Haliburton healthy, but his minutes could become even more important now. The undrafted guard shot just 1-of-6 in Haliburton’s absence on Wednesday, but he had six assists to just one turnover off the bench. Some offense would be nice, but the Pacers ideally will look to Jackson to be a distributor when he’s on the floor while other pieces hold it down from a scoring standpoint.
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