In their last fixture, the Indiana Pacers defeated the struggling Charlotte Hornets 115-99 as Pascal Siakam dropped 25 points and nine assists on the road. This victory broke a three-game losing streak for the Indiana side. However, their poor form since mid-January has continued in February. One huge reason for the downturn has been Tyrese Haliburton’s left hamstring strain.
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For the past four games, Haliburton has been on a 22-minute restriction. He has also figured into the injury report as a Game-Time Decision repeatedly. So what is his injury status ahead of the February 6 clash between the Indiana Pacers and the Houston Rockets?
In their latest injury report, the Indiana Pacers have listed five players. G-Leaguers Kendall Brown, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Isaiah Wong are all listed as ‘Questionable’ because of their two-way obligations. Power Forward Jalen Smith has also been listed as ‘Questionable’ due to low back spasms. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton has been listed as “Questionable” due to his left hamstring strain.
Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Smith (low back spasms) are questionable for Tuesday v Rockets. Turner and Mathurin are off the injury report.
The team did not practice on Monday.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) February 5, 2024
The Point Guard is expected to be on minutes restriction if he features in the game. In the Pacers’ last game against the Hornets, the 23-year-old played for 20 minutes and tallied 17 points. Despite his limited output, fans will want the two-time All-Star on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight.
Haliburton has had a tough time with injuries this season. Apart from being in minutes restriction for multiple games, he has missed 13 games. In those games, the Pacers have a 7-6 record. With Haliburton, they have 21 wins and 17 losses, making for an overall record of 28-23.
Their struggles have been concerning of late as they have lost eight of their last 13 outings. Currently, they are sixth in the Eastern Conference, but if their slide continues, they can fall further down to the play-in bracket.
Indiana Pacers need some defensive lift
With 124.2 points per game this season, the Pacers are at the top of the league in scoring. They are also number one in assists with 30.8 per game, which means that the team’s offense is elite. However, on the defensive end their problems are at full display. They have a defensive rating of 119.1 which places them in the fifth-worst spot in the league. The squad tends to engage in big-time shootouts but the strategy backfires against teams at the top of the game at both ends.
Their offensive style of firing quick shots usually makes defense much more arduous. Lately, the defense has improved a bit and the team has shown the potential to become more effective on that end. Nabbing Pascal Siakam has helped on that end considering his defensive versatility. There are murmurs that the squad is eyeing Andrew Wiggins who can help sort out their defensive struggles. At any rate, the team has exceeded expectations considering its youth and it has been possible with Haliburton as the Floor General.
