How the Pacers flipped the script on iso-ball (Patreon)

And continue re-writing the future of their past in games without Tyrese Haliburton 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper  

After halting the momentum of both the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, the Indiana Pacers are currently on a winning streak of snapping winning streaks. Coming on the second night of a back-to-back, the Blue & Gold turned the table on the 10-3 run that was surrendered in the loss to Phoenix on Sunday, outscoring the Suns 8-2 over the final two minutes of play while flipping the script on isolation basketball in more ways than (ahem) one.

For a closer look at what changed in the match-up, as well as what those changes could mean for the Pacers moving forward, let's look backward, reviewing the film from the win along with some possessions from as far as two seasons ago, to fully understand where the team is at and may still be going.

Timestamps: 

0:00 - 10/10 performance, no notes (except, with lots of notes)

0:58 - Remembering how the Suns targeted Buddy Hield  

3:20 - It happened again!

3:50 - But! The Pacers didn't respond in the same way

9:56 - The math on blitzing isolations

10:15 - Giving Grayson Allen the Buddy Hield treatment

12:30 - The significance of swapping the defensive assignments for Nembhard and Nesmith

14:00 - "Sizing up" the competition

14:30 - Flashbulb moments of Nesmith's progress via a go-to set over the last two seasons

17:02 - Pascal Siakam and the three-way play

19:49 - Obi Toppin playing himself into the closing lineup

21:06 - Reasons to be encouraged by confusion

23:34 - Thank you and Goodbye