No Indiana Pacers players named a finalist for NBA individual awards
On Friday, the NBA announced the three finalists for each of the individual awards handed out for regular season play in 2022-23, and no Indiana Pacers players were among the finalists.
Players were named to the top-three for six different awards on Friday — Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Clutch Player of the Year. Three head coaches were named finalists for Coach of the Year as well.
Among that group, the Pacers only had a realistic shot at having a nominee for Rookie of the Year in Bennedict Mathurin and Most Improved Player in Tyrese Haliburton. Myles Turner has been in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year in the past, and Mathurin was in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year at one point this season, but neither finished the campaign in the mix for either honor.
Haliburton was named an NBA All-Star for the first time this season. His points per game jumped by 5.4 and his assists per game increased by 2.2 from last season. He took on a much larger role and didn't see any dip in efficiency or effectiveness. His skills, especially as a leader, grew tremendously.
But in the end, he was not named a finalist for Most Improved Player. Instead, the top-three are Lauri Markkanen, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jalen Brunson. Like Haliburton, Markkanen and Gilgeous-Alexander were first-time All-Stars this season.
"Everybody knows Tyrese is a leader.... He did a good job on and off the court. Just stepping in and being that vocal voice around the locker room," Pacers guard Buddy Hield said of Haliburton recently. "He's going to keep getting better and better."
Mathurin, meanwhile, was the leader in the Rookie of the Year race for the first two months of the season. Paolo Banchero passed him up near Christmas time, and a few other first-year players ascended while Mathurin's efficiency fell off down the stretch. He was close to being one of the three best rookies this season, but the Rookie of the Year finalists are Banchero, Walker Kessler, and Jalen Williams.
The 2022 sixth overall pick averaged 19.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game across his first 20 games and finished the season with a 16.7 scoring average. His ability to get to the foul line is extremely impressive, he finished 13th in the entire NBA in free throw rate.
"Just the way they're confident... The mindset they had of working hard every single day," Pacers center Daniel Theis said of what impressed him about Mathurin and another Pacers rookie, Andrew Nembhard.
Mathurin finished the season second amongst his draft class in points per game (behind only Banchero) and 11th in rebounds. Kessler's defense and Williams' all-around game were impressive this year.
The announced finalists have no relationship to the team honors handed out by the NBA, so the Pacers could have someone on the All-NBA, All-Defense, or All-Rookie teams. The latter is far and away the most likely. Mathurin will make one of the All-Rookie teams and has an excellent shot at the first team. Nembhard has a chance at second-team All-Rookie. Pacers wing Chris Duarte made second team All-Rookie last season.
The winner of each award, and the All-league teams, will be announced throughout the month.
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