3 Things to Watch for in Pacers First Preseason Game

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers play their first preseason game Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa -- the home of the Iowa State Cyclones.

This will be the first time the new-look starting five will have the chance to play against a different opponent other than their own teammates in practice.

Minnesota's offseason was full of changes after they traded Julius Randle to the Nets and Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets. They acquired a new point guard in LaMelo Ball and signed Jonathan Kuminga in free agency.

This group is young, athletic, strong three-point shooters, and anchored by one of the best rim protectors in the NBA in Rudy Gobert.

Indiana will have their hands full going up against one of the top teams in the Western Conference, but it will be a great test to see how their team is coming together after a week of training camp practices.

Here are three things I am looking forward to watching in the first preseason game.

1. How Zubac influences the Pacers

Sep 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (40) poses for a photo during media day. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To nobody's surprise, the first thing I am eager to see is just how impactful Big Zu can be for the Pacers. Not only on the offensive side, but on the defensive side of the ball.

All training camp long Zu has been matched up with Jay Huff, Rienk Mast and Keba Keita --all three different centers than Gobert. Seeing how Zubac bruises down low on the glass and in the paint against one of the league's best rim deterrents will be intriguing from a one-on-one perspective. Gobert is often used in pick-and-roll action, so seeing how the Pacers elect to guard that action with Zu will be telling of how the team plans to guard against teams with elite shooters.

Offensively, with Zubac's incredible screening ability, seeing how he frees up the guards of the Pacers for cleaner looks in the offense will be intriguing to watch as well. Gobert mostly plays drop coverage instead of playing up on the pick-and-roll, which should leave the middle of the floor open. Will Indiana take advantage of the midrange being open, or will Minnesota adjust to shut it down?

Overall, Indiana has a lot of weapons on the offensive side of the ball and their fast-paced offensive can really get this Timberwolves defense scrambling. The two teams have had close matchups over the last couple of years in the regular season, but both teams look much different than in years prior.

2. Haliburton back in action

Everyone will be glued to the television to see just how Haliburton looks after missing 16 months recovering from a torn Achilles.

The All-NBA point guard has declared himself 100% healthy and ready to go, but the first time he falls on the floor everyone will be holding their breath. Once fans see him get up and show that he truly is back healthy, it wil be all about evaluating how he looks.

This long recovery period allowed for Haliburton to add more muscle to his frame so he can absorb more contact when driving into the paint. It will be interesting to see just how often he uses this new element of his game.

Additionally, seeing where he is at from a defensive standpoint will help us better evaluate how far he has come in his recovery. Two years ago, Haliburton took significant steps defensively but he is still the weak link of the starting five on that end of the floor.

Lastly, just seeing where Haliburton is at in regards to getting readjusted to playing against the speed and physicality of the NBA will be noteworthy. While it will take sometime for him to get back to his former self, seeing shades of it --even if there are hiccups along the way-- will be great. This team sorely missed him last year and having him back undoubtedly makes them a better team.

3. Jarace Walker with the second unit

Last season was the perfect opportunity for Walker to take advantage of an increase in playing time as the team dealt with several injuries. By the end of the season, you could see progress was made and that he was finally starting to understand what playing with force meant.

Now, he enters the final year of his rookie-scale contract and has been asked to be a "system player" for the Pacers in a bench role. He told reporters at practice last week that "to win you got to sacrifice" and now he gets to prove it on the court.

Sitting behind him out of the 10-man rotation is Ben Sheppard, who has been a part of each of the Pacers playoff runs. Because of his consistency on both sides of the floor, the coaching staff has trusted Sheppard in that role. Walker needs to prove that he can be just at trustworthy and impact the game even more.

This preseason game will likely allow for both to see the floor for a significant amount of time. And while the two are not directly competing against each other for the same spot, they both are trying to prove why they belong in the rotation.

Seeing the improvements Walker has made defensively, combined with an assertiveness on the glass and taking better care of the basketball will be what helps him soldify is his spot in the rotation. Minnesota has a lot of size on the wing, so this will be a great test for him.

Game Notes

Mar 7, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) shoots the ball while Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) defends during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Where to Watch: NBA TV and DAZN
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Ames, Iowa
Arena: Hilton Coliseum

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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