This lineup could be the Pacers' closing group for 2026-27

Speed is one of the ultimate weapons on defense.

Jan 2, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle directs his players during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Every championship team needs depth, and the closing five needs to be more than good enough to succeed in the crucible. Closing a game is arguably more important than starting, considering how the 3-point shot erases so many large leads. 

For the Indiana Pacers, a team with high expectations, they have some nice options for the last five on the floor. They could roll with their expected starting lineup of Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac since their big man is a real post threat which opens up the floor more than any other play style.

Defensively, protecting the 3-point line and containing screen rolls are the hardest things to do. The Pacers can do that even with Zubac preferring to start off in drop coverage then come up to the level of the screen, but it’s risky and has to be done perfectly. 

Yet, going small would open up some options, too, and could be suitable if they are not dealing with a matchup problem like Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Particularly, using Siakam as the small-ball five and having Kelly Oubre Jr. be the fifth man could make the team faster defensively, and they are already built for speed. Notably, Oubre was in the Philadelphia 76ers’ second-most used lineup in 2025-26 and 2023-24, while being in the most-used rotation in 2024-25.

May 8, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) dunks the ball against the New York Knicks during the third quarter of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oubre is a streaky 3-point shooter, but he is a gamer and the quintessential role player who defends well when engaged, giving the team an emotional boost. The team’s other 3-point threats can make up for his inconsistency, and they shouldn't be expected to have trouble scoring, which will impact the other side since the opponent will have to play against a set coverage.

Oubre can score without plays run for him, which means he will do well playing in lots of motion and at a quicker pace. Consider how the Pacers were the best passing team before Haliburton's injury, and now that he's coming back, this is the best squad Oubre has ever played for. If coach Rick Carlisle wanted to feature him more, he would be effective as well running extra screens for Haliburton because he would always get open and have a runway to the basket.

Additionally, in Philadelphia’s first round series against the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown shot well against Oubre, but Tatum wasn’t as sharp, making 46.2 percent of attempts against him. That’s pretty good because sometimes all you can ask for is preventing a star from going nuts.

The added value in having Oubre be the fifth man is allowing Siakam to switch the screen rolls instead of having to guard two at once. This could create an edge against smaller players without the tightest handle. The back line should have time to get into position since Nesmith and Nemhard are so disruptive and their screen navigation is some of the best in the league. On top of that, Oubre in that mix as the help defender can create havoc.

The jury is still out on who will sign LeBron James, but signing Oubre was one of the nice, underrated offseason moves. Now Carlisle will have multiple options to chose for a closing rotation depending on the matchups, and it's hard to go wrong with the versatility Oubre brings.