Isaiah Jackson’s season has been a winding road - one that started with promise and has since taken a sharp detour. He opened the year as the Pacers’ starting center, but over time, his role has diminished to the point where he’s been mostly watching from the bench.
Monday night against the Houston Rockets, though, Jackson got a chance to remind everyone - teammates, coaches, and maybe even himself - of the kind of impact he can have when the opportunity is there. And to his credit, he made it count.
In 25 minutes of action, Jackson filled up the box score: six points on 2-of-5 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. That’s the kind of all-around energy that doesn’t always show up in highlight reels but absolutely shows up on the court. Yes, he picked up five fouls - foul trouble continues to be a theme in his game - but there’s no denying the spark he brought when Indiana needed it.
Part of the reason Jackson saw extended minutes was due to Jay Huff’s struggles. Huff also picked up five fouls and got manhandled on the glass, which limited him to just 12 minutes. That opened the door for Jackson, and he didn’t hesitate to walk through it.
After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged just how important Jackson’s presence was. “Tonight, it was pretty clear we needed him right away,” Carlisle said. “Isaiah did well right when he came in the game... this is one of his more productive games in terms of how he helped the team.”
That’s not just coach-speak - that’s a head coach recognizing a player who answered the call in a tough spot.
Now, does this one game change the entire trajectory of Jackson’s season? Probably not.
The reality is that this year has been a tough one for the 22-year-old big man. He hasn’t taken the leap the Pacers were hoping for when they gave him the starting nod on opening night.
Developmentally, the strides just haven’t been there yet. But Monday night served as a reminder of what Jackson brings to the table when he’s locked in - and why the Pacers were willing to bet on him in the first place.
He’s got elite-level athleticism. He’s a shot-blocker with serious bounce and instincts.
He plays with a high motor, and when he’s engaged, he’s a disruptive force in the paint on both ends. And let’s not forget - he’s doing all this while still working his way back from an Achilles tear.
That kind of injury can derail careers, but Jackson has shown resilience in returning to the floor and contributing.
Still, there are real questions about his long-term fit in Indiana. The foul trouble is more than a blip - he currently leads the NBA with 8.2 fouls per 100 possessions.
That’s a stat that can’t be ignored, especially for a center who’s supposed to anchor your defense. He also doesn’t stretch the floor, which limits his versatility in today’s spacing-driven NBA.
And when matched up against elite centers, he hasn’t shown he can consistently hold his own.
Factor in his contract - the first year of a three-year, $21 million deal - and things get even murkier. If Jackson is going to be the third-string center behind Huff and another potential upgrade, it becomes harder to justify that kind of investment.
But Monday night was a glimpse of the upside. It was a reminder that, despite the setbacks, Jackson is still capable of making a real impact when given the chance.
The question now is whether he can build on it. If he can string together more performances like this - even in limited minutes - he might just carve out a meaningful role in Indiana’s rotation again.
For now, it’s a step in the right direction. A single game won’t rewrite the season, but it might just be the spark Jackson needs to get back on track.