Jalen Williams isn’t buying the idea that the Pacers are easy to brush aside.
With Tyrese Haliburton’s return expected in less than two months, the conversation around Indiana keeps circling back to the same thing: people around the league know how dangerous this group can be when it’s whole. Williams, who just went through a Finals battle with the Pacers, made that point last week on the “Out the Mud” podcast and didn’t hold back on Haliburton’s importance.
“I think what people don't understand is how he (Haliburton) impacts that team in general,” said Williams. “You can kind of just tell he's like the center of it. If he has good energy, regardless if he's playing well or not, they feed off that.”
That was only the start of it. Williams pointed to the depth around Haliburton - and the way Indiana’s pieces fit together - as the reason the Pacers can keep humming even when their star isn’t pouring in numbers.
“They have guys that can really go. Obviously, they've got Siakam.
They've got Nembhard. TJ was killing us the whole series.
Toppin had a great series. They have guys that fit around him, so even if he was off, the way he passes and sees the game and keeps everyone in the game, that's what makes them go.
That's why they were there in the Finals. To be able to impose that fast paced game throughout the whole playoffs is insane.”
Haliburton missed major time last season, but Williams’ takeaway was clear: he’s the engine. Indiana’s identity runs through him, and getting him back changes the whole picture, not just his own stat line.
Williams also broke down what makes the Pacers such a headache to guard: the pace, the spacing and the punishment they can hand out if a defense gets out of sync.
“If you're a good player, you have space,” he said. “Any time you can get downhill and get to that, that is what his focal point is.
They don't set a lot of ball screens. We can't mess that up.
We can't give him an advantage going to his right because that's when you leave Nesmith open for three. Now you're overreacting to Haliburton and you're giving up 3's, and now Siakam's getting easy points.
That was our thing, coverage communication. Don't pull from the corner and give up easy corner 3's, because they shoot them really well.”
For all the outside noise, Williams sounds like someone who knows exactly what Indiana can do at full strength - and isn’t interested in overlooking them.
The Thunder and Pacers will meet in the preseason on October 13th. It’s unclear whether Haliburton will be back for that game in Oklahoma City, or if his return on that court will come on February 5th. Williams and the Thunder will make their lone trip to Indianapolis on November 23rd.
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