The NBA has increasingly become a game of runs. It would be easy to point to solely 3-point shooting as the main culprit, but it’s just a symptom of the burgeoning talent in the league. 

Among the teams brimming with talent are the Indiana Pacers. Their 17-18 record may not seem so ideal on the surface, but they’re currently 9-3 in their last 12 games. Sure, they’ve gone 2-3 in their last five games, including splitting a pair of games against the defending champions, but right before that was a five-game winning streak.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the Pacers and the Sacramento Kings early on, but a 16-6 run in the second quarter finally gave them the cushion they needed to earn a 122-95 victory. 

Nine players scored at least eight points for Indiana, which blew the doors open on the Kings and extended their lead to as large as 30 points. 

Against the Golden State Warriors, seven Pacers scored at least eight points so there was a lot of credit to share. The Warriors, in particular Stephen Curry, are in the midst of a slump so Indiana was wise to pounce on that. 

Instead of a run, though, it was a key 3-pointer from Myles Turner that sealed the deal for the Pacers and sent them back to .500. 

Offense has been the Pacers’ strong suit as they have been in the top 10 for field goal, 3-point, and free throw shooting percentages. Indiana’s talent and the mismatches their players can find were pivotal to their win streak because of the different personnel they would face.

The Pacers’ glaring weakness, however, is their rebounding. Indiana is 27th in the NBA at 41.3 rebounds per game and maximizing possession becomes critical. It’s possible that opposing teams either catch up or build leads because of the extra possessions they gain. Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam are not your typical 10-rebound type of big men so it has been crashing the boards by committee for Indiana.  

Numbers aside, the Pacers have benefitted from the continuity of their roster. Buddy Hield was the most significant departure from their roster and Pascal Siakam just joined the team this year. Siakam has now had a full training camp under his belt, while the likes of Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard have emerged in his place. Tyrese Haliburton continues to work his way back from his early season struggles, which were a greater cause of concern for his fantasy managers than Indiana.