Pacers still waiting to see what Tyrese Haliburton-Ivica Zubac lineup can do

The Pacers assembled a starting lineup worth a look. Keeping it on the floor long enough to get one has been the problem.

Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac have played just 17 possessions together, as realyed by Ashish Mathur of Roundtable. That group earned a “B” in Bleacher Report’s assessment of NBA starting lineups.

Seventeen possessions won’t tell you much about a team’s ceiling. They do explain why the Pacers are still waiting to evaluate something close to their intended product.

Haliburton is sidelined with a left hamstring strain after missing all of last season recovering from a torn Achilles. Zubac is out with a left ankle injury. The projected starting five hasn’t played together since the third game.

Before the latest setback, Haliburton averaged 21.8 points and 9.5 assists while shooting 51.6% from the field. Those were encouraging numbers for a player returning from such a significant injury.

Zubac’s availability has been a bigger frustration. He appeared in only five games for the Pacers last season following the trade with the Clippers and has played three this season.

That’s a limited return so far on a deal that cost Indiana substantial draft capital, including the pick that became No. 5 in June.

It’s fair to question the cost. It’s also difficult to judge the basketball fit when the players barely get to share the court.

A healthy Haliburton gives the Pacers their offensive organizer. A healthy Zubac gives them an interior presence alongside Siakam. There’s a reasonable idea behind that combination.

The Pacers need enough healthy games to find out whether it works. Until then, the biggest concern with their starting lineup is how rarely they get to use it.

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