Pacers’ struggles expose how much still depends on Tyrese Haliburton

The Pacers expected Tyrese Haliburton’s return this season to change their outlook. His latest absence has shown how little room they have to operate without him.

Indiana is 3-8 overall and 1-6 during Haliburton’s absence with a hamstring injury. That’s a difficult follow-up to a 19-win season, even allowing for the health problems.

Alex Golden of Pacers On SI examined the slow start, identifying three connected concerns: the dependence on Haliburton, poor rebounding and unreliable perimeter shooting.

His larger argument is worth considering. Losing a franchise point guard should make winning harder. It shouldn’t leave a team with so few answers.

The rebounding has been particularly costly. Golden notes that Indiana ranks last in offensive rebounds and second-chance scoring, producing just 10.4 points per game from those extra opportunities. Monday’s loss to the Mavericks included a 43-27 deficit on the glass.

Ivica Zubac should help as his minutes increase. But asking one center to solve an entire team’s rebounding problems is a fairly ambitious plan.

The shooting hasn’t offered much relief, either. Among players with more than four appearances, Golden identifies Andrew Nembhard and Larry Nance Jr. as the only Pacers shooting above the league’s 36% three-point average.

Aaron Nesmith was at 32.1%, Jarace Walker at 31% and Kelly Oubre Jr. at 24.2%. Those misses become harder to overcome when so few possessions produce another shot.

Haliburton can help create cleaner opportunities when he returns. The Pacers also haven’t had much opportunity to establish their Haliburton-Zubac combination.

Still, there’s work available to everyone else in the meantime. Rebound better. Convert more of the open looks they do get. Give themselves a chance without needing their point guard to fix everything.

The Pacers can reasonably expect more with Haliburton. They need to deliver more without him, too.