East Preview: Does Tyrese Haliburton Make Pacers CONTENDERS Again?

Indiana Pacers eye an Eastern Conference resurgence with Tyrese Haliburton’s highly anticipated return—can they recapture contender status with major changes to their core lineup?

John Karalis of Celtics On SI is joined by Tony East from Locked On Pacers to examine how Haliburton’s recovery, new addition Ivica Zubac, and Rick Carlisle’s up-tempo system could redefine the Pacers’ identity. The conversation spotlights the differences Zubac brings compared to Myles Turner, the unique challenges of integrating a non-shooting center, and how key depth pieces like Kelly Oubre and TJ McConnell factor into Indiana’s playoff ambitions. Can the Pacers’ system-first approach keep them greater than the sum of their parts, especially through a brutal opening schedule? With insights on expected win totals, rotation shakeups, and potential playoff matchups, this episode breaks down why no top seed will want to see Indiana come spring.

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.

Cozy Earth
Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code LOCKEDON for an exclusive 20%.

Wayfair
Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less.
Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

Square
Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/NBA ! #squarepod

FanDuel
This season, FanDuel is making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all-new FanDuel Rewards Club, featuring exclusive offers, surprises, and more. Every week, check the FanDuel app to see what’s waiting for you or visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.