Who Led Pacers' Dominant Defensive Performance?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lance Roberson | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 10:20 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers are a better defensive unit than last season, but they saved their best performance for Wednesday. Indiana destroyed the Toronto Raptors 111-91 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Such a victory merits discussion, especially as a shocking player led the Pacers' dominant performance against the Raptors.

Tyrese Haliburton stood out as the most positive factor in the Pacers' 30-point victory over the Raptors.

The Pacers point guard scored 33 points on an elite 12 for 15 shooting performance from the field and, more impressively, a 7 for 9 clip from 3. Not only did he score an efficient 33 points, but he also dished 11 assists to only one turnover, further showcasing what he's capable of on his best nights.

However, as impressive as his offense was, the defense pushes the outing to the next level.

Haliburton recorded three steals and two blocks in a victory where he could have glided on offense alone. In arguably his best performance of the season, the Pacers accomplished something they hadn't all season, revealing their defensive dominance.

The Raptors' 91 points are the fewest allowed during the Pacers' 2024-25 campaign.

Although the Pacers won the rebound battle by a slight margin, indicative of the 41-40 count between the two teams, Haliburton's defensive effort led the Eastern Conference's fourth seed.

Moreover, the Pacers combined for more steals and blocks than the Raptors, with 17 to the latter team's 10.

The Pacers currently rank 15th in defensive rating during the 2024-25 season. Although such a metric doesn't measure up to the elite NBA teams, it's an improvement from their previous campaign.

Haliburton led his team in scoring and defense, conveying to the NBA universe that he is a versatile player who could push the Pacers back into Eastern Conference playoff contention, perhaps with a second consecutive Conference Finals appearance.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: