The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Pacers Week 1 Review (2-2 Start, Injuries & Early Takeaways)

Four games down, 78 to go! Alex Golden is flying solo on today's episode of Setting The Pace to take a closer look at the Indiana Pacers' first week of the 2026-27 NBA season! After splitting their first four games, the Pacers sit at 2-2, with plenty of reasons for optimism, some frustrating performances and an injury report that just keeps getting longer. It's time for THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY! THE GOOD 🟢 Tyrese Haliburton is back, Pascal Siakam continues to deliver, and Indiana has already shown flashes of the exciting basketball that Pacers fans have come to expect. From a thrilling opening-night victory over New Orleans to a 27-point blowout of Brooklyn, Alex examines the biggest positives from Week 1 and which early performances have been the most encouraging. THE BAD 🟡 The Pacers have also shown several areas that desperately need improvement. From inconsistent three-point shooting and rebounding struggles to some disappointing stretches on both ends of the floor, Alex looks at the early-season trends that could become bigger problems if Indiana doesn't clean them up. THE UGLY 🔴 INJURIES, INJURIES AND MORE INJURIES! Indiana's depth is already being tested, with several key rotation players missing time and the team struggling to keep a healthy lineup together. Add in poor free-throw shooting, too many second-chance points allowed and some underwhelming early contributions from the team's newest additions, and there's plenty to discuss. So what should Pacers fans actually take away from a 2-2 start? Is Indiana showing encouraging signs despite the injuries? Which struggles are temporary, and which could become legitimate concerns? Alex breaks it all down in this comprehensive Week 1 review! The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Pacers basketball — on today's Setting The Pace!