The Indiana Pacers have been one of the surprise packages of the 2023-24 season. They have established themselves as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and have now added another quality player to their roster. On January 17, the Pacers’ front office traded away Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and control of three first-round draft picks for 2x NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam.

The addition of Siakam, coupled with the offensive brilliance of Tyrese Haliburton, makes the Pacers a formidable opponent. However, fans of the Pacers face an anxious wait, as the availability of their two-star players remains uncertain about tonight’s game.

Pascal Siakam expected to make his debut against the Blazers

The Pacers face the Portland Trail Blazers later tonight. The game can tip off by 10:00 PM, ET at the Moda Center in Portland. This game is of huge importance to the Pacers’ fans, as it can potentially be the game in which All-Star forward Pascal Siakam makes his Pacers’ debut.

Even Pacers’ HC Rick Carlisle expressed his excitement in an interview. He said, “This is a guy that we’ve really admired for a long time as a player. Heard great things about him as a person, as a teammate. He’s a worker. The 6-9 playmaking power forwards in this league are at an all-time premium if you can get one of them”.

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Despite the positive news on Siakam, the Pacers will miss the services of Tyrese Haliburton for tonight’s game. The 23-year-old point guard suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain on January 8 during a game against the Celtics. Apart from Haliburton, the Pacers could also be without Andrew Nembhard (back), Aaron Nesmith (shin), and Isaiah Jackson (head) for tonight’s game against the Blazers.

Predicted Lineups: Blazers vs Pacers

The Pacers go into the game as favorites. Furthermore, they will be buoyed by the fact that Pascal Siakam will make his debut. The Pacers would aim to win their 8th game in 11 outings since the turn of the year. Despite Haliburton being sidelined, the Pacers possess immense quality to defeat a struggling team like the Blazers. They could start the game with TJ McConnell, Benedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner.

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The Portland Trail Blazers will have their work cut out, as they face one of the most in-form teams in the league later tonight. The Blazers have struggled to win games regularly. However, it was to be expected, as they are currently in the midst of a rebuild. The odds are stacked against them for their matchup against the Pacers. They could begin the game with Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Jabari Walker, Jerami Grant, and Duop Reath.

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