Instead, a series of injuries have severely thinned the Pacers once-deep roster, Haliburton's shots stopped falling, the losses piled up and suddenly the straight-talking guy who inspired so many with his beaming, trademark smile didn't look or sound like himself.

Tyrese Haliburton finished with 34 points and 13 assists and made a season best nine 3-pointers, leading the Indiana Pacers past the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 114-100