James Johnson returns to Indiana Pacers rotation, gets game ball from son

Johnson hadn't played since January 20

Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson was going through his pregame routine with a little more intensity on Monday night.

That's because he was going to actually play for the Pacers that night. Johnson had only played in 13 games for the blue and gold heading into Monday, but he was set to be a part of the Pacers rotation against the Pistons for the second game in a row. Multiple Indiana players were out with injuries that night.

The 35-year old forward has provided more value off the court than on this campaign, but he was a needed four man for the Pacers in Detroit over the weekend. On Saturday, in a Pacers win, Johnson finished with eight points, five rebounds, and three assists. All three of those numbers were season highs.

"James Johnson, I don't remember the last time he played before two nights ago. Guy goes in the game and makes three straight shots," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Monday, giving Johnson credit. In the veteran's first outing against Detroit, he was +11 in just over 21 minutes.

Prior to that game, the forward had not played since January 20 in Denver. He has provided a ton of value to the blue and gold as a leader in the locker room, which is why Indiana re-signed him after the trade deadline.

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After the game, Johnson was awarded the game ball. Carlisle had Johnson's son, Naymin, deliver him the honor in the locker room.

Coach Carlisle had James Johnson's son, Naymin, deliver him the game ball after tonight's win.

JJ stepped up with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes off the bench. pic.twitter.com/GxIDprxzNJ

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 12, 2023

"That in and of itself, the example that is set there, is something that you just simply can't duplicate just talking about it to young players," Carlisle said of Johnson providing the team with a boost on Saturday. The veteran made an impact by being ready and playing within the system, which added a ton of value.

Johnson played again on Monday, though he only logged 4:22 of action the second time around. He finished with one point in a loss. It was only the third time of the season that Johnson played in consecutive games, and he pushed his value from off the court to on it over the weekend.

The only Pacer older than Johnson, George Hill, also played in both games against the Pistons in the past three days. Those two outings now represent half of his appearances with Indiana this season, and he finished with seven points and seven assists in the pair of games.

"Two great veteran players with a lot of street cred, a lot of clout, that basically are working in stereo to educate our young guys on what being a veteran is about, what a building situation and building winning habits, championship habits, is about," Carlisle said of Hill and Johnson. "They've been tremendous."

The Pacers split the two games with the Pistons as Detroit snapped an 11-game losing streak on Monday. Injuries certainly played a part in the defeat. But two out-of-the-rotation veterans got to play more and lead by example over the weekend, and that was valuable for the blue and gold.

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