Pacers Fall To Nets In Kyrie Irving's Return

The Indiana Pacers lost to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday evening in Indianapolis, and Kyrie Irving made his season debut for the Nets.

The Indiana Pacers were the first team this season that had to face off against the big-three of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden, for the Brooklyn Nets. 

Harden and Durant had been available all season, and had the Nets as the second seed in the Eastern Conference even before Wednesday's 129-121 win in Indianapolis over the Pacers. 

Kyrie was ballin' in his first game back:

22 PTS
4 AST
9-17 FG pic.twitter.com/Yb1dlLm6PJ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 6, 2022

However, they also had Irving make his 2021-22 season debut in the game, and the All-Star guard went off for 22 points, three rebounds and four assists on 9/17 shooting from the field. 

There is arguably no starting lineup more talented in all of basketball when the Nets are at full strength like they were in Indianapolis on Wednesday.  

The loss for the Pacers only added to their miserable season so far. 

They are now 14-25 in 39 games this year, and the only two teams in the Eastern Conference that they have a better record than is the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. 

Both of those teams are clearly in rebuilding modes, and have no intention of making the playoffs. 

As for the Pacers, they are a team that has a lot of veterans, and they are trying to make the postseason with this roster. 

Therefore, the season continues to be a disappointment. 

This early in the year they are already 4.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the final spot in the play-in tournament. 

They are running out of time, and if they are clearly not going to be a playoff team before the trade deadline, it may be time to enter into a rebuilding mode.