The Indiana Pacers are the first team to clinch a spot in the Knockout Rounds of the NBA In-Season Tournament after winning their first three Group Play games. Tyrese Haliburton and Indy's high-octane offense have been super fun to watch and super effective at winning games.

The Pacers won the very first IST game by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers and secured the East Group A win by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks on the road. In one of the highest-scoring games you'll ever see, the Pacers came out on top against the Hawks.

The feelings around the new tournament have been mixed. While many players and coaches have said that they are interested in it and would like to win, it still pales in comparison to the NBA Finals. Nonetheless, the Pacers are buying into the hype and would like to go win it all.

“It is exciting,” Haliburton said of advancing in the In-Season Tournament, via ESPN. “We are the first team to clinch, and we are ready to go. We have a few more games before the quarterfinals, so we want to take care of what is in front of us first, but we want to win the championship, of course. It would be awesome.”

While the Pacers probably won’t rest their starters in their final Group Play game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday — it is still a regular-season game after all — they can play the game easily knowing that they still have a chance to make it to Las Vegas for the final two rounds of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

The Boston Celtics are in a strong position to win East Group C while the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are both 2-0 in East Group B. The Cavs, Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic are currently the leaders for the wild-card spot.

Overall on the season, the Pacers are 8-5 and have the best offense in the NBA. Haliburton continues to grow as a player and has generated spectacular chemistry with his teammates, including newcomers Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin. Things are looking good for the young squad to start the 2023-24 season.