Photo: Indiana Pacers/YouTube screenshot

Daniel Theis hasn’t played for the Indiana Pacers since the Boston Celtics traded him, dealing with a knee injury, but he knew early Aaron Nesmith would find success after an energetic training camp.

Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle told the group to start building habits and the team turned that into a 15-16 start, never mentioning a rebuild.

Theis is impressed by the Pacers’ competitiveness as opponents overlooked them, and the Celtics’ top-ranked offense was energized in part by Malcolm Brogdon coming back in the Theis trade: