Noblesville Boom win 2026 home opener as Pacers two-way players shine

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – The Noblesville Boom began year two in their new home on Tuesday night, hosting the Iowa Wolves in their third game of the 2026-27 season.

It was a sold out crowd at Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile, and the Boom had some of their two-way players for the first time as Jalen Slawson and Kobe Brown suited up. Braden Smith was in the building – as were several Purdue fans – but did not play after addressing the crowd before the game.

Despite two tough games in Chicago to open the season, the standout thing about the Boom is their play style. It's one that exactly mirrors the Pacers. They get downhill and move the ball well, lead by led table setters Wade Taylor IV and Cam Hildreth.

Everything flows from there. All five Boom starters took between 10 and 14 shots in the team's home opener, a sign of the ball movement and approach they hope to build under first-year head coach Bryce Taylor. After falling behind by 18 points in the first quarter, the Boom completely dominated the rest of the game. They outscored the Wolves by 37 points over the final 37:21 of action.

"We tightened up the paint," Slawson said of the Boom's turnaround. "We went into halftime and we talked about some adjustments that we needed to make, tightened up the paint, cleaned up the offensive glass, and then tried to impose our will in the second half."

There were shirts waiting for every attendee on the arena's chairs, and some fans used clappers to add noise in quiet moments. It was an engaged crowd, and that gave the Boom a lift despite their struggles early.

They held Iowa under 36% shooting for the game and forced 17 turnovers. Their defense was solid, and it led to a better offensive outing than the Boom showed in their opening two road games.

"The arena is nicer than most arenas in general," Brown said postgame. "Way better fans here. Bigger crowd. It just makes it easier to play when you have a crowd show up like that."

Brown and Slawson were both pleased with the ease of the two-way transition. They were with the Pacers Monday night in Dallas, then came to play in Noblesville and had a seamless experience. The Boom and Pacers have the exact same play calls, so both forwards knew what to do on basically every trip. They played together for 26 minutes – Noblesville was +17 in that time.

"It was pretty easy to just come and jump in and fit in," Brown said. The Boom found out they would have the two Pacers players on Monday night.

What else stood out from the Boom opener?

Circle City Spin

The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, up close

Circle City SpinTony East

The two-way report

The final stats for both Pacers players on assignment:
-Jalen Slawson: 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, three blocks;
-Kobe Brown: 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, one block.

Slawson looked similar to the player he was so often for the Boom last year. His defense from the forward spot(s) is impressive, and his ability to get downhill (a big improvement from his pre-Pacers days) is a weapon on offense. In this game, he drilled three of his seven outside shots.

"I feel like I've been a little bit tight with my shots up there," Slawson said of his three-point looks with the Pacers. He was free on Tuesday night.

Brown, importantly, also made outside shots. That was his most obvious area of growth when going from the LA Clippers to the Pacers last season, and he drilled four of his six attempts from long range in the Boom's opener.

His rebounding and defense were on point, too. He doesn't have much G League experience, and his skillset doesn't typically lead to a dominating performance. But he still looked like one of the best players on the court, as he should.

"Just staying sharp, honestly, was the biggest thing. Being consistent with my shot," Brown said of his focuses with the Boom. "Rebounding, just all-around game. Just trying to be a plug-and-play guy."

Taylor was pleased with the toughness both players showed, even more so as they added athleticism into the game.

Who stood out among the non-Pacers?

Hildreth finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, following up a 32-point outing in Chicago last week. He has been the standout performer so far among the Boom's day-to-day lineup.

"Growth from him attacking the rim, making good decisions, finishing, continuing to improve his shooting," Taylor said of Hildreth's improvements. "And then defensively, he's scrappy and he's a fighter."

It's a natural step from year one to year two for the young guard. He went to Wake Forest and previously played in Spain.

Taylor IV can get places with the ball. Kowacie Reeves, who played with the Pacers in summer league, had a strong training camp with the Boom. M.J. Iraldi has played well so far, and Pacers summer standout Rienk Mast was productive on Tuesday night.

Who was in the house?

Pacers players Obi Toppin, Quenton Jackson, and Jay Huff sat courtside for Boom vs Wolves. Jackson and Huff have tons of G League experience to their names – Toppin is just a basketball junkie. All three stayed for the entire game.

Coach Luke Stephens, who is on the Pacers staff, was working with Boom coaches on the bench during the game. Taylor likened him to a two-way coach after the game given the players he typically works with.

Pacers assistants Lloyd Pierce, Isaac Yacob, and Joel Okafor were also in attendance.

The Boom follow up their first win with a second game against the Wolves on Wednesday night.

The Pacers are back home tonight, so expect more stories about their play and Tyrese Haliburton's health. Those stories will go straight to your inbox if you sign up.