Ivica Zubac has done two very important things since he became a member of the Indiana Pacers: logged his first minutes with his new team and got a taste of the one-sided but very intense rivalry against the New York Knicks.

While the latter didn’t go the Pacers’ way — Indiana says tanking be damned when they face teams with blue and orange color schemes — his first three games offered a sample of what the Croatian center can do for the team going forward. Though I’d ignore the fact that through three games, Zubac is averaging 9.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists a game while averaging only 22 minutes a contest.

What Indiana was hoping for was evident when Zubac started on Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns, as he flashed a bit of why the front office made the move to acquire him before the trade deadline earlier this year.

Zubac had a pair of assists to go with his 8 points and 6 rebounds in two quarters of action before he was kept out of the game in the second half.

What we saw was a center who won’t just benefit from the return of Tyrese Haliburton next year, but one who will benefit the Pacers’ star as well.

Zubac creates his own gravity on the court, something that has been sorely missing at the center position for Indiana. We saw it in many different forms as he not only drew the double team, but diagnosed it and cured it with passes to cutting teammates.

It’s hard not to picture how these will look when Indiana has a functioning, healthy roster where Zubac will have four teammates who can shoot and draw attention away from him as well. Indiana didn’t suit up Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, or Pascal Siakam against the Suns, nor did Nembhard take the floor on Sunday against the Bucks.

Zubac’s first points came on an alley-oop dunk, but his final points came when he showed that even if the defense doesn’t respect his teammates, he can get physical and score on his own in the paint, too.

We only caught glimpses of what a Zubac screen could do for his teammates as mistakes were made by some of these tank-a-thon teammates. Caitlin Cooper posted about how this should translate with the expected starting lineup next year — and notes Zubac is a much more physical screener than anyone the Pacers have or had recently — so imagine the havoc he can help cause in Indiana’s free-flowing offense that always looks for a better shot.

One wrinkle that will be different from the Myles Turner era at center for Haliburton and the Pacers is that Zubac isn’t a threat at all from long-range.

Haliburton has proven himself as one of the best pick-and-roll guards in the league. Zubac ranked near the top of the league last year as a roll-man on those plays, but he isn’t going to pick and pop from the top of the arc. That was part of what worked for Indiana last season, as Turner could clear a defender out of the paint by standing above the arc, waiting for the ball to return. The dynamic will be different with Zubac, but it will require some refining by coach Rick Carlisle and some feeling out to be done by Zubac’s Pacers teammates.

The Knicks game on Friday night saw a more standard allotment of minutes for Zubac. Ivica’s offense as he was 5 of 9 for 11 points, but his defense left something to be desired. New York’s Mitchell Robinson snatched up a career-high 22 rebounds — 9 offensive — to go with his 12 points. Zubac took responsibility after the game for that outlandish number of boards.

“I got to be better, man. I don’t remember the last time I allowed that many offensive rebounds. He’s definitely one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. I definitely didn’t do my job right. If I did, I think we would have won this game,” Zubac said. “So definitely got to be better. You know, the great thing about this league is we play them again in a few days. So I’ll definitely be better in that aspect.”

Zubac took accountability, though he and the Pacers have plenty of time to work out the kinks in the system before Indiana returns to playing serious basketball next season.

We did get to see what color analyst Quinn Buckner commented was “Big body, soft touch” from Zubac against Robinson. These post touches and physical screens from Ivica will open doors that the Pacers need to kick down in certain situations.

Sunday’s loss to the Bucks was Zubac’s worst performance so far, with a 4 of 10 shooting performance. He still gathered rebounds (7) and handed out a pair of assists. Counting stats aside, at least we got to see him dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo in a display of his post scoring ability.

Whatever we see this season from Zubac is merely a sample of what is to come from him. It’s been like any highlight moment from the Pacers this season. It is worth enjoying, but it remains theoretical as we don’t see the Zubac-ified version of the Pacers team that went to the Finals a season ago.

The good news is he’s already buying into the system that took the Pacers that far.

“I just think there’s so much movement and every possession I’m involved in multiple pick and rolls and just getting the ball in a pocket. I think that’s something that I’m good at and that’s where the team can use me, is just being that playmaker out of pocket, getting behind the defense, get the ball in the pocket,” Zubac said. ” If the man doesn’t step up, I can go finish one-on-one. If they step up, I can hit the cutter. I can hit the corner three. I feel like that’s the area where I can be really good at.

“Then just with Drew just holding a screen and when he snakes, they force a switch. That’s where I can duck in the small guy and there’s definitely stuff that can work to my advantage. I’m still trying to figure it out. I’m not trying to overdo stuff on the court. I’m trying to fit in and figure out with these games what’s the best for the team? What’s the best for me? And how can I help the team?”

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