INDIANAPOLIS -- As the Warriors' fourth-quarter lead over the Pacers grew on Thursday night, the chants began. Then a wave of cheers built up once Stephen Curry hit his ninth 3-pointer of the evening to put the Warriors up by 20.

The fans doing the cheering weren't all from the Bay Area and they hadn't come to see the home team lose. But they did come to see Trayce Jackson-Davis, one of Indianapolis' favorite sons.

The Warriors obliged and put their rookie big man in with 3:37 to go in what turned out to be a 131-109 victory, giving the former Center Grove High School star, 2019 IndyStar Mr. Basketball and Indiana All-American his first professional minutes on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court on which he'd had heroic moments as both a high schooler and college player. Then on his first offensive possession, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga found Jackson-Davis on the baseline on a press break, throwing him a lob that he dunked home -- a play reminiscent of so many of his dunks in four years with the Hoosiers. He would finish the game with six points and two rebounds.

Jackson-Davis' minutes have been limited since veteran forward Draymond Green returned from suspension on Jan. 15. In the 10 games since, Jackson-Davis hasn't played more than 15 minutes in a game and has only seen double digit minutes twice. But in the month Green missed, Jackson-Davis confirmed the Warriors' belief that they got a steal when they took him 57th in the 2023 draft and that he can be an important piece for them, especially as the stalwarts from their championship teams move on.

"I love Trayce," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "He's a really exciting young prospect. He's a rarity in the NBA, someone who played in college for four years. He comes in much more prepared than most young players these days. He's been taught the game really well. It's impressive just to watch him."

That preparation was critical for Jackson-Davis when Green was out. In 14 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 13, he played at least 20 minutes nine times, started three games and never got less than 14:55 worth of action. He scored in double figures in 12 of 14 games and posted four double-doubles. He averaged 11.9 points per game over that stretch and shot 74% from the floor.

In the second game of the stretch on Dec. 19, Jackson Davis scored 10 points on 5 of 7 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked three shots to help the Warriors upset the Eastern Conference leading Celtics. In his 28:34 on the floor, the Warriors were +25.

It was the game that most confirmed for Jackson-Davis that he belonged at this level.

"I think we played Portland the night before and I played pretty well," Jackson-Davis said. "Kind of got into the rotation that game and then they called my name against Boston and I closed the game and we won. It was great."

The sense of belonging that period created for Jackson-Davis was critical because he heard so much during his college career and the draft process about what his game was missing and might not translate into the NBA. He was a four-time All-Big Ten pick at Indiana and a consensus All-American as a senior, averaging 17.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game over his career, including 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks per game as a senior. However, he took just three 3-pointers in his college career and there were concerns about whether at 6-9, 245 pounds, he could be effective without a proven outside shot in an NBA that is increasingly built on shooting and spacing.

Jackson-Davis has worked on his outside shot extensively and showed it off during the draft process. He noted that the biggest reason he didn't try to shoot more at Indiana was because he was more effective inside and the Hoosiers needed all the points they could get from him. But in the NBA, he hasn't found a necessity for an outside shot yet either. According to Basketball Reference, 68.2% of his field goal attempts have been inside 3 feet this season and just one of his 148 attempts has come from outside 10 feet. He hit that one and he's shooting 68.9% from the floor.

"A lot of naysayers said I wouldn't be here right now, so proving them wrong also feels good as well," Jackson-Davis said. "I think coach Woody (Mike Woodson) said it best last year. Obviously a jump shot helps, but at the same time if you can pass, defend and rebound, all those things translate. Jump, athleticism, that translates as well. I think I have all those things. The only knock on me was my jump shot. I don't think that one thing outweighs everything else. At the end of the day, I just go out there and play as hard as I can."

That approach has helped him fit in easily with a Warriors team that has won four NBA titles since 2015 and still includes at least two future Hall-of-Famers in Curry and Klay Thompson, and a likely third in Green. He's earned their respect and their reassurance has helped him believe in his own capacity.

"It's a confidence booster, just being able to play with those guys, Steph, CP (Chris Paul) before he got hurt," Jackson-Davis said. "Klay, building chemistry, I think it's great. I know I've talked to my agents and all the guys and I know they like me a lot so I have to keep grinding and get it better."

With Green back and veterans Dario Saric and Kevon Looney getting a lot of the frontcourt minutes behind him, Jackson-Davis has seen his time shrink, but the Warriors are still finding opportunities to get him on the court and show their belief in him long term. They see him as a player beyond his years, and that fits with the culture that has won them so many recent titles.

"He understands angles, he understands guarding pick and roll and protecting the basket," Kerr said. "There are still nuances he has to improve with, but he comes in with a really good foundational base of basketball. We think he has a bright future with us."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. Warriors: Golden State pleased with Trayce Jackson-Davis