The Indiana Pacers are 0-3 in their last 3 games, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a trouble maker in the playoffs according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Dennis Manoloff.
This video was posted before the Pacers loss to the Toronto Raptors and at the time Indiana certainly looked a lot more frisky than the team that has struggled in their last few games. As we’ve seen in the past week or so, our opinion of a team can fluctuate extremely quickly, even when we try to keep level-headed.
When the Pacers were the hottest team in the NBA in February it was easy to see them as a playoff trouble-maker. They beat a healthy Cleveland Cavaliers team and have been 13-5 since the beginning of February, but the current string of losses has allowed doubt to creep back in to fans’ minds. George Hill certainly sparked the Pacers during that stretch and Rodney Stuckey has been on fire, but we’ve also seen a few of the Pacers flaws and the franchise savior Paul George’s status is in limbo too.
Panic is certainly the Kermit the Frog approved option, but it is important to remember that the Indiana Pacers only need to play average basketball down the stretch to make the playoffs. While Indiana may still be in the playoff hunt with so-so play down the stretch, it isn’t going to make them a feared team in the playoffs.
Tonight’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers is a litmus test of things to come whether the Indiana Pacers win or not. If the good Pacers show up and at least give the Cavaliers trouble, much less win, then it might settle the emotional sway that has taken place in the last week or so. A strong Indiana performance on both ends of the floor and finding ways to cover weaknesses might put a little fear back into Indiana’s future playoff matchup, whoever that may be.
But if Indiana comes out and is the same team that makes incredibly dumb mistakes, bench gets wrecked, and doesn’t play defense, then it will hard to see the Pacers as some sort of playoff spoiler. They’ll look like the rest of the Eastern Conference outside of the Atlanta Hawks and Cavaliers: Completely overmatched with no chance.
If the bad Pacers show up tonight, I might be more inclined to believe the Pacers should be downgraded from playoff road block to speed bump.
The game tips-off at 7:30 p.m.
Next: Adam Silver Talks About the Pacers Future and NBA Schedule Changes
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