8p9s Roundtable: Will the Pacers Get Home-Court Advantage in the Playoffs?

1. Fact or Fiction: The Indiana Pacers will win 46 or more games this year?

Will Furr: Fact. I have predicted 48 wins. The fact that the Pacers are likely starting four above-average NBA players alongside Paul George — and the fact that they actually have NBA players on the bench — makes the Pacers floor relatively high. The fit of the pieces appears highly questionable, and the Pacers will be relying heavily on Myles Turner, but it’s hard to see this group falling too far below this mark.

Jay Neal: Fact. This is a better offensive team than in previous years with more weapons and a variety of ways to score. I believe the Pacers have the talent and ability (with an edict from Larry Bird) to play a more aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball. I expect them to be in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency, something that happened only once in the Frank Vogel era. If they are a middle of the road team in defensive efficiency, they should win more than last season.

Dylan Hughes: Fact. I understand some analysts worry about the defense, but no one seems to be talking about how good the offense will be. Nate McMillan is not as good a defensive coach as Mike Budenholzer, but the Hawks did have a top defense starting Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver two years ago. Teague and Ellis aren’t going to lock anyone up, but those two together could generate a lot of steals. And with the way this team runs, that could turn into a lot of points. Throw in Paul George and Myles Turner’s development, and I can see 46 or more wins.

Jared Wade: Fact. The Indiana Pacers managed 45 wins last season and everyone who watched closely knows that could have easily been more. They lost what felt like two dozen games late. Some of that probably showed their limitations. Other nights it was dumb bad luck. And on a few occasions (two against the Bulls), the NBA admitted to blown calls that probably turned the tide. They probably should have won closer to 50 last year. We saw their ability when they nearly knocked off the two-seed Raptors. And while the new pieces are going to fit weirdly now, the people they added are very good at basketball. They also have Paul George and play in the East. They will get to 46.