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The 5 Reasons the Pacers Will Make the Playoffs

By Jared Wade

Jan 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) looks to make a pass against the New York Knicks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats New York 103-82. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) looks to make a pass against the New York Knicks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats New York 103-82. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Injuries for Other Contenders

Of course, if we lower the bar of entry for a postseason ticket to 36 games, the chances for the other teams also rises. To get to 36 wins, Miami only must finish 16-21 (.432), the Hornets must finish 17-19 (.472), and the Pistons must finish 19-16 (.543).

Each should have a leg up on the Pacers, right?

Yes, and no.

The Heat will be without Dwyane Wade (hamstring injury) for the foreseeable future. Kemba Walker of the Hornets had surgery on his torn meniscus this week and will miss at least a month and a half (and why would they bring him back in mid-March during a pointless season anyway?). And the Pistons just lost Brandon Jennings for the year when he tore his Achilles tendon.

The injury bug that has destroyed the Pacers season may now do the same to the “best” teams ahead of the Pacers right now in the playoff hunt.

Even with key players on the mend or out for the rest of the year, one of these teams may play better-than-.500 ball the rest of the way.

But will two of them? I have my doubts.

As for the other teams in the hunt — the Nets, Celtics, and Magic — they may have even less hope.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has put the team up for sale, and everyone from Joe Johnson to Brook Lopez is rumored to be dealt away before the trade deadline. The Celtics are in a similar mindset, having just pawned away Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green.

And while the Magic aren’t in fire-sale mode, they are probably just too far back in the standings. To even reach 34 (which is unlikely to get them the 8th seed), they would need to go 19-14 (.543) in their final 35 games. I don’t see it, especially given rumors that their coach, Jacque Vaughn, might get fired soon.

So a healthy Pacers team that doesn’t sell off piece (like, say, David West or Luis Scola or C.J. Miles) before the trade deadline might just be able to limp in by default as the rest of these teams fade away and watch loss after loss after loss pile up.

Next: Strength of Schedule

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