The Indiana Pacers Don’t Control Their Own Playoff Fate Right Now
By Ben Gibson
The odds of the Indiana Pacers making the playoffs fell to 44 percent after their loss to the Toronto Raptors.
If the playoff started today, the Indiana Pacers would face the Boston Celtics in the first round. However, we are still six games away and Indiana is currently trending in the wrong direction.
According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Pacers now have a 44% chance of missing the playoffs. Before their loss to the Raptors, it was only 43% chance and a win on Friday would have given them just a 28% chance of missing out on the postseason.
Looking at PlayoffStatus’ numbers, Indiana needs to win at least two of their remaining games to give themselves a 24% or better chance of making the postseason. That would give Indiana a 39-43 record on the season.
The loss against the Raptors also takes their fate out of their hands. Indiana needed to go 7 of 7 including tonight if they wished to control their own destiny. On the bright side, I suppose, there appears to be a way Indiana goes 0 of 7 in these last games and still misses the playoffs, but that’s a helluva way to back into the playoffs.
What’s Out of the Indiana Pacers Control
For what it is worth, the New York Knicks beat the Miami Heat to put Miami in a tie with the Pacers for seventh place, but the Heat hold the tiebreaker.
The two teams threatening Indiana are the Charlotte Hornets and the Chicago Bulls. The Hornets took care of business and beat the Denver Nuggets, leaving them two games back. The Bulls play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
If what could have been a worst-case scenario, a Heat win and Bulls win on Saturday would have increased the chances to 59% for Indiana missing out.
There is some good news. After everything was settled and done, there is a scenario where Indiana can get back ahold of their playoff destiny. If they Pacers beats Cavaliers on Sunday and Nuggets beat the Heat, Indiana can control their fate once again.
Those are very big ifs, though.
Next: Lance Stephenson Can’t Save the Indiana Pacers Season
Indiana managed to bungle the end of the season now to the point where the postseason is less likely than not, and they no longer control their fate. What a season for Indiana.