The Indiana Pacers mostly held their ground in this week’s power rankings but did lose a spot or two from some experts.
The Indiana Pacers got themselves in a bit of a funk over the last week as they recorded losses to Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors, reminding us that while this team is good, but they still have work to do before we worry about them doing anything more than making a playoff appearance.
We saw in those two losses how the Pacers that when the Pacers are running at full-speed, opponents can shut them down in the half-court. The Rockets, in particular, tricked the Pacers into playing their game — shooting many, many 3-pointers — while the Raptors’ bench left Domantas Sabonis, Lance Stephenson, and Cory Joseph out of sorts. That trio went 9 of 29 in that loss.
But Victor Oladipo’s consistency and efficiency are still powering Indiana’s success. He’s scored no less than 15 points in the last 15 games and broken the 20-point mark in 11 of them. His season averages remain career best at 23.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists a game.
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The Pacers lost a little ground this week as they fell from an average rank of 12 to 14.2.
This month is favorable to the Pacers despite what Decembers have typically meant for Indiana over the past few years. There are plenty of games the Pacers can and should win, including a pair of dates with the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets.
Counting last night’s win over the New York Knicks, the Pacers have 10 home games this month as well. Their remaining away games this month include the Nets, Bulls, Detroit Pistons, and Milwaukee Bucks. The deer and car parts games won’t be easy, but if the Pacers pick up one of those as a win, then it is hard to complain.
Can Indiana have a winning record in December for the first time since 2013? It is certainly possible if Indiana takes care of business at home and against the lesser teams on their schedule.
Next: Lance Stephenson makes Frank Ntilikina dance
Indiana faces the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday before taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.