3 reasons why the Pacers can and will make the 2020 NBA Finals

Eastern Conference player movement

LeBron James was the domino effect to unlock the Eastern Conference when he headed to the Los Angeles Lakers after his eighth-straight NBA finals appearance in 2018.

All of the top four teams in the East last season lost key all-stars and underrated players known for their ability to score and impact teams offensively:

Milwaukee losing Malcolm Brogdon and Nikola Mirotic (acquiring Kyle Korver).

Philadelphia losing JJ Reddick and Jimmy Butler (acquiring Al Horford).

Boston losing Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Terry Rozier (acquiring Kemba Walker).

Toronto losing both two-time NBA champions Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

The Pacers who were once seen as a pest, are now a nightmare acquiring solid offensive pieces to contend in the East.

While the Pacers lost a few key players of their own in Bojan Bogdanovic, Thaddeus Young and Cory Joseph, their replacements are solid scorers who should be able to slot into the lineup snugly. Where teams like Boston and Philadelphia may run into chemistry issues with their new team dynamics, Indiana must take advantage and win this year.

Once Kevin Durant is back and healthy in Brooklyn, the window gets infinitely smaller. It’s now or never for the Pacers to take advantage of the uncertainty in the conference. 2020 will be the year the Pacers hand out upset sandwiches if fully healthy.

We know the Indiana Pacers are physical and tough, it now comes down to how they can mesh and improve on both ends heading into next season. If Oladipo comes back healthy midway through the season, they have an opportunity to legitimately steal the East next year.