After a quick exit from the playoffs and the firing of Nate McMillan, what is next for the Indiana Pacers?
The NBA bubble was a roller coaster ride for Pacer fans. Entering in, the Pacers believed to be having a fully healthy team and aimed to make a deep playoff run. The begging of what would be a month-long ebb and flow started when Victor Oladipo stated he would sit out of Orlando and continue his rehab on his right quad tendon.
Oladipo eventually decided that he would try his best to play in Orlando and take it day by day feeling out how his knee responded. The ever so familiar injury bug once again bit the Pacers, this time taking out their best player and All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Plantar Fasciitis would be the culprit. Reports were that it was so bad that Sabonis couldn’t even put any weight down on his foot.
The Pacers looked great in their first game against the 76ers. TJ Warren had one of the most memorable games of the bubble by going bionic and scoring 53 points, third-most points in a game in franchise history. The Pacers went 6-2 in the bubble only losing to the 8-0 Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. There was hope that the Pacers could push the Miami Heat in a first-round playoff series.
The playoffs rolled around and hopes were high for fans of the Indiana Pacers but quickly those hopes would be brought down back to Earth. The shorthanded Pacers had absolutely no answer for Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. The Pacers had no counter for the 3 point prowess that Miami showed in that series. It was four very painful games to watch if you’re a fan of the Pacers.