The Indiana Pacers did not head into the All-Star break at their best and now they have a bit of a hill to climb in the back half of the season. The schedule will not be easy or really even in their favor, so this final stretch will demand playoff-level hoops from Indiana.
With the second half tipping off this week, it’s time to look ahead at the rest of the season.
Predicting the second half of the season for the Indiana Pacers
With a disastrous road trip to kick off the second half, I could easily see the Pacers coming out of the gates slowly. Three games out west against the Lakers, Suns, and Nuggets are not going to be easy and I think those are all three losses right now.
There is not a single game in the first seven in which Indiana should be clearly favored to win, so even going 1-6 in that stretch is somewhat of a win. Obviously, they have to perform better than that if they want to be taken seriously.
The end of March and through April will offer the chance to turn things around as Indiana will see plenty of favorable matchups both at home and on the road. With several meetings with the Bulls, Pistons, and Magic, Indiana has no excuses to close out that stretch on a bad note.
Ending the season with four playoff teams – 76ers, Lakers, Bucks, and Raptors – will be good practice for the playoffs and the Pacers can gain some much-needed momentum if they get a spot.
Record prediction: 20-17 (overall record of 36-36)
A positive second half puts Indiana right back at .500 and gets them into the mix for a lower playoff seed. An even record right now would put Indiana in a tie for the sixth seed which would let them avoid the play-in games.
This second half is going to be exciting if the Pacers wish to compete this year but it will also teach us a lot about just how prepared they are to win now.