3 reasons the Indiana Pacers will miss the playoffs next season
By Luke Parrish
Injuries will always be a problem for the Indiana Pacers
Part of the reason the Pacers have built a roster on cheap deals is that they have targeted talented players with injury histories. Warren has battled injuries throughout his career and Indiana got lucky with his 67 games in 2019, the most of his career.
His absence last year was a crushing blow to the Pacers as they lost their leading scorer and turned to Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis to carry the load, two more players with significant injury concerns. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2018, Brogdon has not played in more than 64 games in a single season.
Sabonis missed the end of the bubble season in 2020 with a foot injury and missed time again at the end of the 2021 season. His wear and tear throughout the year are quite concerning for a big man, especially considering his recent string of lower-body injuries.
The rest of the starting five, Caris LeVert and Myles Turner, also have plenty of injury concerns of their own. With the core of the roster being a safe bet to miss some time each season, the Pacers should never be expected to dominate in the regular season.
Even if they survive enough throughout the regular season, the late-season ailments have been detrimental in recent years. It is tough to imagine a scenario in which those injuries just disappear this season.