Indiana Pacers: One advantage over each Eastern Conference team

What advantages do the Indiana Pacers have over the East’s lottery teams?

Orlando Magic: Direction

You don’t need to have a trained basketball eye to see this one. With Orlando’s full-blown commitment to a rebuild, the Pacers can easily mark down games against the Magic as lenient stops in the schedule next season. Simply put, they would be marching to games with development written all over their faces, while Indy tries to carve out as many wins as possible. Don’t be surprised if players tally career-highs against Orlando in the following campaign.

Detroit Pistons: Shooting

The Pacers aren’t necessarily a scary three-point bombing squad, but they will look like the Jazz compared to the Pistons. While Detroit may still be rebuilding, their on-court product, especially on offense, will look stagnant at times, especially with their dearth of reliable marksmen outside of first overall pick Cade Cunningham, Frank Jackson and Saddiq Bey.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Offense

Cleveland’s 28th-ranked offense last season should be better with their offseason additions, but it’s unlikely to be enough to close the deficit against Indiana’s high-powered offense. Not only is it relatively easy to score against the Cavs, but their poignant defense and funky lineups exacerbate two-way issues that have plagued the team since LeBron’s departure.