The Indiana Pacers must embrace the underdog role next season

After missing the playoffs last season and the Eastern Conference boasting a substantially deeper pool of much improved teams, the Indiana Pacers won’t be tabbed as a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming campaign, at least to begin the season.

With the conference home to defending champs Milwaukee, title favorites Brooklyn, a field of high-upside squads like Philadelphia, Miami and Atlanta and a battalion of up-and-comers bound to break out, the Blue and Gold has already been written off by many, with pundits and fans alike pegging the Pacers to cap as a play-in team.

Of course, no one will reasonably hoist Indiana atop their preseason projections after their mediocre finish last season, but in turn, the team should turn to their naysayers and use them as fuel for next season in an underdog role, a familiar tag for the franchise in recent seasons.

The Indiana Pacers are far from the favorites to finish atop the East, but they will have a lot to prove next season

In that respect, the Indiana Pacers will parade a roster filled with veterans and newcomers with a big chip on their shoulders. All-Star Domantas Sabonis should be keen on establishing himself as a better defensive piece and more than a statistics darling, while his partner-in-crime Myles Turner could similarly benefit from the uncertainty of his future in the Circle City, especially if winning comes sparsely once more.

Meanwhile, starting small forward TJ Warren will be out to prove that his spectacular Bubble run in 2020, while inflated in itself, is hinged more on what he can do than on the normal than a rare collective instance, especially after a lost season due to a year-long injury.

Point guard Malcolm Brogdon, as the vocal leader of the team, could be eyeing to augment his leadership role and on-court production further next season, while Caris LeVert could very well be on the way to being a legitimate All-Star cog in the league. On the bench, the team’s new rookies and new additions will all jump at the chance to prove their mettle, while veteran holdovers should continue giving the team a calming and reliable presence.

Oh, and head coach Rick Carlisle, who has already won a championship but is yet to win a playoff series since, can be banked on to be motivated to prove doubters wrong after his tumultuous exit from Dallas. In his third stint with Indiana, he should be just as determined as the players to get the franchise out of the hump and clinch more respectability all over.

In the ever-so-abrupt nature of today’s NBA, nothing is guaranteed. While the Indiana Pacers will be the prey more than the predator to begin the season, they should embrace this dark horse role and hope than as usual, the league passes them by as they hopefully sneak up on their more glamorous and star-laden counterparts.

Fortunately, Indiana’s precedence of being an “I’ll prove it to you” team in recent seasons has been hoarded by inspiring positives. While the piling up of losses last season was a quick and bitter turnaround for the forgetful eye, it must be noted that the Pacers were fresh off three consecutive seasons of relative overachievement. Last year’s fumble, ultimately, could easily be a mere aberration and not a tale of the actual thing.

I may be wearing the robe of the optimist with this, but I strongly believe that if the Indiana Pacers get on with the right mindset fueled by the underdog role after a turbulent campaign, the team should, as recent history has proven with this franchise, ultimately be a dangerous squad next season and even possibly shock the world.

Nota Bene: if healthy