Indiana Pacers: 3 takeaways from the loss to the Toronto Raptors

As injuries and inconsistent play pile up, the Indiana Pacers are at the bottom of the league

The Indiana Pacers’ loss to the Raptors effectively sent them to the bottom of the league, even below some of the projected cellar dwellers in the season to begin their campaign. With a 1-6 win-loss card, it’s difficult to envision the team turning that around anytime soon, especially with the string of injuries and on-court inconsistencies that have plagued them on the nightly.

The upcoming schedule won’t make things easier for them either. Six of their next eight games will be against playoff teams from last season. The other two, San Antonio and Sacramento, boast improved clubs despite their middling records, with the former even scoring a decisive upset against the defending champs last night before their meeting with the Pacers tomorrow.

To avoid bottoming out further, the Indiana Pacers need to play with a sense of urgency. Screw the early season excuses. Given the more competitive nature of the East, every win matters. Falling too far behind the crowd will only force them to play catch-up, a bold challenge considering the utmost uncertainty on whether the team can even banner a fully healthy roster and build off of their supposed talent this season.