8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Determining the best & worst case scenario for the 2024-25 Pacers

By Elie Deglaoui

Oct 17, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) guard T.J. McConnell (9) and center Myles Turner (33) cheer from the bench in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) guard T.J. McConnell (9) and center Myles Turner (33) cheer from the bench in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 2
Next

Just a day away from the start of their 2024-25 campaign, expectations are high for the Indiana Pacers. Last season, they made a shocking Eastern Conference Finals appearance for the first time in 10 years. Despite getting swept by the eventual champion Boston Celtics, they looked great and were their biggest competition during the playoffs.

This offseason, the Pacers re-signed Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin, extended Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell, and brought in some intriguing players who can help contribute right away, most notably James Wiseman.

For the first time in a long time, the Pacers have legitimate championship aspirations. However, it will be an uphill battle given how competitive the rest of the league is. Before they officially begin their upcoming season, now is a good time to determine what the best and worst scenarios for the Pacers' 2024-25 season are.

Worst: Pacers show no signs of progression, become a Play-In team

Even at their absolute worst, the Pacers are too talented to miss the 2025 postseason outright.

With Tyrese Haliburton, who is fresh off the best season of his NBA career, leading the way, there is no reason to believe there are at least 11 teams better than the Pacers even if they were all at their best. However, a similar sentiment could be said on the inverse.

The Pacers were the No. 6 seed last season and are just a notch below the top-tier teams in the Eastern Conference on paper. Boston is still the team to beat, and the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks both improved this past offseason. It is fair to believe these three teams, barring injuries or other circumstances, will finish above Indiana in the standings.

Additionally, at worst, there is a serious chance that the Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, and Cleveland Cavaliers all finish ahead of the Pacers in the standings as well. Furthermore, while they are unlikely to pose as legitimate threats to the Pacers, teams like the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks are also worth monitoring.

The Pacers are banking on natural progression between the team's continuity, overall chemistry, and development from players like Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, etc. However, if they remain stagnant this season (or manage to regress), there is a chance that the Pacers will not even come close to making another conference finals appearance.

Home/Pacers News