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

Best: Banking on natural progression pays off, Pacers make NBA Finals appearance

Regarding absolute best possible scenarios, it is always fun to aim high and shoot for the stars, and that is exactly what this is. The Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and they should be even better this season, especially considering that they were without Mathurin the entire postseason.

The Pacers played the Celtics the toughest throughout their championship run. If they truly are the team to beat, the Pacers should feel good about their chances of beating them in a seven-game series if it comes down to it. And, if they can beat the Celtics, they can beat virtually anybody in theory.

Luckily for Indiana, they are in the clearly inferior NBA conference. If a full season with Siakam and natural progression from their players impacts the Pacers' success as much as we know it can, there are few teams in the league, especially in the East, who can definitively defeat them.

Indiana was the highest-scoring team in the league last season, and there is no reason to think they will not finish at or near the top once again. Their defense remains a big problem, but head coach Rick Carlisle has already made it clear that working on it was a big priority for them this offseason.

At best, the Pacers are bound for an NBA Finals appearance next year. It is an incredibly high expectation, but many would have said the same about making the conference finals earlier this year, and they did exactly that.

Ultimately, while incredibly talented, the Pacers do not have the makings of a championship team just yet. Their defense and rebounding must be better, and it would be difficult for them to beat teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves in a seven-game series. Nonetheless, at their absolute best, the Pacers are capable of shocking the basketball world once again.