The start of the Indiana Pacers' "redemption tour" hasn't gone according to plan. A few weeks into the season, they are 3-8 and hold the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference. Tyrese Haliburton has only appeared in four games before sustaining a hamstring injury that he still hasn't returned from. Their depth is depleted. And Ivica Zubac has mostly been underwhelming in his first full season with the Pacers.
It's understandable for fans to be upset and disappointed with how the Pacers' season has gone so far, but better days should be ahead in Indiana.
It's not too late for the Pacers to make some noise in the East
Just to make it clear, this isn't some sort of promise that Indiana is going to win every game the rest of the way and re-establish itself as a legitimate title contender. The Pacers have a tough schedule coming up (through the rest of November, they will face the Washington Wizards, the New York Knicks twice, the Philadelphia 76ers twice, the Houston Rockets, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder), and given their record, they could realistically be about 10 games under .500 by the end of the month.
But there is also a ton of basketball left on the schedule, and the Pacers benefit from being in a still-open (albeit improved) Eastern Conference.
They are currently just one game behind the final Play-In spot, and looking at some of the teams ahead of them (the Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors without Kawhi Leonard, and the up-and-down Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks), there are reasons to think Indiana can climb its way up the standings when it's all said and done.
The Pacers are still an incredibly talented team
From a talent perspective, there aren't many teams in the East better than the Pacers. Things haven't started off great, but once Haliburton (who looked good before the hamstring injury) returns and Zubac finds his rhythm and plays with more consistency, they should be able to find their groove and build some real momentum.
There are also some positives for Pacers fans to take away.
TJ McConnell, who has long been an important part of Indiana's success, recently made his season debut after dealing with a hamstring injury. Pascal Siakam (22.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1 SPG, 52.1 FG%, 35.4 3FG%; continues to be the Pacers' main offensive anchor without Haliburton) and Andrew Nembhard (17.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 7.6 APG, 45.6 FG%, 41.2 FG%; has stepped up as the Pacers' primary point guard again) haven't skipped a beat. And players like Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith are continuing to make an impact on the court for Indiana.
There's no denying that the Pacers are in a worse spot than most anticipated they would be at this point, but the season is still young, and they still have a fantastic roster. It's tough right now, but once the playoffs come around, don't be surprised if Indiana is firmly in the picture again.
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