Over two weeks into the new year, the Indiana Pacers are still playing dominant basketball. They are 7-1 through eight games in 2025, with their lone loss happening without Tyrese Haliburton against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What makes the Pacers' recent run even more impressive is that they are playing great on both sides of the court. For a team known to not be a great defensive unit, this is an incredibly welcoming sign for fans. They look like one of the most complete teams in basketball and should only continue to get better from here.
The Pacers are now 23-19 and own the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. A playoff appearance seems inevitable, but the Pacers surely want more than that. Regardless, more than halfway through the season, the Pacers look like potential title contenders once again, and that has started to be reflected in the experts' power rankings.
Pacers are cracking the top-10 in newest power rankings
Website | Ranking | Previous ranking |
|---|---|---|
Bleacher Report | 12 | 13 |
CBS | 14 | 14 |
ESPN | 12 | 15 |
NBC Sports | 10 | 15 |
NBA | 8 | 12 |
The NBA and NBC Sports each have the Pacers in the top 10 of their rankings. Bleacher Report, CBS, and ESPN, however, have the Pacers at least in the top 15. If they continue at this rate, though, they should be in the top 10 in no time.
Over the last week, the Pacers have had a plethora of impressive victories. This includes wins over the Golden State Warriors and the Cavaliers (who had not lost a game in over a month to that point). Initially, there were some doubts that the Pacers' dominant start to 2025 was due to playing less-than-competitive teams. However, the Pacers are not backing down from anyone and are competing regardless of their opponents.
The Pacers are getting great basketball from just about everybody on the team. Additionally, Aaron Nesmith, who was out for over two months because of an ankle injury, should help the Pacers reach their final form this season once he gets reacclimated.
Indiana has some notable games coming up on their schedule, including a two-game stint against the San Antonio Spurs during this year's NBA Paris Games. However, the Pacers have not given fans any reasons in a while to believe they will not be fully prepared and ready to dominate.
The Pacers are 7-1 halfway through January and are 14-5 dating back to their victory over the Chicago Bulls on December 6. Now inching closer to the top of the East, Pacers fans will want to keep a close eye on the team and see just how far their hot streak will take them.