One week into the 2024-25 NBA season, things are not looking great for the Indiana Pacers. Through four games into the campaign, they are 1-3, with their lone win being against the Detroit Pistons in their season opener. Furthermore, all three of their losses were brutal.
The Pacers got blown out by the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden 123-98 on national television, they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid and Paul George in overtime, and on Monday, they lost to the Orlando Magic 119-115 and allowed Paolo Banchero to score a career-high 50 points.
It is too soon to panic, but the start of the season has been rough for Indiana to say the least. Additionally, this slow start is well-documented and has been reflected in the power rankings of some of the NBA's biggest outlets.
Where the Pacers rank after the first week of the 2024-25 season
Ranking | Previous ranking | Website |
|---|---|---|
17 | 12 | Sporting News |
15 | 10 | NBA.com |
17 | 12 | ESPN |
20 | N/A | Yahoo! |
Every major outlet is down on the Pacers right now, and it is easy to see why. Despite running it back with essentially the same roster from last year, the Pacers do not look like the same team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals and gave the eventual champion Boston Celtics their toughest challenge of the postseason.
To begin the season, the Pacers are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league and still have subpar defense. This is no surprise. However, the Pacers, who averaged a league-leading 123.3 points per game last season, are averaging just 110.5 points per game through four games and have yet to reach the 120-point threshold.
The biggest problem in Indiana is that they have moved away from what made a fun and explosive offense one season ago. They are missing their pace and efficiency to begin the new campaign and have not found their groove yet. While this should figure itself out over time, it is still a concern for Pacers fans.
Another reason the Pacers' stock is low right now is because of the teams ahead of them. It is early, but teams like the Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder are proving they are championship favorites right away. Additionally, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Magic (among others), are off to a shockingly hot start, putting them above Indiana in the standings.
Tonight, the Pacers will take on the Celtics, who are currently 4-0, in a conference finals rematch. If they can show even a glimpse of what made them successful last season, it may be enough to flip the script before it is too late.