If you’re an Indiana Pacers fan, you’ve surely thought it.
Something along these lines: “How can the Pacers be so bad when the Boston Celtics are doing so well?”
Most observers had similar expectations for Indiana and Boston as the 2025-26 NBA season got underway.
The Pacers and Celtics represented the Eastern Conference in the past two NBA Finals. However, both were expected to step back and take a “gap year” in 2025-26. Expectations were tempered as both teams’ franchise players were out for the season due to Achilles tendon ruptures – Tyrese Haliburton for Indiana and Jayson Tatum for Boston.
One or both teams, so the thinking went, might fight and claw their way to a top-six seed for the playoffs. More likely, both teams would scuffle to grab a spot in the play-in round.
We know what unfolded. Boston exceeded all expectations and is contending for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Indiana, meanwhile, fell short of even the mildest expectations. The Pacers currently own the worst record in the league. The only thing they are contending for is the No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
What happened? How did we get such a divergent tale of two cities?
A jump vs. a leap
Compare the performances of the two teams’ top players.
No one blames Pascal Siakam for the Pacers’ disastrous season. He’s bumped his scoring average by more than three points per game to 23.9 points per outing and is in the midst of an All-Star caliber season.
However, while Siakam has enjoyed a nice jump in his production, Boston’s Jaylen Brown has made a massive leap to help offset Tatum’s absence. Brown is averaging seven more points per game than last season (29.6 points per game) – an unheard-of improvement for a player in his age-30 season. Brown’s rebound, assist, and efficiency totals are also up.
An ecosystem vs. a system
The Pacers’ offensive approach with Haliburton has been described as an “ecosystem.” The ecosystem clearly works – but equally clearly, only if Haliburton is part of it. Indiana fielded one of the most efficient offenses in the league the past two years. The Pacers are the most inefficient offense in the league this year, as measured by effective field goal percentage.
Boston is known for its 3-point-happy offensive system – typically more than 40 3-point attempts per game - which has held up in Tatum’s absence. The Celtics are third in the league with an effective field goal percentage that is actually better than it was last year.
Boston got better at something
In addition to finding a way to maintain their offensive efficiency, the Celtics also markedly improved their offensive rebounding numbers. Boston was middle-of-the-pack in offensive rebounding last year, as measured by offensive rebound percentage. The Celtics are a top-three team in offensive rebounding this season, giving Boston a new edge to offset the disadvantages created by Tatum’s absence.
Indiana has made no comparable improvement to offset the precipitous drop in offensive efficiency created by Haliburton’s absence. The Pacers have slightly better turnover and offensive rebound stats than last season, but not nearly enough to offset the drop from one of the most efficient offensive teams in the league to one of the worst.
Some stepped up, some didn't
Boston players like point guard Payton Pritchard, center Neemias Queta, and forward Jordan Walsh made the most of expanded opportunities. Those three alone have averaged 13 more combined points per game than last season.
We won’t name names here – Pacer fans have focused their ire on a certain player or two who haven’t enjoyed hoped-for breakthroughs – but will just acknowledge the same thing didn’t happen for Indiana.
One injury was enough
To be fair to the Pacers: Indiana’s injury woes didn’t end when Haliburton went down. The Pacers also suffered a rash of absences in the early stages of the 2025-26 season. Indiana has already cycled through 24 players and countless starting lineups. The Pacers have had no opportunity to build continuity.
Boston, by contrast, has been generally healthy with the exception of Tatum’s injury. The Celtics have needed to employ only 15 players. Changes to the Boston lineup have been by choice, not by necessity.
Fits past history
Trivia question: What team has eliminated the Pacers from the playoffs the most times?
Answer: Boston, which has eliminated Indiana from the postseason five times over the years, more than any other franchise. (Technically, “LeBron James” also knocked the Pacers out of the playoffs five times, but he did it with two different teams).
So, it tracks that in a year when neither franchise was expected to contend, Boston found a way, and Indiana didn’t.