The Indiana Pacers are now officially done with the first half of the season as they head into the All-Star break. At 30-23, the Pacers are seven games over .500 with a playoff spot seemingly inevitable as they currently own the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, despite their successful season overall, the All-Star break came at a great time for them.
Heading into the month of February, the Pacers only suffered two losses in 2025 and were one of the hottest teams in the league. Now halfway through the month, the Pacers have five losses on the year. Indiana has lost three of their last five games and easily could be on a six or seven-game losing streak heading into the All-Star break.
Though they ended the first half of the season on a positive note with an overtime victory against the Washington Wizards, the Pacers are not looking like the best version of themselves. This All-Star break should help them rest and get things back on track. However, their recent performances have led to a mixed bag in the newest roundup of expert power rankings.
Pacers move in both directions on power rankings after recent slump
Website | Ranking | Previous ranking |
|---|---|---|
ESPN | 10 | 10 |
Bleacher Report | 12 | 11 |
CBS Sports | 11 | 10 |
NBC Sports | 10 | 11 |
NBA | 10 | 8 |
With the exception of CBS Sports' power rankings, the Pacers have either stayed in the same spot or dropped compared to last week. The biggest change is their two-spot dropoff on NBA.com's power rankings, where they dropped from the No. 8 spot down to the No. 10 spot.
Most Pacers fans should have nothing to be concerned about. Even though the Pacers did not play particularly great over the last week, it is fair to say this is just a slump rather than a sign of something deeper, especially considering only two of their seven games in February were at home. Additionally, Myles Turner missed the last few games due to a head/neck injury, which certainly made things more difficult for the team.
Despite their recent slump, the Pacers are still a great team that poses as a serious playoff threat. On paper, they are still a level below teams like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. However, the Pacers are a tough playoff matchup for both teams regardless.
The Pacers do not step on the court again until Thursday, February 20 against the Memphis Grizzlies, where they will begin a four-game homestand. This will be a great opportunity for the Pacers to get back into it and turn things around as they prepare for a second-half push.