Pascal Siakam just led the Indiana Pacers to a win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night, but it put fans in a very confusing position. Obviously, it was great to get a win. They had lost 16 games in a row. They needed that win. But at the same time, the Pacers and Washington Wizards are in a tank-off. Any victory could worsen the Pacers’ chance at earning a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Players don’t care about tanking. Neither do coaches. Both of those groups of people want to win games at all costs. But if you’re the Pacers’ front office, winning games at this point in the season can only hurt you. They want to stay at the tippity-top of the lottery in order to secure a top-four pick.
And Siakam lifting them to a big-time win over the Magic won’t help that pursuit.
As noted, winning games is the only priority for players. And for Pacers fans who endured a brutal 16-game losing streak, Monday night was a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Siakam finished the night with 37 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks while shooting 13-of-26 from the field, 2-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc, and 9-of-9 at the free-throw line.
And Siakam wasn’t the only Pacer who stepped up to the plate. Jarace Walker started and put up 20 points in the win. Aaron Nesmith had 19 points. Andrew Nembhard put up 13 points, seven rebounds, and 14 assists, and TJ McConnell had 13 points off the bench.
Indiana came together to take down Orlando, a team led by 39 points from Paolo Banchero. It was a great way to end the suffering that fans had been going through having to watch 16 losses in a row.
But the Pacers are in a tricky spot. The Pacers don’t just want to secure a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA Draft—they need to secure one of the top four picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Indiana traded their 2026 first-round pick to the LA Clippers in the trade that landed it Ivica Zubac. However, the selection is protected from picks 1-4 and 10-30.
So, if the Pacers win enough games to the point where their lottery odds are worsened, it could increase the likelihood that their pick falls out of the top four. And that would not be ideal.
Winning a game after losing 16 in a row is nice. But it’s a dangerous path to start going down at this point.