The Indiana Pacers are on a roll as the end of the regular season approaches. With only six games remaining on the schedule, the Pacers are 45-31 and were the fifth team in the league to clinch a playoff spot this year. Furthermore, they have won 10 of their last 13 games and are in a good spot to make another deep playoff run this year.
While the Pacers have had a successful regular season and are a team to keep an eye on in the playoffs, they have their eyes on one specific goal the rest of the way, and it is one that should make them even bigger postseason threats.
The Pacers' regular season goal would make them immediate title contenders
Indiana has officially clinched a playoff spot, but they have made it clear they do not want to stop there. After their victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, the Pacers are in full control of the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have not finished as a top-four seed since 2020, but they are in prime position to end this trend this year.
Recently, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton made it clear that he and the team are focused on finishing as a top-four seed and securing homecourt advantage.
"We're still trying to get home-court advantage," Haliburton said. "The point remains, we're still trying to win games every night. Having that top four seed, we think is really beneficial for us just because we feel very comfortable playing at home. ... The NBA is better when you get to sleep in your own bed, keep your same routine. It's cool that we clinched a playoff berth, but we really want a top four seed, and we want to take care of business there."
While securing homecourt advantage does not guarantee a deep playoff run on its own, it certainly provides a huge boost, especially for the Pacers. This season, the Pacers are 26-11 at home, which is the fifth-best mark in the NBA, according to StatMuse. The Cleveland Cavaliers (33-5) are the only Eastern Conference team with a better home record.
The Pacers, who have the tools to make another deep playoff run this season, are one of the best home teams in the NBA. This, paired with the fact that the Pacers are one of the best all-around teams in the league, makes them a legitimate threat in the playoffs.
As it stands, the Pacers are three games ahead of the No. 5 seed Detroit Pistons in the standings. These two teams do not go head-to-head again this season, so barring a late collapse, the Pacers are in prime position to clinch homecourt advantage soon. Furthermore, the Pacers are also three games behind the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed, but it seems unlikely they will leapfrog their rivals in the standings.
With only a couple of weeks left until the playoffs begin, the Pacers are still the most overlooked team in the league. However, if they can secure homecourt advantage, they may finally demand the national recognition they deserve.