Before their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, the Indiana Pacers won five straight, their longest winning streak of the season. Given how disappointing the start of their season was, this hot streak was a welcoming sight for Pacers fans. For a stretch, which included a three-game road trip against the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and Golden State Warriors, the Pacers showed some resemblance to last year's Eastern Conference Finals team.
Much of the Pacers' recent success has to do with the returns of Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard, who each missed a significant amount of time due to injuries. Additionally, the Pacers got good play out of Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton, as well as second-unit stars like Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell.
Indiana's win streak helped them move to the No. 8 seed in the East. Though they still have ways to go before re-establishing themselves as title contenders, the Pacers have played good basketball recently, and this has been reflected in the experts' power rankings.
The Pacers earn another boost in latest batch of NBA Power Rankings
Website | Ranking | Previous ranking |
|---|---|---|
Bleacher Report | 19 | 20 |
ESPN | 18 | 20 |
NBA.com | 18 | 20 |
NBCSports.com | 17 | 21 |
There is no denying that the Pacers' season so far has been frustrating for fans due to the inconsistent performances they have had on the court. Regardless, things are finally trending upward for Indiana, despite most of the odds being stacked against them.
The Pacers' offense is now ranked 10th-best in the NBA, but they should only continue to get better as they get significant pieces back and find their rhythm again. Additionally, the most important aspect of the Pacers' recent streak is how improved they look on the defensive side of the ball.
During their win streak, the Pacers had a DRTG of 106.3. This was the seventh-best during that stretch, including ahead of teams like the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. For the rest of the season, it will be worth monitoring Indiana's defense. This was arguably their biggest weakness during last season and coming into this season. If they turn things around and become a more complete team, they will inch closer to legitimate title contention.
There is still plenty of basketball left to be played, but the Pacers look good right now. Even in their loss to Oklahoma City, the Pacers had a good first half before the Thunder came back to earn the victory.
Don't look now, but the Pacers might officially be back.