For the second time in two consecutive seasons, the Indiana Pacers are in line for a playoff spot after their conference finals run last year. With a month remaining in the regular season, it is too early to know exactly where the Pacers will end up in the standings. However, there is at least a general idea regardless.
With a 36-28 record, the Pacers own the No. 5 seed in the East but are in a three-way tie between the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. Whoever pulls away will secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Furthermore, the Pacers are 5.5 games behind the No. 3 seed New York Knicks and five games ahead of the No. 7 seed Atlanta Hawks. Barring a late-season collapse, the Pacers will finish between the 4-6 seeds and avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether.
If the season ended today, the Pacers would enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed. Interestingly, despite this being a higher finish than last year when they were the No. 6 seed, the team's first-round matchup would be familiar to fans. And hopefully for Pacers fans, the outcome would be the same as well.
The Pacers would face the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs today
Last year, the Pacers defeated the Bucks in six games in the first round of the playoffs. If the season ended today, they would be in a very similar situation as this would also be their first-round opponent once again.
Through three matchups in the regular season so far, the Bucks are 2-1 against the Pacers. However, the Pacers stole a victory in their most recent battle thanks to Tyrese Haliburton and his clutch gene. On paper, both teams match up well against each other and would make for solid playoff opponents.
If the current standings hold up, the Bucks would hold homecourt advantage over the Pacers for the second straight postseason. And while the Pacers defeated the Bucks last year despite being the No. 6 seed, Giannis Antetokounmpo did not suit up at all in the series and Damian Lillard missed two games. The matchup this year would be much closer, making homecourt advantage that much for important for the Pacers.
Both teams will go head-to-head once again this Saturday for their final regular season matchup. The winner of this game could very well be on their way to secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. From here on out, every game is important for the Pacers and has playoff implications. Whether they face the Bucks in the first round once again is something that will be worth monitoring the rest of the way.