The Indiana Pacers are having an incredible season, given the expectations people had from the team. Many thought the Pacers would be in the draft lottery and see if they could end up with Victor Wembanyama. However, the Pacers have been impressive since the start of the season and are in the mix for a playoff spot.
Tyrese Haliburton emerging as an All-Star has been one of the main reasons behind the Pacers’ success. According to Haliburton, the team is trying to emulate the success of a Western Conference team that transformed after they got a franchise point guard and surrounded him with well-drafted young talent, the Memphis Grizzlies.
Tyrese Haliburton: “I think the gains that we’ll see in the next 2-3 yrs are coming from today. It’s kind of like MEM. You got a young group of guys together who learn from eachother &work everyday,&now they’re 1 of the best teams in the league.That’s what we’re trying to get to” pic.twitter.com/SQc3lFq5km
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) January 9, 2023
The Grizzlies, with Ja Morant, have been in the playoff race every single year since his draft in 2019. Haliburton only spent half a season with the Pacers last year but seems hell-bent on ensuring the team can lock in a spot in the playoffs and start building toward a competitive roster.
Are The Pacers Back Into Perennial Playoff Contention?
The Indiana Pacers have been a very consistent team in terms of competing for the playoffs over the last decade. The franchise has never tanked to get a No. 1 pick and usually is in the middle of the conference, not having made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2014. They’ve missed the postseason for the last 2 years and can finally end that drought this season.
The Pacers are currently tied with the New York Knicks with a 22-18 record, but the Knicks are ahead based on tie-breakers. A play-in spot would also be extremely useful for the Pacers and show progress. However, they’d much rather get their core some playoff experience, as the Grizzlies have over the years and are better off for it.
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