'Fluke' Narrative Continues for Pacers

While the Indiana Pacers, especially Tyrese Haliburton, don't consider the 2024 NBA playoffs a fluke, ESPN's NBA experts seemingly think otherwise.

The Pacers earned the six-seed after winning 47 wins, the most victories since the 2018-19 season. Indiana clinched an improbable berth to the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the opportunity of losing to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics 4-0.

ESPN believes the Pacers will slip in the Eastern Conference. Although the Pacers re-signed every core free agent and gained a backup center in James Wiseman, ESPN views the Eastern Conference runner-up as a non-factor for the 2024-25 season. Instead of improving on their best playoff run since the Paul George era, ESPN projects the Pacers will win 46 games, thus sliding to the seven-seed.

The Orlando Magic's potential, mainly due to the talented frontcourt of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, plays a factor in the Pacers' projected descent. If Tyrese Haliburton hadn't experienced the hamstring injury in January, it's possible the Pacers would have finished with a higher seed.

However, virtually every team deals with injuries throughout the 82-game season, rendering the theoretical practice useless.

The Pacers must prove that their 2024 playoff run was due to their talent and hard work, not luck and that they capitalized on their playoff opponents' injuries.

Regardless of whether Indiana finishes above a six-seed, the top of the Eastern Conference stands as a genuine test of talent.

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The Pacers must prove that their 2024 playoff run happened due to their talent and hard work, not luck and capitalizing from playoff opponents' injuries. Indiana has its hands full, with the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers vastly improving their respective rosters in free agency and the trade market.