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The Indiana Pacers are again in a prime position to make another deep playoff run after last season's surprising Eastern Conference Finals berth. The current No. 5 seed is in a battle with the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons for homecourt as the season winds down. And with a remaining strength of schedule that ranks towards the bottom of the NBA, the Pacers will have plenty of opportunities to seize the No. 4 seed.
That No. 4 or No. 5 seed is likely a desirable position heading into these playoffs in the East. That is because the defending champion Boston Celtics are slotted in at second in the conference, while the Cleveland Cavaliers have the league's current best record. The Cavs at 50-10 are certainly a force to be reckoned with. However, they are in a position they've been in for almost a decade when LeBron James was suiting up for them.
Indiana is led by the duo of Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. The star point guard occasionally took on leading scorer duties throughout last season. But this season, Siakam has been the clear-cut first option for a team with still a ton of offensive talent. That talent and versatility will give head coach Rick Carlisle's team a lot of intriguing upside heading into the postseason.
However, this group is also plagued by weaknesses, many of which held back last year's squad. Some flaws have worsened this regular season and will continue to limit the Pacers' ceiling within the Eastern Conference hierarchy. And that would not be ideal for a team coming off that Conference Finals berth and looking to take that next step toward legitimate title contention.
The Indiana Pacers have one of the most intriguing upsides in the NBA
Indiana is one of the most interesting teams in the NBA for one clear-cut reason: This group lacks a legitimate top-ten superstar in the league. However, that dynamic makes this group, particularly the offense, even more dangerous. Generally, teams without superstars struggle in tight down-to-the-wire contests. In contrast, Indiana is ranked in the league in games requiring clutch-time situations. Nine players on this roster average more than 7.0 points per game.
This group, therefore, showcases an unpredictability that can age well in the postseason. That is, as long as star point guard Tyrese Haliburton confidently orchestrates the offense. The 25-year-old got off to a very slow start in the 2024-25 season. However, Haliburton has grown into the season as it has gone on, which is honestly preferable to the past seasons, where he has petered out.
Pascal Siakam has additionally been a model of consistency for the Pacers. And, at the same time, Myles Turner has continued his underrated form as one of the best centers in the East. It's also good to see Bennedict Mathurin back and healthy for the franchise after being injured during last year's playoff run. Meanwhile, the team has stayed afloat as young starters like Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith have struggled for parts of this year with injuries.
So far, Indiana's pace of play and offensive efficiency has dropped in 2025. But this group seems more equipped to win different types of games. Whereas last year's team was predominately all run-and-gun. Nevertheless, many deficiencies from last year's roster are rearing their ugly head again. There's one particular weakness that is going to cap the ceiling of this group in the postseason if unresolved. And that weakness has to do with finishing possessions on the glass, which exposes the Pacers' heavily flawed defensive personnel.
Indiana's fatal flaw is its rebounding
Indiana's defense has shown some improvement from last year. Rick Carlisle's team was one of the worst defensive units in 2023-2024, finishing 24th in defensive rating. While statistically, the defense did not improve much during the playoffs, players like Aaron Nesmith and Myles Turner showed a certain grit on this end that will be vital this coming postseason. That being said, Indiana must do everything possible to mask this flaw. And the primary way to do that is to finish possessions, which is something that the Pacers have not done this season.
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Indiana is currently second last in rebounding rate at 48.3%, which is a regression from 2023-24. And that's saying something, as last season's group was 26th in this category. The main hope is that this group regresses to the mean as it did in the previous postseason, when its rebounding jumped up from 49.2% to 49.8%. However, looking at this team's personnel, and it's hard to see that happening.
Backup forward Isaiah Jackson went down with a brutal season-ending injury early in the year. Indiana's best rebounder is currently Pascal Siakam at just 7.3 per game. After him comes Myles Turner at 6.5 rebounds per game, followed by several players who are not known for their physicality. In addition, Indiana does not seem to be gauging the buyout market to address this flaw. It appears that Rick Carlisle is relying on his team to hide this weakness, similar to how he did last postseason. But that will be harder to do so in this Eastern Conference.
Right now, if the Pacers were on Cleveland's side of the bracket, this fatal flaw of rebounding would be impossible to hide, especially if they end up drawing the Detroit Pistons. This young, hungry squad is relentless on the glass, ranking fourth overall in rebounding rate. Cleveland, on the other hand, ranks a bit lower in this category. Still, coming in eleventh overall means this squad can exploit the Pacers in this area heavily.
Similar to Cleveland, the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are in the top half in rebounding rate. And like the Cavs, these two squads bring devastating, efficient offenses with them. The Pacers are, therefore, going to struggle to contain these teams on defense, regardless of what happens on the glass. However, if this team cannot finish possessions, it won't give its explosive offense a chance to win these pivotal clashes.
The Pacers will reach more closure on their current cores' ceiling this postseason
Overall, the Indiana Pacers have several very good NBA players. However, no one on the roster can be classified as a great player at this point in his career. That puts this organization in an interesting position in the journey toward championship contention. There are many quality depth pieces who can be part of a potential blockbuster deal for an elite player. This postseason will give the front office more clarity on whether it should potentially alter this young core.
Outside of Haliburton and Siakam, everyone on this roster could realistically be traded this off-season. But players like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker deserve a chance to show their actual value in postseason play. If Mathurin or Walker elevate their play, they could evolve into virtually untradeable assets this offseason.
That's what this front office is trying to do this offseason. Haliburton and Siakam are the foundational players on this team. Myles Turner seems to be that third piece, although that thought process could change quickly if someone better on the market becomes available. But this group is trying to make the hardest jump for any team in the NBA. Going from good to great. To successfully make that leap, risks will have to be taken. This postseason will provide that closure to help the Pacers take a step closer to winning their first championship in franchise history.
