After putting up an inspired performance in their win over the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Doug McDermott claims that the team is motivated by the lack of respect.

“People don't give us a lot of respect, and we like that. It's just motivation for us. We feel like we're one of the better teams in the East and we can play anyone, so we're going to continue to play hard.”

McDermott dropped 24 points — 18 of which came in the fourth quarter. He was 9-for-10 from the field and 6-for-7 from three-point range in just 20 minutes of action.

The win marks the Pacers' fifth straight victory. They've won seven of their last 10 games and now sport a 28-15 record for fifth in the East. The best part is that they're doing it without their star guard Victor Oladipo who's about to make his return after undergoing right knee surgery last year. He's expected to be back on Jan. 29 when the Pacers face the Chicago Bulls.

The series of victories shows a very tough and deep team contrary to what critics and other people say. This momentum perhaps came at the right time as Oladipo's impending return. As such, the Pacers may just hush those critics who claim that the Pacers are just a mid-tier team.

The Nate McMillan-coached squad is working its way to a fifth straight postseason appearance. The previous four ended up in heartbreaking first-round eliminations. But there's something about this current Pacers crop that's determined not just to make it past the first round, but go deeper.