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The Indiana Pacers eventually held on to the No. 6 seed in the East and their conference’s final guaranteed playoff spot. Sunday’s 157-115 drubbing of the Atlanta Hawks prevented them from falling into the hellish play-in tournament. Up ahead for the Pacers will be a first-round showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Indiana will move past the regular season for the first time since getting swept in the first round in 2020 by the Miami Heat. To prevent another early exit, the Pacers will have work to do on some concerns that have been problematic for nearly the entire season.
They could have a disappointing loss in their playoff stint if they can’t fix some issues.
Weaknesses the Indiana Pacers need to address
#5 Defense
Defense wins championships is an adage that most NBA teams still believe in. Despite the offensive onslaught this season and over the years, the ability to string together stops remains a big part of the playoffs.
The Indiana Pacers were at the bottom or near the bottom of the league’s defensive ratings for almost the entire year. They have improved over time and sit at 24th, the worst among teams with outright playoff tickets.
Rick Carlisle has been demanding more from his team on this end, but the results have not been what he expected.
If the Pacers have an off night shooting the ball, their defense can’t pull them through.
#4 Rebounding
The Indiana Pacers not only have trouble stopping opponents, but they also have issues securing possessions. It’s a bad combination that will have to be fixed if they want to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game series.
Leading into the playoffs, the Pacers average 41.5 caroms per outing, which is the third-worst in the NBA. Only the Washington Wizards (41.1 RPG) and the Charlotte Hornets (40.3) have worse numbers.
#3 Frontline depth
The Indiana Pacers’ poor rebounding average has something to do with frontline depth.
Myles Turner is the only bonafide center in Rick Carlisle’s group. They traded Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton. Curiously, they haven’t upgraded their frontline.
After Sabonis, they have Obi Toppin and Jalen Johnson, power forwards who hardly gobble up rebounds. The East has some ferocious rebounding teams. If the Pacers' undersized frontline fail to be competitive, they will always have a big disadvantage.
#2 Free throws allowed
A natural result of the inability to defend and rebound is the free-throw attempts of opponents.
The Indiana Pacers allow 26.1 trips to the 4.5-meter line per game, the worst in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a nightmare to keep off the foul line. He will likely have a free-throw party if the Pacers can’t fix this issue.
#1 3-Point attempts
The Indiana Pacers are ninth in the NBA in 3-point shooting accuracy with 37.4. However, they are a middling tea when it comes to attempts, launching 35.3 per contest.
Indiana might as well maximize their efficiency by being a bit more aggressive with their shots from deep.
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