The numbers do not lie. While 10 games under .500 for the season is hardly the stuff championships are made of, the Indiana Pacers remain just three games out of the final playoff spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Considering they began the year with a largely revised roster that has been devastated by a plethora of injuries, the fact that this team still has a chance to secure a spot in the playoffs is both mind boggling and reality all rolled in to one.
Getting everyone healthy has certainly been the biggest challenge for coach Jim O’Brien and maintaining the eight man rotation he would prefer has been a struggle to say the least.
Despite this, the Pacers have lost a number of close contests, many of those coming in the final seconds of games in which they clearly could have won.
Injuries aside, with any luck at all, this club could easily be on solid playoff ground and that has to be playing heavily on their collective minds as they appear to be getting close to having a complement of healthy players, and look to put together a sustained winning streak in the second half of the season.
The return of Mike Dunleavy has been a major plus for the team and given budding superstar Danny Granger some welcome relief in the process.
Dunleavy has averaged 15.2 points a game since returning to action earlier this month, and while he is restricted to a set number of minutes due to his knee, his presence on the floor gives the Pacers a dimension that was sorely lacking during his absence.
While he has played valiantly in pain in recent games, point guard T.J. Ford’s back problems appear to be close to an end, and will allow the Pacers to soon put the projected preseason starting lineup on the floor for the first time all year.
While the inability to close out tight games has really hampered this team, injuries have played an even more significant role in their performance to date.
With 38 games left, the Pacers will undoubtedly have to put together a couple of good winning streaks to overcome Chicago, Milwaukee, New York and Charlotte if they are to lay claim to a playoff seed ranging anywhere from number six to the final eighth spot. What might seem like a tall order may indeed be a possibility, considering how well this club has played at times this year, as well as factoring in the number of tough road contests they have already played, the type that make the trek to the NBA playoffs such a challenge each year.
One thing is certain, it will no doubt be interesting as they continue to compete under the heavy scrutiny of President Larry Bird who at times this year has looked both frustrated and elated with the inconsistent performance of the team.
While the effort has been there each night, the Pacers now must take the next step and learn how to close out quality opponents and win close games, which will in turn take care of the quest for post season play.
Notes: The Pacers host the Miami Heat and superstar Dwyane Wade on Jan. 30 and then welcome the New York Knicks to Conseco Fieldhouse the following night in a back-to-back home stand. Former Pacer Al Harrington continues to play well for the Knicks who are now run by former Pacer President and General Manager Donnie Walsh. Tickets for both games are still available at Ticketmaster.com or the Fieldhouse box office.
Danny Bridges can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
