It certainly has not been that long ago that simply sniffing the NBA playoffs was enough for the devout ones who followed our beloved Blue and Gold. After all, looking in from the outside for several straight seasons was painful, and it seemed like we might never again be the proud franchise we once were.
But something happened last year, a renaissance if you will, and low and behold with a sense of purpose and more importantly one of pride, Pacers fans finally got something to look forward to in the spring other than baseball, as the team came walking through the back door of the Eastern Conference and played a rousing series against the Chicago Bulls.
That display of spirit and teamwork did more than simply whet the appetite of those who plunk down their hard earned money and often live vicariously through the team, as it raised both hope and expectations for the current season to a level that many wondered if the club could respond to.
After a quick start against teams they should beat on a regular basis, the Pacers have stumbled of late, troubled by getting out of the gate slowly in a number of games that have been filled with defensive lapses, unforced turnovers and poor shot selection. The question that lies within is was the fast start a sign of true improvement or were the early victories simply a by-product of being in better physical condition than their lesser opponents?
Probably a combination of both, but in reality this team has the talent to contend in the Eastern Conference behind Miami and Chicago, and that in itself would be one heck of an accomplishment considering where they were just two years ago.
While both Orlando and Philadelphia will have a strong say in who captures the third seed and the home playoff series that goes with it, the Pacers now have to deal with the spotlight that is rightfully placed upon them and lately they have failed miserably to do such. Sure a number of things have to go right for this team to make a deep playoff run, such as the continued maturation and improved play of Roy Hibbert, Paul George and Derrick Collison. While some will argue Hibbert’s All Star selection is simply due to a lack of quality big men in the conference, he has at times played extremely well. (This coming from someone who once compared Hibbert to a giraffe on roller skates.) The other side of the coin is that he still struggles defending the pick and roll and is just not nasty enough in the pivot. Time will tell, but this work in progress has indeed improved.
Then there is the surgically reconstructed knee of free agent acquisition David West. While he has shown signs of his former self, West has yet to be the player he was in New Orleans and more importantly, the player the Pacers were gambling on when they signed him in the off season. At times, West looks like a force and then there are times when he looks simply average at best. That inconsistency no doubt has the Pacers brass worried, as any success in the playoffs will undoubtedly require a major contribution from the former All Star. But the mere fact that the Pacers and the playoffs are appearing to again be synonymous is simply not enough in my humble opinion, as this shortened season provides a unique opportunity for the franchise, one that should result in an extended playoff run that sets the table for the coming years.
Sure, there are still some obvious holes on this current roster, but the Pacers have the ability to make some noise this year in the playoffs. The fans expect it, and this team really needs to understand it as well.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
