The Indiana Pacers started out this season with high expectations after losing an absolute heartbreaker of a game seven last year against the Miami Heat in the Eastern conference finals. The Pacers have worked relentlessly this season to stay amongst the top, not only in the east but in the whole league. The NBA All-Star weekend marks the halfway point of the long 82 game season. By that point this season, the Pacers owned the top seed in the east with an 11 game lead over the Heat, but the Pacers have been sputtering as of late. They have lost six of their last ten games.
As this year’s regular season enters its last week of games; the top seed in the east has gone from the Pacers to the Heat and back to the Pacers. After the Heat imposed their will on the Pacers in a 98-86 win last week, they lost focus and dropped a game against the Atlanta Hawks. This puts the Pacers in control of their own destiny to close out the season with the top seed. Despite all the drama near the end, their early-season goal is still within reach as earning the top seed in the east is paramount to Pacer’s success in the post season. Home-court advantage will come in handy in their sure-to-be clash against Heat for the third year in a row.