How Did NBA Analysts Disrespect Pacers?

The NBA playoffs are upon us, and postseason previews flow from the NBA content machine at an overwhelming rate. However, not all analyses are treated equally. In a recent segment of FanDuel TV's "Run It Back," two former NBA players showcased ignorance in their Indiana Pacers' analysis.

Although the Pacers clinched an Eastern Conference Finals berth in 2024, they didn't start the 2024-25 season with the same steam. However, they finished the regular season as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, two seeds higher than last year. Yet, FanDuel's Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams admitted ignorance regarding the Pacers' game.

"I like Milwaukee in six games," Williams said. "I won't even sit on here and lie, I haven't watched a lot of Indiana Pacers this year. They got off to a slow start, and I lost interest."

In addition to Williams revealing the lack of games he's seen from the Pacers, Parsons also chimed in, stating that the slow start irked him. 

Perhaps the Bucks are better than the Pacers, but they haven't had a healthy roster for two consecutive postseasons. Damian Lillard is dealing with a blood clot health scare this postseason, giving Giannis Antetokounmpo quite the burden of carrying this uninspiring Bucks team past the improved Pacers roster. 

Yet, despite such a disadvantage, Williams and Parsons perceive the Pacers as an inferior team. 

How can you reasonably assess the series if you haven't watched many games from one of the teams involved?

Parsons and Williams could have mentioned that the Bucks beat the Pacers 3-1 in the 2024-25 regular-season series. Instead, they opted for gleeful ignorance over doing their job as analysts. 

Nonetheless, the Pacers were underdogs last season and ended the year losing to the eventual NBA champions; they have a history of proving critics wrong. 

As the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, they are somehow underdogs in Williams and Parsons' eyes compared to the underperforming Bucks. It's a good thing that competing in the postseason doesn't revolve around popularity.