Pacers Get Some Respect for a Change

One statistic continues to define Haliburton's impact: the Pacers have never lost a playoff series that he has finished. When healthy, Haliburton has consistently elevated Indiana on the biggest stage. He's a superstar point guard who makes everyone around him better, embraces pressure-filled moments, and has repeatedly proven himself to be one of the league's ultimate winning players.

That context is important after last season's disappointing finish.

Indiana posted the worst record in franchise history, but the record alone fails to tell the story. Injuries ravaged the roster throughout the season, forcing multiple key contributions to miss significant time. Once the postseason became mathematically unrealistic, the organization shifted its priorities towards player of development and maximizing its lottery position. Although the ping-pong balls ultimately pushed Indiana outside the top four, the final record never accurately reflected the caliber of the roster when health.

That's exactly why Botkin remains bullish on the Pacers.

As he noted, Indiana is essentially bringing back the core that reached the NBA Finals two seasons ago, with the notable departures of Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin. Botkin believes Turner has effectively "been replaced by an even better big man in Ivica Zubac," while acknowledging that "it will be interesting to see how the change in center spacing affects Indiana."

He was equally optimistic about free-agent addition Kelly Oubre Jr., writing that Oubre "will get all kinds of buckets by just running the floor."

Botkin followed that up with perhaps his strongest endorsement of Indiana's roster.

"The depth, wing force, defense, and point guard play should be elite."

That's a strong remonder of just how good this team can be.

While the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 7ers, and Toronto Raptors generated headlines with blockbuster additions, Indiana took a different approach. The Pacers didn't need to overhaul their roster because they already know what this group is capable of accomplishing. Their biggest off-season additions were health, continuity, and complementary veterans who strengthen already proven foundation.

Most preseason projections will probably label Indiana as a "sleeper" in the eastern conference or include them in a brief "don't forget about the Pacers" discussion. Few national analyst, however, are willing to rank them as the second-best team in the conference and the fourth-best team in basketball before this season even begins.

That's what makes Botkin's rankings stand out.

Yes, there are legitimate questions. How quickly will Halliburton return to full strength? How seamlessly will Zubac fit into Indiana offensive system? Can Kelly Oubre Jr. provide the secondary scoring punch the second unit needs?

Those are fair questions. But betting on this group isn't nearly as bold as many people believe.

The Pacers have an elite head coach in Rick Carlisle. They have one of the NBA premier floor generals and Halliburton. Pascal Siakam remains one of basketball's most underrated stars, capable of dominating games without dominating headlines. Surrounding them is a collection of experienced, versatile, unselfish role players who have already proven they can thrive together deep into the postseason.

The Eastern Conference undoubtedly became stronger this offseason. But so did Indiana.

The Pacers may never receive the same level of attention as the league's glamour franchises, but they've repeatedly shown they don't need national validation to compete for championships.

History suggests overlooking them is a mistake. And if the rest of the basketball world still hasn't learned that lesson, the Pacers will gladly remind everyone once again.