Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Pacers Predicted to Remain in Playoff Contention Without Tyrese Haliburton

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers fell just two quarters short of the NBA championship last season. That's the closest that they have ever come to winning an NBA title.

Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles, so that ended any real shot that the Pacers had of winning Game 7 of the Finals. He is going to miss all of next season because of that injury, as well.

Without Haliburton, most pundits don't believe they will have a shot to make the Finals again. Still, some experts believe that Indiana can remain in playoff contention.

NBA experts believe the Indiana Pacers will still compete for a playoff spot

According to a poll of NBA experts on ESPN, some of them believe they will be only in contention for the play-in. That seems a bit disrespectful, considering they just made the Finals.

Indiana still has most of their roster available from last year. Only Haliburton and Myles Turner are gone. Turner is now in Milwaukee after signing a four-year deal worth $108.9 million.

While those two are key players for the Pacers, they still have really good players around them. That poll has the Pacers finishing fifth in terms of teams finishing near the play-in.

Indiana should be able to still make the playoffs because they still have Pascal Siakam, who was the team's only All-Star last season. He is going to be asked to do much more offensively next year.

The Pacers are looking to prove everyone wrong

The Pacers have played their best when they are trying to prove everyone wrong. They have done that in each of the last two years when no one thought they could make a deep run.

Indiana thrives on the underdog role, so the Pacers are going to surprise experts next season. While they may not win a title, they feel confident they will at least make the playoffs.

Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard are going to have a lot of pressure on them when it comes to the success of the team. Those three players will decide whether or not this ESPN poll is correct.

The Pacers will be ready to be a team that can compete for a championship again in 2026-27.