Pacers Roundtable: Eight Thoughts on the Season Ahead

Oct 20, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel yells to his team against the Chicago Bulls during the second half of the NBA preseason game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

2) Will they make the playoffs? Why? If so, what seed?

Siskin: Yes. Having PG for a full season will help. This team will do better on defense than most expect because the inside presence of Turner. But can Ellis, Miles, and Ian help out?

Muncy: Until further notice, the Eastern Conference is terrible. With 38 wins, the Pacers missed the playoffs last year because of a tiebreaker with the Brooklyn Nets. Paul George alone makes this team a playoff team; he’s just that good. With that said, the Pacers will make the playoffs as the 6th seed.

Wilson: Yes, I believe the Pacers end up with a 7 seed. The Pacers should be able to score the ball this year, and will really look to push the tempo. Teams like the Cavs, Bulls, Raptors, Wizards and Bucks will be back towards the top, leaving the Pacers fighting for one of the last 3 playoff spots.

Rund: Definitely. There seems to be a lot of uncertainty from many NBA analysts as to where the Pacers will finish this year. Most of the negative outlooks stem from a concern about the team’s new small ball approach. If the preseason is any indication, I think the Pacers will do just fine and end up as a 6-seed heading into the playoffs.

Turpen: Yes. Indiana was a game away from making the playoffs last year, without Paul George and with a tremendous amount of injuries and aging players. I see the Pacers finishing somewhere around the 4-5 seed.

McKee: The Indiana Pacers will make the Playoffs. They may not win the Central Division, but it will be close. The Pacers are land the #3 or #4 seed in the Eastern Conference. At first glance, and it may seem crazy, but the team is young and by midseason they could be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. Much of this prediction relies on the growth of the role players like GR III, Joe Young, Rakeem Christmas and Lavoy Allen to play quality minutes in their new uptempo style of play.

Stewart: I do think the Pacers will make the playoffs, and as an #8 seed. Again, the Pacers community will see that as harsh but a lot will ride on whether the defense can keep up with the offense this season, something fans of the Blue & Gold aren’t used to. Not putting it past them to make the #7 seed, because it’s the East. Realistically, though, they end up just making it in the first round and looking at a Central Divison match-up.

Next: Offense!