The Indiana Pacers Are Poised For Another Deep Playoff Run

In the last two weeks, the Indiana Pacers have been labeled by J.J. Reddick, Mark Daigneault, Candace Parkers, and others as a “tough out” in the NBA Playoffs.

All of the statistics will agree with those statements as well.

• 21 wins versus the Western Conference – 3rd most in the East
  • Two less wins than Cleveland & one less win than Boston
• 31-13 (70.5%) in 2025 – 4th best winning percentage
  • 3rd best percentage in the Eastern Conference
  • 2 games behind Celtics and 1 game behind Cavaliers
• 118.3 offensive rating since calendar turned to 2025 (6th best)
• 112.4 defensive rating since calendar turned to 2025 (11th best)
• 5.8 NET rating (7th best)

Most of these numbers are tied how well Tyrese Haliburton has been playing in 2025. He’s averaging 19.3 ppg, 3.4 reb, 9.8 ast, and 1.7 stl while shooting 51.2% from the field, 43.3% from three-point range, and 85.9% from the free throw line. If you’re into +/-, Haliburton has been +5.8 for the Pacers during that stretch.

Other key players for the Pacers during this stretch has been Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin. With Pascal Siakam’s numbers dipping slightly, Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin’s inconsistencies, the Pacers have seemingly had players step up every night. The definition of a well-constructed team. Not to mention, Jarace Walker has started to show why he was a lottery pick.

Indiana has won 10 of its last 12 games, with the two blemishes coming at the hands of LeBron James and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers have been really good at closing out games the last two weeks as well. It’s not always Haliburton doing the scoring, but he’s certainly the straw stirring the drink. Nesmith’s clutch free throw shooting at the end of the game has become a revelation for Indiana as the playoffs approach.

Here are where things stand in the Eastern Conference as the final week of the regular season begins:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (62-16) – 1 win OR Celtics loss from clinching the number one seed
2. Boston Celtics (58-20) – Clinched top two seed
3. New York Knicks (50-28) – 1 win OR Pacers loss from clinching the number three seed
4. Indiana Pacers (47-31) – Clinched top five seed, magic number to clinch home court is 2
5. Milwaukee Bucks (44-34) – Clinched playoff berth, lead Detroit by 1 game with 2 games against Pistons left
6. Detroit Pistons (43-35) – Clinched playoff berth, trail Milwaukee by 1 game with 2 games against Bucks left
7. Orlando Magic (38-40) – Clinched play-in berth
8. Atlanta Hawks (37-41) – Clinched play-in berth
9. Chicago Bulls (36-42) – Clinched play-in berth
10. Miami Heat (35-43) – Clinched play-in berth

This is Indiana’s remaining schedule this week:

• Tuesday, April 8 vs Washington Wizards – 7pm
• Thursday, April 10th vs Cleveland Cavaliers – 7pm (TNT/truTV/HBO MAX)
• Friday, April 11th vs Orlando Magic – 7pm
• Sunday, April 13th at Cleveland Cavaliers – 1pm

To listen to Jake Query’s and conversation with Pacers beat writer, Dustin Dopirak, from the IndyStar, download the podcast containing the conversation below! You can always listen to the Query & Company from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. You can also watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.