Nov 25, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar (31) gestures against the LA Clippers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
How Upcoming Pacers’ Schedule Could Determine Playoff Seeding
While Eastern Conference playoff-level teams teeter in the finals stretch of the 2024-25 season, the Indiana Pacers remain on course for a strong finish. The Pacers’ upcoming schedule reveals a golden opportunity in the 2025 NBA playoff race. After overcoming a second-half, 16-point deficit to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the Pacers finished with a clutch 111-109 victory for the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. The Pacers can now pay 100 percent attention to the lowly teams of the NBA.
Indiana will host the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz in its next two contests. The two teams combine for a mere 35 wins, implying the Pacers could capitalize on a potential three-game winning streak before facing the Denver Nuggets in Colorado on Sunday. If the Pacers win their next two matches, they’ll hold a significant advantage over the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks, who have roster hindrances.
Detroit has multiple suspensions derived from Sunday’s near-brawl against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Meanwhile, the Bucks have a more severe issue: Damian Lillard is medicating a stabilized blood clot with blood thinner medication, keeping the guard out indefinitely. The Pacers experienced injuries and poor performances from
Tyrese Haliburton early in the season. They’ve since recovered with improved defense and stellar performances from Haliburton, which implies an All-NBA selection at the season’s end. With only seven games remaining on the Pacers’ schedule until the 2025 playoffs, their next two matches could determine who finishes with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Concerning Pascal Siakam trend Pacers fans should be watching closely
In his first full season with the Indiana Pacers, Pascal Siakam is continuing to prove why the team traded for him last year. The 31-year-old has made an impact on both sides of the ball for Indiana and is a perfect fit alongside Myles Turner in the frontcourt. Furthermore, Siakam was the Pacers’ lone representative at this year’s All-Star game, making this his first selection since the 2022-23 season.
Ultimately, Siakam has played well all season long and will continue to prove his importance as the Pacers aim for another deep playoff run this year. However, not all has been great on the court with the Cameroon native, especially recently.
One of the most interesting Siakam developments this season is his growth as a three-point shooter. With just a handful of games remaining in the regular season, Siakam is shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc on 4.2 attempts per game. However, Siakam’s three-point shot has not been falling as of late. While this may not be anything to panic about, it is a concerning trend that Pacers fans will want to monitor as the end of the regular season approaches.
Pascal Siakam is in a three-point shooting slump
Since the All-Star break, Siakam is shooting 33.3% from the three-point line. Before the All-Star break, he was shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc. Furthermore, in the month of March, Siakam shot 28.4% from three-point land on 4.2 attempts per game.
Siakam is still finding ways to help the Pacers win, and he is not any less valuable to their success despite his shooting slump. However, it will be extremely beneficial to him and the team if he can turn it around just in time for the start of the playoffs.
Regardless of Siakam’s shooting slump, he and the Pacers are in a good spot. Currently, they own the No. 4 seed and are beginning to pull away from the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks in the standings. Barring a late-season collapse, the Pacers are well on their way to securing homecourt advantage for the first time since 2020.
