The Indiana Pacers have officially clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive year and are in a great spot to secure the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage as the regular season approaches its end. After making it to the conference finals last year, the Pacers will aim to go on another deep playoff run. However, despite their growth from last year, many are overlooking Indiana as a threat to come out of the Eastern Conference.
It will be difficult for the Pacers to outlast teams like the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. However, they are still a dangerous team and are a legitimate threat regardless, largely due to their style of play.
The Pacers are one of the best offensive teams in the NBA and have improved on the defensive side of the ball. Furthermore, they are resilient and wear their opponents down. While the Pacers still have their flaws, there is a reason they made the conference finals less than a year ago.
Recently, the Pacers have solidified themselves as one of the best teams in the league in one specific area, and this should make the rest of the league terrified of going up against them in the playoffs.
The Pacers are one of the top three-point shooting teams since the All-Star break
It is no secret that the Pacers are one of the best offenses in the NBA, but that is mostly attributed to their pace and efficiency. However, Indiana also ranks as one of the best perimeter shooting teams in the NBA, especially in the second half of the season.
Since the All-Star break, the Pacers are shooting 37.9% from the three-point line on 38.8 attempts per game, according to StatMuse. This is the sixth-best mark in the NBA in that span, and it is the best among all Eastern Conference teams.
Much of the Pacers' standing as a top three-point shooting team is thanks to Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Aaron Nesmith. All three of these Pacers are the only ones averaging over five three-point field goal attempts per game, and they are also all shooting above 40% from beyond the arc, according to StatMuse.
Especially given that the Pacers are not a top defensive team in the NBA, it will be extra important for them to rely on scoring as much as possible on offense. If their top-tier three-point shooting continues into the postseason, the rest of the playoff teams in the league will have an even tougher time eliminating them.