The Indiana Pacers have lost nine of their last 10 games and on the surface, that seems like a very negative thing for the team, and it shouldn’t be.

No team in the NBA enjoys losing, but the Pacers are in a intriguing situation. They have a very talented, but also, young core group, that really drives the team.

The team has shown how competitive they can be, especially with the hot start they had to begin the season. Many expected the Pacers to be in the “Tank for Wembanyama Race”, and instead at one point, found themselves in the middle of the playoff race.

There are still plenty of positives from the Pacers this season though regardless.

Tyrese Haliburton, is a true star and franchise player, and along with Haliburton, the first high draft pick the Pacers have had in 30 years became Bennedict Mathurin, and the sky’s the limit for him.

Teams usually tend to spend five plus years tanking in an attempt to build what the Pacers have accomplished in only 11 months. The fact that Indiana has the foundation in just those two players is perfect, but that’s not all they have.

Isaiah Jackson, Chris Duarte, Jalen Smith, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith have all shown signs that they can play a valuable role in this league, to say the least. Myles Turner, Buddy Hield & TJ McConnell are the veterans for Indiana and are huge contributors, on and off the court.

Looking at the top teams in the East, the Pacers seem to be following the same trajectory. The formula being, two stars, an elite defense and shooting. The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers , control the East and those teams all follow that formula.

Haliburton & Mathurin can be the stars, Turner, Nesmith and Nembhard are wonderful defenders, Hield and Duarte give plenty of shooting for the team. Isaiah Jackson has shown incredible defensive flashes as well, including a recent seven block game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Don’t get me wrong, it would be nice to see the Pacers make a playoff push and maybe have a competitive series or two in the NBA Playoffs, but there is something about overachieving too early and becoming cemented.

For example, Atlanta, overachieved in 2021 and were pressured into running it back, when the team should’ve continued to make transactions and build for the future would’ve been preferred, in hindsight.

The Pacers aren’t winning it all this season. Success for the 2022-23 season, will be measured by the development and progress of their young talent, and in my honest opinion, the season is already a raging success!

By : @NbaWoody

*Photo courtesy of NBA.com*