Pacers 2021 Schedule: Top Games, Updated Championship Odds and Predictions
Inconsistency has been the story for the Indiana Pacers so far in 2020-21, and the team is hoping things are different in the second half of the NBA regular season.
Indiana appeared to be a legitimate contender early in the season but fell apart in late January, and now the squad is difficult to trust going forward.
T.J. Warren suffered a foot injury after just four games, while Victor Oladipo was traded after nine games. The Pacers did add Caris LeVert, but the guard was then diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney.
A team full of quality scorers has become extremely thin, making it harder to keep up with the best in the Eastern Conference.
The team still sits 15-14 for fourth place in the Eastern Conference but the talented roster will need to do more in order to move up the standings in the second half of the year.
2020-21 Pacers Schedule Details
Second-Half Opener: Friday, March 12 at Los Angeles Lakers
Championship Odds: +6000 (via FanDuel)
Second-Half Schedule: NBA.com
Top Matchups
Brooklyn Nets (March 17)
Regardless of the standings by the end of the year, the Brooklyn Nets will be the team to watch in the East come playoff time.
Even with defensive question marks, the Nets have the most exciting trio in the sport between Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. At full strength, the team can outscore anyone and will be difficult to beat in the postseason.
Indiana can use this game as a measuring stick, especially when evaluating a defense that hasn't lived up to expectations in the first half.
Myles Turner has been as good as ever protecting the rim with 3.5 blocks per game, but the perimeter defense has been one of the worst in the NBA while allowing teams to shoot 37.9 percent from three-point range.
This is not going to work against the Nets, but some improvements in this area and a win over Brooklyn could help Indiana going forward.
at Miami Heat (March 19 and 21)
The season hasn't gone quite as expected for the Miami Heat, which made a shocking run to the NBA Finals last year and was expected to contend again in 2021.
Miami beat the Pacers with a first-round sweep in the last postseason.
Domantas Sabonis wasn't available in that series, which could create a serious difference the next time they meet. His ability to match up against Bam Adebayo in the post should help on both ends of the court and give Indiana the chance to avenge the previous loss.
The Pacers didn't face the Heat in the first half of the season, but emotions could still run high when they finally get the opportunity.
Considering these teams will also likely be battling for playoff positioning, these will be important back-to-back games for several reasons.
Second-Half Forecast
Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon have done their job offensively this season with a combined 43.1 points per game, but this team needs more players to step up on that end of the court.
Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and Doug McDermott have showed flashes but need to provide more consistent production.
The defense could be an even bigger issue if the guards don't display more effort defending the outside shot.
First-year coach Nate Bjorkgren has his team on the right track but small improvements can go a long way as the year progresses.
Though Indiana should be able to secure a playoff spot, the squad could have to settle for a middle seed and another tough opening-round matchup.
Record Prediction: 38-34
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