Indiana Pacers Playoff Preview: 4 Potential First Round Matchups
The Indiana Pacers have a good chance of making the 2017 NBA Playoffs barring a collapse, but their potential first-round opponent is much less certain — it could be any one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference.
There is no mystery as to whom the top four seeds will be in the Eastern Conference when the NBA Playoffs begin, but the order of the bottom four, as well as which teams will claim those spots, is very much up for grabs.
The Indiana Pacers currently reside in the No. 7 position with a 36-36 record. They trail the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks by one game, and presently lead the eighth-seeded Miami Heat by one game in what could become a battle for the final playoff spot.
FivethirtyEight now projecting an 87% chance the Pacers make the playoffs in a tie for 5th. Winner of ATL/IND on 4/12 would hold tiebreak.
— Pat Boylan (@PatBoylanPacers) March 21, 2017
Even this late in the regular season, positions 5-8 in the East are in flux. Because of this, Indiana could potentially play any of the top four teams in the first round (assuming they make the playoffs, which is likely but not certain).
Let’s take a look at the Pacers’ four possible first round playoff opponents, and see how Indiana stacks up against each club. Could there be a matchup that gives the Pacers a solid chance for a first round upset?