3 questions for the Indiana Pacers leading up to the 2019 NBA Playoffs

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Darren Collison #2, Myles Turner #33 and Thaddeus Young #21, Bojan Bogdanovic #44 and Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers talk during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3 of 4

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

2. How long can Indiana hold a top-four seed?

This Pacers team can still eclipse the 50-win mark this year, which would make it the first time since the 2013-14 Eastern Conference Finals season and only the fourth time since 2000.

But with a pesky Sixers team right behind them in fourth place and a fifth-place Celtics team that found its stride on its Western Conference road trip, the 3-seed is essentially up for grabs. The two matchups in late March and early April against Boston will play a big role in seeding and if the Pacers remain as the 4-seed (where they’re currently situated), they’ll likely have to see either Boston or Philly in round one of the playoffs.

Even if the Pacers climb back to the 3-seed, they are still looking at a very difficult Eastern conference semifinals matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Finishing this season strong is going to require a kind of resilience in the face of adversity that Indiana hasn’t quite seen before.

Home/Indiana Pacers