NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streaking

NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streak in the penultimate week

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 02: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in front of Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz at the Wells Fargo Center on December 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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NBA, 76ers (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

21. Indiana Pacers

Last Week: Lost to Washington Wizards 154-141, Lost to Sacramento Kings 104-93, Beat Atlanta Hawks 133-126, Lost/OT to Washington Wizards 133-132

This Week: 5/10 at Cleveland Cavaliers, 5/11 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 5/13 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 5/15 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 5/16 at Toronto Raptors

The Indiana Pacers are falling apart in front of our eyes. The more that comes out regarding the dissension in the locker room the worse the team as a whole looks. Whether it was ignorance or bias that led to the hiring of Nate Bjorkgren, the Pacers are in shambles and getting through the final week of the season will only lead to hopefully resetting the organization.

Firing a coach after a single season is rarely a good thing but this is the exception to the rule. Watching blow-ups on the sidelines and hearing tell of trade requests and elected surgeries to get away from him is a damaging report. The roster overall likely needs to be changed as well, but after making this big of a mistake on a coach it is hard to tell if the front office will be brought back to make the choices going forward.

Even still, the Indiana Pacers are in the mix for the play-in, comfortably three games ahead of the Chicago Bulls with only five games left to play. The offense has been on fire of late, topping 130 points three times this week. Caris LeVert (28.3 points per game) and Domantas Sabonis (27.3) led the way and will need to more of the same if the Pacers are to be anything more than a one-game wonder.