The Indiana Pacers have emerged as one of the most impressive and successful teams in the NBA this season, making it to the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals and poised to compete in the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. Despite being a relatively small market team in the 25th-biggest media market, the Pacers have captivated basketball fans across the country with their impressive play on both ends of the floor. For about five months, the Indiana Pacers have been one of the best teams in the NBA. Early in the season, they struggled with four losses in their first six games, including a 25-point blowout in New York. However, once they overcame their injuries and got healthy, the Pacers hit their stride and haven't let up since. Since that 10-15 start, Indiana has gone 52-21, more wins than any other NBA team besides their Finals opponents, the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's a 58-win pace over an 82-game schedule, and it includes playoff series wins that saw the Pacers overwhelm a Bucks team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and a 64-win Cavaliers squad that topped the East virtually all regular season long. This year's Pacers have put the clamps down on defense, ranking ninth in defensive efficiency after early December. The team's improved focus on defense is evident in their increased effort on the boards and attentiveness to defending without fouling. They also excel at limiting opponents' transition opportunities, ranking first in the regular season and second in the playoffs in average distance traveled per game on defense. The Pacers love to play press defense more often than any other team in the NBA this season, according to Synergy Sports tracking data. They have forced turnovers on 14.4% of those press possessions, which is good but almost beside the point; even without forcing a turnover, the press pays dividends in disrupting the opposing offense. Applying pressure the length of the court is a great way to tire out an opposing point guard and get an offense out of rhythm. The Pacers will also throw second and third defenders into the backcourt, trying to make even your release-valve outlet passes more stressful than they typically are. The Pacers are deep, with no player averaging more than 33.6 minutes per game during the regular season and no player averaging more than Tyrese Haliburton's 35.1 minutes per game in the playoffs. All five members of Indiana's starting lineup entered the conference finals averaging at least 14 points per game in the postseason, and eight Pacers are averaging at least eight points per game. The Pacers' starting five is one of the best big-minutes lineups in the NBA during the regular season, and a league-best plus-80 in 249 playoff minutes. Coach Carlisle leans on this starting five but won't hesitate to go 11 or even 12 deep because he's got players he can trust all the way down his bench. In particular, Tyrese Haliburton has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA this season. Despite being a relatively unknown player before this season, Haliburton has emerged as a key contributor for the Pacers, averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game in the regular season and 19.3 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs. His ability to create opportunities for his teammates and his defensive prowess have been key factors in the Pacers' success this season.
