With six games remaining on their schedule, the Pacers are tied with the Bulls and Heat for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They have lost five of their last six games and missing the playoffs would be the last thing they need with their star player being a free agent in 2018. This is a big collapse from two weeks ago when they were sitting nicely as the sixth seed in the conference.
Paul George talked about what the Pacers need to do to complete this playoff push, according to Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star.
“It’s gut-checking time. It’s been gut-checking time. Now we’re really on the hot seat. We’ve got to figure it out. We’ve got to get it done, man. We’ve got to close this season out right.”
Their remaining schedule isn’t necessarily ideal. They have matchups against the Cavaliers, Raptors, Bucks, Magic, Sixers and Hawks. That doesn’t look too great in comparison to how the Bulls top off the season against the Knicks, Sixers, Magic and Nets twice. However, the Heat have a rough schedule as well, going up against the Nuggets, Hornets, Raptors, Cavaliers and Wizards twice. It is no secret that the Pacers will have to fight out the rest of these games to finish off the season how they desire.
Jeff Teague has also shared some insight.
“Everybody is pretty upset, everybody wants to win. We just don’t have a flow.”
Paul George has acknowledged for the first time all season that the Pacers’ playoff chances are no longer a certainty.
