Could Pacers Use Upcoming Schedule as Advantage to go on Playoff Push?

The Pacers started out the season with a brutal schedule. It's finally about to soften. Can they use that to go on a playoff push?
Jan 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA;  Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) dribbles the ball in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Jan 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) dribbles the ball in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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So far this season, the Indiana Pacers have had a brutally tough schedule. No one has played more road games than the Pacers at this point in the season.

That tough schedule, coupled with some injuries all over the roster, kept the Pacers from having a good start. They were 2-6 and 6-10 and one point this year.

Now, Indiana is 22-19 and split a two-game series with the best team in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers. They're sixth in the East right now and sit just a game back from fourth in the East.

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The good news for them is that the schedule finally starts to lighten up now. After playing the most road games so far, they have the most home games the rest of the way.

The fact that they were able to survive that stretch of the schedule that was so brutal, with the amount of injuries they had to deal with, is amazing. Aaron Nesmith has also just played six games this season and is inching closer to a return.

Tyrese Haliburton did miss Tuesday's game with a strained groin. Initially, the team feared that it was an injury to the same hamstring that he hurt last season.

It doesn't look like he's going to miss a lot of time, which makes this stretch of schedule even better for the Pacers. In the next five games, the Pacers face the Pistons twice, the Spurs twice, and the 76ers.

That stretch isn't exactly a gauntlet. Detroit is the best team of any of those three teams they will be facing.

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In addition to getting Nesmith back, the Pacers still have a move they can make at the trade deadline. If they want to, they could package either Nesmith or Obi Toppin for a bigger piece. Jarace Walker is a trade candidate as well.

The trade deadline is just three weeks away. Indiana will have to assess when Nesmith is going to come back before they pull the trigger on any trade.

Indiana is not afraid to take big swings at the trade deadline. They've done it before, namely last year by bringing in Pascal Siakam.

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