8. Indiana Pacers (38-19)
While the Indiana Pacers struggled with Victor Oladipo initially, this is a team that has won six games in a row as of late. More than anything, that tells me that the Pacers are a well-coached team, potentially the best one in the NBA at the moment.
The job that Nate McMillan has done with the Pacers this season shouldn’t be overlooked. The Pacers don’t have the talent that some of the other top teams in the Eastern Conference have, yet they’re still competing on the same level.
The Pacers are just four games out of the top spot in the East, and that’s even more impressive considering that Oladipo has been sidelined for more than 20 games this season. You can’t help but take Indiana as a real threat. They keep proving it on a night to night basis.