Indiana Pacers: 3 reasons to believe in the Rick Carlisle hire

Why the Indiana Pacers should be optimistic: Indiana has a lot of talent

When you break down the top of the =Eastern Conference, I find it hard not to have the Pacers near the top. Of course, I’m writing this in the 2021 season while playoffs are still upon us, and without the inevitable crazy free agency that always changes the destiny of one or more teams, that being said, the way the rosters are constructed today, I can confidently say the Pacers are near the top of the conference.

Talent-wise, we’re looking at Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Philly at the top. Spots 4-8 seem interchangeable to me from a talent standpoint. If healthy, a core of Malcolm Brogdon, Caris Levert, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and TJ Warren is really strong in my opinion.

I’m starting to see why coach Carlisle’s first choice was Indiana after all. Eastern Conference finals seem crazy to predict now, and although I think they most likely won’t get that far, I’d say anything is possible after what I’ve seen the Atlanta Hawks do this season.

Maybe the Pacers have an “Atlanta” type of playoff run in them next season. It can’t be ruled out.