NBA Report Cards: Celtics pass with flying colors; Warriors lack an identity

Indiana Pacers

Regular season grade: B+

It's been a rollercoaster of a season for the Indiana Pacers. However, considering there weren't many expectations tied to the Pacers heading into this season, it's easy to see why they deserve a "B+" grade for their regular season performance. The Pacers finished with the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the likes of the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. Considering they endured a handful of key injuries and that they didn't make the big move for Pascal Siakam until the midway point of the season, it's easy to see why this franchise should be encouraged about their future moving forward.

It'll be interesting to see how the Pacers perform in the postseason but this is a team that is also playing with house money heading into their first-round series. The true test for this team comes in the next few seasons.

With an established duo heading into the future, Indiana is certainly a team to keep a close eye on in the Eastern Conference moving forward. And this year could just be the beginning for the team.