Last year, the Indiana Pacers almost became the most unlikely NBA champion ever. They were under .500 on January 1 and came two quarters away from winning a title. Tyrese Haliburton tearing his Achilles put an end to their shot, however.
This season, Indiana couldn’t replicate its success without Haliburton on the roster. They ended up with the second-worst record in the league. Still, what they did last season was eye-opening for the rest of the league. Other teams used them as a blueprint for success.
The Charlotte Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference. They gave some major credit to Indiana for what they did last year as a big reason they were able to turn it around this season.
Hornets Give Major Credit to Indiana Pacers For Playoff Run
GettyIndiana Pacers players Jarace Walker, Andrew Nembhard, and Kobe Brown sit on the bench. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
In an article by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, the Hornets revealed they thought they could be this year’s version of Indiana.
‘We can do that too,'” Miles Bridges told ESPN of what they said to one another. “We kind of modeled our game after that. We want to get out and run like this.”
Rookie Kon Knueppel also gave the Pacers some major credit for how Charlotte viewed itself this season.
“They gave the blueprint for a lot. We might not have like the superstar, All-Star, All-NBA guy, but we got a lot of good players. When we play fast, and we have a bunch of guys that can really contribute, it’s just a good style for us.”
Playing an up-tempo, random style of offense was a big reason why the Indiana Pacers were able to make the Finals a year ago. Charlotte modeled their own offensive system after that, and it has worked. The Hornets finished the season with the fifth-best offense in the league.
The Pacers Are Looking to Contend Next Season for a Championship
GettyIndiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac dunks the ball in a game against the Knicks. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
While this year did not go as the Pacers had planned, it could work out for them. They are tied for having the best odds to land the number-one overall pick. Indiana has never had the number-one overall pick. The last time they picked in the top four was in 1988 when they took Rik Smits second overall.
Trading for Ivica Zubac helps fill the void at the center position. Haliburton will be fully healthy next season. If they are able to keep their pick instead of sending it to the Clippers, they should add another superstar player to a roster that is very similar to the one that made the Finals.
Indiana would love to be the team that the Hornets have turned themselves into this season. The ideal scenario for the Pacers is that this year is just a bump in the road for a team that has top-end talent.
Indiana Pacers Credited by Hottest Team in East For Their Playoff Surge