Pacers clinch postseason berth; numerous seeding scenarios still possible

INDIANAPOLIS-- The Indiana Pacers have actually officially clinched a postseason berth.

The top 10 teams in the NBA's western and eastern conferences make the postseason. Since Friday morning, Indiana sat at 6th in the east with a 39-31 overall record.

The Pacers are 13 video games ahead of the 11th-place Brooklyn Nets (26-44) in the eastern conference standings with 12 games staying in the season, meaning the worst Indiana could finish is 10th.

If the Pacers were to complete worse than 6th in the east, they could be rapidly gotten rid of from the postseason throughout the NBA's play-in tournament.

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Initially presented in 2020, the play-in tournament pits teams that finish 7th-10th during the routine season versus each other. The play-in tournament winners get the seventh and 8th seeds in the NBA Playoffs. The losers are removed from the postseason.

To remove the threat of early removal, the Pacers need to end up 6th in the regular season standings. The routine season concludes on April 14.

Since this short article's publication, the Pacers' postseason ceiling is the No. 2 seed in the east. The second-place Milwaukee Bucks (45-25) currently sit six games ahead of the Pacers.

The first-place Boston Celtics (55-14) run out reach for Indiana. The Pacers route the fourth-seed Orlando Magic (42-28) and fifth-seed New York Knicks (41-28) by three and 2.5 games, respectively.

Indiana could also climb past the third-place Cleveland Cavaliers (43-26) throughout the last three weeks of the season.

The Pacers are also in serious danger of dropping into the play-in tournament since they are currently just half a video game ahead of the seventh-place Miami Heat (38-31) and eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers (38-31).

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Indiana has key games against the Heat, Cavaliers, ninth-place Chicago Bulls (34-36) and 10th-place Atlanta Hawks (30-39) left on their schedule.

If Indiana is tied with at least another group in the standings at the end of the season, the NBA will employ tiebreakers to figure out seeding.

More details on league standings and the NBA's postseason is offered here.

NBA Eastern Conference Standings since March 22 at 1 p.m.

1. Boston Celtics (55-14)




Milwaukee Bucks (45-25)




Cleveland Cavaliers (43-26)




Orlando Magic (42-28)




New York Knicks (41-28)




Indiana Pacers (39-31)




Miami Heat (38-31)




Philadelphia 76ers (38-31)




Chicago Bulls (34-36)




Atlanta Hawks (30-39)




Brooklyn Nets (26-44)




Toronto Raptors (23-46)




Charlotte Hornets (17-52)




Detroit Pistons (12-57)-- Eliminated from postseason contention



2. Washington Wizards (12-58)-- Eliminated from postseason contention