NBA Over/Under Regular Season Wins 

Indiana Pacers - 38.5 wins

October 22, 2023

The Case for the Over

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Although they only won 35 games last year, they were significantly better than that at the start of the season, as they were 23-18 at the mid-way point before some injuries in the latter half of the season. They were sort of in tank mode near the very end once they were out of playoff position. 
 

Tyrese Haliburton is a proven star and is still improving, and if he makes the leap into an All-NBA player he could push the Pacers into the 40-win range by himself. 
 

The addition of Bruce Brown gives them some more talent on the wing, and he should fit in really well as a transition threat. He also gives them some much-needed perimeter defense. 

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The Case for the Under

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They won 35 games last year but had the point differential of just a 31-win team. Even when they were winning games early in the season, their point differential wasn’t great. Should we really expect an 8-win improvement to get them to 39 wins?
 

The Pacers have a real lack of shooting, especially if Buddy Hield is dealt after requesting a trade in the off-season. They have some capable shooters, but no real dangerous threats for Tyrese Haliburton to find. They still have some questions at forward, as they have several guys that could be starters, but haven’t really proven to be starting-level players in Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith, and Jarace Walker.  

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Conclusion

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I don’t really believe in the talent and depth of this roster. I think they’re closer to the bottom of the East than they are to the true playoff teams. The lack of shooting could really hurt their offense, and they are relying a lot on Myles Turner to keep their defense afloat. This team should be super fun to watch given their fast pace and exciting young talent, but this line is just too high.