Sunday State of the Pacers: West Coast Woes and the Upcoming “Tank Bowl”

It’s the third installment of Sunday State of the Pacers, and this week we’re breaking down a tough stretch of games on Indiana’s west coast swing. The Pacers faced the Clippers, Lakers, and Trail Blazers in a week that featured reunion moments, a superstar scoring explosion, and continued defensive struggles. Former Pacers Benn Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson matched up against Indiana for the first time since the trade to Los Angeles, while Luka Dončić delivered a massive 44-point performance during the Lakers matchup. Meanwhile in Portland, the Pacers hung tough before a decisive 25–7 run just before halftime created a deficit they ultimately couldn’t overcome. We highlight the top individual performers for Indiana this week, discuss the defensive issues that continue to surface, and talk about what these games revealed about the roster as the team pushes through the final stretch of the season. Then we look ahead to the week to come as the Pacers close out their road trip in Sacramento in what could be dubbed the “Tank Bowl” — a matchup between the two teams at the top of the lottery standings. After that, Indiana returns home for games against Phoenix and the Knicks. All that and more in this week’s Sunday State of the Pacers.

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