What Do the Pacers Need to Do to Get Back to the NBA Finals in 2027?

After decades of the same team winning the NBA Title multiple years in a row, the league has seen a shift in parody across the league. Once the series is over between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, there will be a new champion for the eighth year in a row.

If the trend continues to go this way, the Pacers would love to be a part of this history and win their first ever NBA Championship. But before we start talking about winning a title, the Pacers have to get their first.

At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, the Pacers started out as a discombobulated team that was struggling to reach a five-hundred record. At the end of December, they were still under five-hundred with a 16-18 record.

Dec 8, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after a play during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

In order to end the season on a higher note than they started, Indiana went on to win 34 of their remaining 48 games and finish with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

During that stretch the Pacers had the 7th best offense and the 9th best defense. This high-level of play on both sides of the ball got them the 6th best net rating in the league.

Offensively, they finished this portion of the season with the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA, fifth in points per game, fifth in field goal percentage, second in assists, and ninth in personal fouls drawn. From three-point, Indiana was fifteenth in makes and seventeenth in attempts. This was a drastic improvement from the first part of the season where they were nineteenth in makes and twenty-sixth in attempts.

Defensively, the Pacers were the third best at limiting opponents points off turnovers and points off fastbreaks, went sixth in steals per game, and also led the NBA in total blocks. During the first portion of the season, they were just sixteenth in steals, and thirteenth in blocks. Similar to their offense, a drastic improvement the final 48 games of the season.

Offensive and Defensive Rankings for Teams in the Last Four NBA Finals

wemby KA — Mar 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) fight for a rebound during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Last season, the Pacers had the third best offense and the eighth best defense in the playoffs, OKC had the fifth best offense and the best defense overall.

In 2024, Boston and Dallas faced each other in the NBA Finals. Boston had the fourth best offense and third best defense. Dallas had the seventh best offense and the fifth best defense.

In 2023, Denver and Miami went head-to-head in the NBA Finals. Denver had the best offense and the fourth best defense. Miami had the seventh best offense and the eighth best defense.

Through the last four seasons, the teams that finish with both a top five offense and defense in the playoffs win the championship. This data proves that you have to be effective on both sides of the basketball or you will have a much harder time winning it all.

What Else Builds an NBA Champion Contender

Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver awards the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) after the Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Championship against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For a team to be talented enough to make the NBA Finals they must have a superstar level player. In addition to a superstar level player, they need a terrific co-star to help carry the load of leading a team to sixteen wins.

In addition to the top-two players shouldering the load of repsonsibility, no team can reach the mountain top without a strong supporting cast around them. For every great Michael Jordan moment in the NBA Finals, there's a Steve Kerr game-winning three. Role players matter just as much as the stars.

williams — May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives the ball in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

One of the most important aspects of winning a title is health. It is rare to a see a team that is battling injuries across the roster make it all the way to the finish line. Last season, OKC had a mostly healthy roster throughout their Championship run, but in the 2026 Western Conference Finals they had to navigate a difficult hamstring injury for Jalen Williams and a calf injury for Ajay Mitchell.

They ended up falling short in Game 7 to San Antonio but many believe that had their roster been healthy they make their way back to the NBA Finals. While that might be true, it's hard to feel bad for the Thunder when they won the title last season, going against an Indiana team that lost its' best player (who was on an unbelievable first quarter heater) halfway through the first quarter of a deciding Game 7.

Now this leads me to my last point. You can have the superstar, you can have the co-star, you can have the healthiest playoff run in the world, but every playoff run needs a little luck. This doesn't discredit all the hard work that a team puts into reaching the NBA Finals, but every title team has endured "good luck" along the way.

May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates with teammates after tying the game in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime against the New York Knicks during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Whether it's a questionable call going your way, or a ball hitting off the back of the iron and shooting thirty-feet into outer space before falling through the net after a role player hit five three-pointers in a row to steal a game they had no business winning on the road.

There are so many factors that come into play when looking at how a team won a championship, but it is the team who consistently plays at the highest level on both sides of the basketball that finds themselves hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the end of the NBA season.

Do the Pacers Have the Right Pieces in Play to Win a Championship?

haliburton siakam toppin — Oct 30, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts to forward Pascal Siakam (43) making a three point shot to win the game against the Boston Celtics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Entering the 2026-27 season, expectations are that the Pacers will be fully healthy across the board. However, they will have to slowly work Tyrese Haliburton back into game shape, which might take some time. This puts Indiana a little behind in the "fully healthy" category, but it should not impact their health come playoff time.

Again, with Tyrese Haliburton, he was the superstar for the Pacers in their last postseason run, and the hope is that by April he is fully himself again, and possibly even better. Pascal Siakam will without question be the team's co-star that every championship contender needs, but he also has the ability to play the superstar role in any given game.

The role players around the two stars is extremely solid. Indiana has a strong starting five and two strong bench players. With that core seven, they can compete with anyone. It will be up to the front office to find the right 8-10 players who can balance out their roster, if they don't believe those players are already on the roster.

Lastly, Indiana will need to be a strong offensive and defensive team throughout the season. Aside from the Nuggets and Warriors, every NBA Champion since 2021 has finished top ten in both offense and defense. The Pacers should aim to be a top ten in both categories, but if they can at least finish top ten in one category and top fifteen in the other, that shows a solid balance.

Final Thoughts

Carlisle Haliburton — Dec 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle talks to guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter of the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship game against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Pacers have assembled a strong team that has what it takes to make it back to the NBA Finals. However, everything hinges on the health of their franchise superstar, Tyrese Haliburton. Last season proved that Haliburton isn't just one of the leagues best players, but he is the most clutch player in the NBA, a terrific leader, and a winner.

If he is stronger and wiser from his experiences the last two seasons, there is no reason why the Pacers can't get back to the NBA Finals. Other moves will take place throughout the offseason as other Eastern Cofnerence teams look to sure up their roster in hopes of winning the East.

Indiana's front office has spoken highly of their group and they want to win-now. If the front office backs up their words and continues to make the necessary tweaks to the roster that gives them the best chance to win at the highest level, the Pacers will be in prime position to compete with the top teams of the East.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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