The Indiana Pacers are a particularly intriguing team entering the 2026-27 season, having gone from the NBA Finals to a franchise-worst 19 wins over the past two seasons.
Analyst and former coach Stan Van Gundy thinks of them as the Eastern Conference's "most confusing team."
"When I compare them to the other teams, I don't know if I even see them in the top six to get a guaranteed playoff spot," Van Gundy said on the "Zach Lowe Show." "Certainly they have that upside because we've seen them do it."
Van Gundy's questions revolve primarily around Tyrese Haliburton's recovery from the torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals that kept him out all of last season. He also has issues with Andrew Nembhard ("mediocre at best") and Aaron Nesmith ("I'm, like, oh, I don't know"), given their play last season.
"I just wonder if they've lost something in the last two years," Van Gundy said, though he added: "If they're healthy, I think they could make the Finals again."
He sees a reasonable case for Indiana to finish anywhere from fourth (homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs) to 10th (facing an uphill climb in the play-in).
"I think the East could be crazy," he concluded.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Pacers seen as NBA's most confusing team by Stan Van Gundy