2025-2026 NBA playoff chances: Former Eastern Conference champion struggles at bottom as Tyrese Haliburton remains away

It has not been a good season for the 2024-2025 NBA Eastern Conference champions. The Indiana Pacers are struggling at the bottom. Key player Tyrese Haliburton remains away for the entire season due to his injury. The player’s absence is felt as the team struggles to rack up wins this season. The Pacers are in the second-to-last position. Out of the 30 games played, the team has only secured 6 wins to date.

Within the team, Pascal Siakam is leading the scoring table with an average of 23.5 points. Following up are Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin. Despite the decent average being racked up by the players, the team has failed to leave an impact this season. Their last win was against the Sacramento Kings. Let’s have a look at the overall stats of the team and their probability to qualify for the playoffs.

Will the Indiana Pacers qualify for the 2025-2026 NBA playoffs?

It will be a long season for the Indiana Pacers. The team started the season on a disappointing note as they faced 5 back-to-back losses. They finally secured a win against the Golden State Warriors. However, it was a short-lived success, as a trail of losses followed right after. Their win percentage currently is .200, just a few points more than the Washington Wizards. The differential points for the team are one of the lowest within the conference, standing at -8.5.


Tyrese Haliburton played a major role in the last season while leading the team to the season finale. However, he got sidelined due to his Achilles injury and it was declared that the player would remain away for the entire season. This might be one of the major reasons for the team not performing well this season. Looking at the recent performance put up by the Pacers, it is quite evident that the team might not qualify for the playoffs this season.

Who are the top-performing teams of the Eastern Conference?

The top-performing teams of the Eastern Conference are the Detroit Pistons, the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics, the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic. The Detroits are leading the conference with a 24-6 win-loss streak. They are the second across both conferences, right after the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the middle, struggling for the playoffs, are the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks.

Also Read: 2025-26 NBA playoff chances: Boston Celtics climb rankings as Eastern Conference rivals tighten race for third spot

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