We’ve started to sputter, the engine light is flickering on at times with undiagnosed faults and the sheen of the strong start is beginning to fade slightly in the onslaught of the realities of a full season.
We are meeting the Heat, twice, in Miami. They have lost their last three and may even be without Jimmy. But if we lose these two we will be back to .500 and we’ll have lost three in a row.
I feel that might be when reality returns to our perspective. I’m still good with my 44 wins prediction, but I know some of you were bullish on 50+.
If we do lose the next two games, and let’s be honest, that is well within the realm of possibilities, how disappointed will you be? Ready for a trade? Ready to demand different line-ups? Not disappointed because you know we’re growing basketball? (And ironically we haven’t done that for years and years…)
My expectations have always been this is a . 500 basketball team right now. If we slip to . 500, that’s about the level of basketball we have been playing for the most part.
As you said, it’s a long season. It’s 82 games. The Pacers are also a young team with new pieces and schemes. So they very well may end up an above . 500 team just by ironing out the inconsistencies that come with being a young team incorporating major changes this year.
With that said, I’d be ecstatic if they play above this level. Haliburton has already changed my mind on the type of option I thought he could be as he’s seemed to have improved a LOT this year (again).