Apr 2, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) argues a foul in the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Heading into the 2021-22 NBA season, the Indiana Pacers have commonly been left out of the “contender” groupings despite a lot of optimism this summer. New head coach Rick Carlisle has a championship pedigree and is taking over a team with a clear-cut starting lineup that has zero holes to fill.
Even with a strong offseason under their belt, it appears the Pacers have not done enough to earn the respect of national media.