After making a memorable run to the Finals of the NBA In-Season Tournament a year ago, the 2024-25 Indiana Pacers faced a different fate. This season, in the freshly re-dubbed Emirates NBA Cup, they couldn't even advance beyond the group play stage. Currently holding the Eastern Conference's No. 10 seed with a 9-14 record, the Pacers went 0-4 in their East Group B bracket, with a concerning -60 point differential across those four losses.

Group Play Struggles and Next Week's Schedule

The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, went 4-0 and advanced from their group. Their group included the Detroit Pistons (3-1), the Miami Heat (2-2), and the Toronto Raptors (1-3). Next week, they'll face the Orlando Magic in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. According to Alex Golden of The Blue And Golden, the Pacers' schedule for next week has been set. They'll travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers on December 13 and host the New Orleans Pelicans on December 15.

Last Year's Finals Appearance and Current Team

Last year, the Pacers fell to the Los Angeles Lakers with a score of 123-109. At that time, the team hadn't acquired two-time All-NBA power forward Pascal Siakam through a mid-season trade. Instead, they started Obi Toppin at the four spot and eventual Toronto Raptors small forward Bruce Brown at the three. In that game, All-NBA Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton led the way for the losing side. He scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field (2-of-8 from long range) and 2-of-3 shooting from the foul line, while also dishing out 11 dimes, pulling down one rebound, blocking a shot, and swiping one steal.All-NBA Lakers center Anthony Davis had a dominant performance for L.A., scoring 41 points on 16-of-24 shooting from the field and 9-of-13 from the foul line, pulling down a whopping 20 rebounds, passing for five assists, and blocking four shots. All-NBA Lakers forward LeBron James also contributed, chipping in 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 shooting from the charity stripe, grabbing 11 rebounds, passing for four assists, and snagging two steals.

The Significance of the NBA Cup and Room for Improvement

The NBA Cup is a unique competition that adds some excitement to the long regular season. While it may not have significant implications in the grand scheme of things, it still matters who makes it to the end. For the Indiana Pacers, there is clear room for improvement. Although the 76ers and Pelicans may be loaded with All-Stars, injuries, age, and chemistry issues have affected both clubs, and they now rank among the league's worst. The Pacers should be able to take advantage of this and climb to a.500 record as they face these opponents on their quest for better performance.