If you believe in momentum heading into the NBA playoffs, you understand why the Indiana Pacers desperately need to pick things up over the final nine games of the season. The Pacers, who still own the best record in the Eastern Conference, have gone just 8-8 in the month of March — their worst this season. David West spoke about his team’s struggles after Friday night’s loss.
“We look vulnerable,” West said, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. “We look like teams can just come at us. Again, it’s because we don’t play a good brand of basketball.”
West’s comments came after Indiana lost to the Washington Wizards, a mediocre team at best. The Pacers committed 17 turnovers in the game, and West was responsible for four of them. He believes his team is taking lesser opponents too lightly.
“We’re at the point where we can’t just get up for the Miamis or the Chicago Bulls and then come out and get doughnuts against the Wizards or these other teams,” West said, via ESPN.com. “I just don’t know if we are handling success and being out front the right way.”
Roy Hibbert sounded just as frustrated as West.
“I don’t know. We’re tired of talking about it,” Hibbert said. “We’ve been in this rut for a month. You take one step forward, three steps back.”
We know the Heat are going to bring it come playoff time. They have won back-to-back championships and LeBron James is hungry for a third. If the Pacers want to stop them, they’ll have to match their intensity. Indiana certainly has the talent. Hopefully they’re getting their bad games out of the way now.
