The Indiana Pacers' starting lineup is intact, but injuries to key reserves are slowing the team's quest for a playoff spot in the East.
Not long ago, the Indiana Pacers appeared safe when it came to making the 2017 NBA Playoffs. However, after losing five of their last six games, their status as a playoff team is very much in jeopardy.
One of the reasons for the recent slide has been the health of the team's bench.
Swingman Glenn Robinson III has come into his own as a solid rotation player this season, but he strained a calf in practice last week, and is expected back no sooner than the end of the regular season.
Al Jefferson was signed by the Pacers this past offseason to bolster their second unit, and he has become an important member of that group. The offense is generally run through Jefferson when he's on the floor, since he is one of the more skilled post players in the league.
Jefferson sprained his left ankle during a recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers, and like Robinson, his projected return from the injury is being placed around the end of the regular season schedule.
DAMN…. This could very well be the end of the road for Big Al Jefferson ???? pic.twitter.com/n02CI5mIUm
— The Fuzz (@TheFuzzNBA) March 27, 2017
Normally, a team having to play without two bench players is not considered a crisis, but for Indiana, it could make all the difference if they want to stay out of the NBA Draft Lottery.
The Pacers have very little room for error, as their play has been up-and-down all year long, and positions 5-11 are being closely contested and essentially up for grabs in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana is currently only half a game ahead of the Chicago Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot, and they are now embarking on one of the tougher remaining schedules in the East without two of their key reserves.
Glenn Robinson III has been giving the Pacers quality minutes off the bench, providing defense and timely shooting in relief of Paul George.
Al Jefferson has been the second unit's offensive go-to guy, so his absence is being felt on a unit that was already offensively-challenged.
@JessicaRilenge GR3 being out has been huge. Pacers have missed him badly.
— iPacers.com (@iPacersblog) April 1, 2017
There is a chance that newly-acquired guard Lance Stephenson can help ease the loss of Robinson, but he is returning to the team after a three-year hiatus and will need time to mesh with his new teammates.
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There is no one on the Pacers' roster who can replace the post-up game that Al Jefferson offers, so the team is having to reinvent the bench group's offensive plan while he is out of action.
There are a number of teams around the NBA who have more significant injury concerns than Indiana, but given their remaining regular season opponents and the tight playoff race in the East, the Pacers find themselves on the precipice of missing the playoffs in 2017.
With only six regular season games remaining, Indiana will have to band together without Robinson and Jefferson, because that duo will not be available soon enough to be involved in the stretch run.
For those who favor a team missing the playoffs rather than getting bounced out of the first round as a seventh or eighth seed, the injuries to Glenn Robinson III and Al Jefferson may be just enough to push the Indiana Pacers out of playoff contention in the final days of the regular season.
If the Pacers do hold on to a playoff position, they'll have to earn it by overcoming some difficult circumstances. To this point, they have not shown much resiliency over the course of the season. If they are capable of finding some, the time to do it is now.
