The Pacers are days away from locking in their second consecutive playoff spot and eight games or less away from possibly securing home court in their first round playoff series after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-98 in overtime on Wednesday.
The Pacers may not know who they'll be playing until the end of the regular season, but there's definitely one team they don't want face.
The Atlanta Hawks, who trail the Pacers by two games, are a matchup nightmare for Indiana. Forward Josh Smith averaged 23.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and almost two blocks in three games against the Pacers this season. Guard Joe Johnson also presents problems for the Pacers wing players.
The Pacers split their season series with the Boston this season, but the Celtics have become the best defensive team in the league again, as they try to make one more run at a title with their Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.
Indiana was 1-3 against Orlando this season, but the Magic may be the best matchup for them because of the nonstop drama with All-Star center Dwight Howard.
Whoever they face, the road to the second round against either Chicago or Miami won't be easy for the Pacers.
F David West delivered a blow to the Cavaliers in more than one way. Cleveland's mascot Moondog had to go to the hospital to get his eye checked out after he was accidentally hit in it by West when the two were joking around before the game. "He jumped at me, so I thought we were playing around and then the next thing I know he went down," West said. "It was definitely an accident."
Pacers president Larry Bird made his first appearance on the David Letterman show Wednesday. Bird's in New York for the premiere of his Broadway play "Bird/Magic," which is based off the rivalry of Bird and Magic Johnson when the two played for the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.
"We just wanted to make sure we contested every shot, got every rebound and made everything tough for them." Center Roy Hibbert.
