On Media Day, long before the Pacers were poised to match their Vegas win-total projection for the season with 39 games left to play, Rick Carlisle said the following when asked how he would define a successful season for the team this year:
“I would say, in general, that a lot of this is going to be the eye test. Over the course of the season, the people that follow this team and study this team see that from week-to-week and month-to-month that there are positive steps forward.”
To this point, at least prior to when Tyrese Haliburton sustained injuries to his elbow and knee that will sideline him for at least two weeks, the Pacers have managed to walk what most preseason predictions (including my own) pegged to be an invisible line, germinating buds of growth from various players on the roster while also mounting a surprise push for the playoffs.