The All-Star break isn't the halfway point of the NBA season, but always feels like it. For the Pacers, though, this one feels more like the gap between training camp and the start of the regular season.
They've had Victor Oladipo for seven games and have gone with the planned starting lineup in two. That amounts to an exhibition season of sorts, but unfortunately for them one that counts in the standings. They went 2-5 in the games after Oladipo returned on Jan. 29 and 1-1 in the games that the supposed starters actually started.
Now they'll practically begin anew when the season resumes on Feb.