The Indiana Pacers grabbed the first leg of this week’s series with the Detroit Pistons with a 111-102 victory on Monday. They don’t have to win in aggregate, but they do have to face the Pistons again on Wednesday, and this time, in Detroit.
More important than simply a win over their Central Division rival, the Pacers keep themselves in the running for home-court advantage against the Boston Celtics in the first round. Right now they are losing the tiebreaker to the Celtics, but by simply getting one regular season game ahead, they very well may change their playoff fate.