You can offer the excuse of a missing Domantas Sabonis, a new team growing accustomed to one another and the brilliance of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.
But the Pacers are getting past the point of giving excuses for their defeats, no matter how valid. Their 117-112 loss to New Orleans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday was more of the same, yet another late-game collapse that was due to their self-destructive tendencies at least as much as the opponent's achievements.
Just like in Philadelphia last Friday and in New York on Sunday, the Pacers failed to maintain a late lead because they failed to execute their offense.