ON FEB. 1, the Indiana Pacers woke up in Miami with a four-game losing streak, their All-Star Victor Oladipo was recovering from season-ending surgery, they'd slipped to fifth place in the Eastern Conference and there were no firm plans for help to come at the trade deadline.
For every NBA team in every season, a little rain must fall. Sometimes it's a lot. Sometimes it's a deluge.
Handling adversity is a skill, especially in a league with a seven-month regular season. It's something that can be taught. It's something that can be learned.