The '23-'24 Pacers have numbed me to human emotion. I can no longer get excited after a big win, or upset after a disappointing loss. Highs and lows are for suckers. Like a monk, I'm choosing to reject them for the peaceful boredom of the middle.

I'm also rejecting terms like "turning a corner" or "learned their lesson." The Pacers are who they are: an offensively talented team that can beat anyone on a given night. Unfortunately, their fast paced style makes them highly susceptible to vagaries of variance.

Sometimes the three pointers just don't fall. That's what happened on Wednesday in Brooklyn, when the Pacers shot 10 of 38 from deep. The inability to make shots kept the game close and the ball didn't bounce our way at the end.

Will it be different tonight? Hopefully. Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, the Thunder will have plenty of firepower to take down the inconsistent Pacers. The polarizing Josh Giddey has had a resurgence over the last two weeks, averaging about 19 points and six assists on 63% from the field.

After briefly falling into play-in territory, the Heat's loss to the Sixers put the Pacers back into the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, we control our own destiny if we win out. Though that seems unlikely, I've been impressed with the Pacers ability to fight through adversity all year. In games where it seems like they are going to get blown out, they've frequently found a way to fight back and make it close. Hopefully that talent comes in handy as we enter post-season play.

Herb Simon HOF

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How to Watch

Tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET.

TV: Bally Sports Indiana, NBA League Pass

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

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