The Pacers are one of many teams that will be tanking down the stretch run of this NBA season. Unlike most others of their ilk, though, Indiana didn’t really plan to be in this position after making a Finals run last season. But Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles took away the team’s top offensive option, and an utterly awful stretch to begin this year has anchored the Pacers to the bottom of the standings.
Nevertheless, Indy was one of the nails the NBA hit with the anti-tanking hammer before the All-Star break. The Pacers were fined $100,000 after the league determined they violated the Player Participation Policy (which was instituted to address load management, but is used to battle tanking, as well) by resting All-Star Pascal Siakam and two other starters on the second night of a back-to-back on Feb. 3. It was not nearly as heavy a fine as the Jazz received that day; Utah was hit with a $500,000 penalty for conduct detrimental to the league. Even so, $100,000 was a strong slap on the wrist for Indianapolis, and one coach Rick Carlisle did not agree with.
