The Indiana Pacers are returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, but they did not look like they would be seriously competing for a championship early in the season.
The Pacers began the season by losing four of their first six games, and went 16-18 over the first couple months. The team wasn't playing with consistency, especially star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who even failed to score a single point in the Pacers' second game of the season.
