Ok, so the dreaded early season west coast trip is all said and done.  If someone would have said they would have gone two and two during that stretch at the beginning of the season, most of us probably would have laughed or at least would have been very skeptical.  As Tom pointed out yesterday, the Pacers have definitely raised expectations, which is very exciting!  So now we all sit and wait....expectations raised and we sit disappointed and look at what could have been, this all because of the hope and raised expectations this Pacer team has given us.

The next three games are against sub-500 teams.  The Pacers are very capable and actually should (see, there are those higher expectations...it used to be "could") win these three games to bring their record to an impressive 12-9.  Now, the question is which team can we can expect?  The team that just recently beat up the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers?  Or, will it be Danny Granger's 2-13 and the Pacers' poor defense against the Suns showing up once again?

The Pacers have yet to win three games in a row so far in the early season, and this is their shot to do so.  Let's see what the Pacers are made of and get these three against the Raptors, Bucks and Bobcats and then focus on the 4th (against the Atlanta Hawks).

We have seen what the Pacers are capable of at times this season. What do you guys think is needed to put together a long string of wins or simply more consistency over a month-long period? It is coaching, simply consistency, change in personnel?? Let me know in the comments what will help this ball club...

After the jump check out the links of the day...

• Pacers' Jones rebounds from slow start
  It was only a couple of weeks ago that reserve center Solomon Jones was more of a liability than an asset on the court for the Indiana Pacers.
• The Point Forward " Posts Assessing the NBA at the quarter mark, Pt. I
  Pacers second in most surprising teams of the year thus far
• Knicks' reclamation project Shawne Williams taking advantage of latest opportunity
  Potential was always there....head was not...