The Indiana Pacers officially start off their first playoff series tomorrow after a 5 year hiatus.  I can barely hold back my excitement for these guys and the city!  The field of NBA teams still playing has narrowed quite a bit, so the exposure has been great!

Mike Dunleavy is officially passing along his torch of non-playoff seasons, as he finally ends his drought.  It is great to have him back in the rotation after a long injury stint.  The Pacers seem very focused and keyed into how they can be successful against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.  One very interesting tidbit to read (for me, anyways) is who people think the "X-Factor" is in this series for the Pacers.  Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough seem to be pretty consistent in this category, but who do you guys think is the "X-Factor"?? I think Darren Collison can have the biggest impact (positively or negatively), and help the most since all runs through him.  If his assist numbers are up and he is averaging mid-teens in points, that means the Pacers are working the ball around and he is willing and able to get the the bucket....Collison is my X-Factor, who is yours?

There are plenty of previews from many perspectives, creating the longest list of links I have put together this season!  So, check out the links and enjoy the exposure for our Pacers!  Also, for anyone who is able, head downtown today and check out the pep rally at Circle Center Food Court....as Tom mentioned, do a write up if you attend and he will put something on the front page to pass along to other readers...

GO PACERS!

• PACERS: PACERS WELCOME FOUR PRESENTING PLAYOFFS PARTNERS; PLAN MAJOR PEP RALLY  Here is some info on the Pacers' pep rally being held downtown today...
• Derrick McKey Checks in for Some Crate Talk... 
• Pacers must stop Bulls' Rose, but he's not job No. 1 | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com  Fast. Aggressive. Athletic. Strong. Those words could be used to describe Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, the league's leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player award.
• Notebook: Playoff drought is over for Pacers' Dunleavy | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com  Mike Wells takes a look at Mike Dunleavy's playoff drought...finally has come to an end!
• Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls NBA Playoff schedule | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com  Here is the full Pacers' playoff schedule...
• PACERS VIDEO: Larry Bird Interview 
• Bulls-Pacers: How they match up - Chicago Sun-Times  Series prediction from Chicago perspective...
• Pacers postseason notebook: Indiana is ready for potential MVP Rose - fox59.com  Ken Sothman catches up with the Pacers as they prep for the Bulls.
• Playoffs will pay off for Pacers  Even WishTV wrote an article on the playoffs!
• NBA Playoff Preview: Chicago vs. Indiana | ProBasketballTalk
• Pacers vs. Bulls Playoff Preview, Part 4: Beating the Bulls - 8.9
• No One at ESPN Thinks Indy Will Beat Chicago - 8.9
• Pacers will be physical vs. Bulls - Chicago Bulls Blog - ESPN Chicago  Mark Montieth reports that the Pacers are hoping their physicality can be an equalizer vs. the Bulls.
• K.C. Johnson's Chicago Bulls mailbag - chicagotribune.com  Joakim Noah is dealing with ankle AND knee issues? That's a shame. 
• Bulls wary of upset potential vs. Pacers in playoffs - chicagotribune.com
• The Canadian Press: Preview capsules of the NBA's first-round playoff series
• Bulls vs. Pacers - Lee Jenkins - SI.com
• 5-on-5: The road to the NBA championship - ESPN  Seems most think Chicago has the easiest path to the finals...hopefully, the Pacers prove many wrong...
• Rose anxious as playoffs start - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
• NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference First Round Picks - CBSSports.com
• Pacers-Bulls Preview: Very good, very average - CBSSports.com
• Chicago Bulls' Tom Thibodeau: Derrick Rose is only going to get better - ESPN Chicago
• Danny Granger maintains that Indiana Pacers have better shot at beating Chicago Bulls than Boston Celtics - ESPN Chicago
• Basketball - NBA Wire News  Pacers v. Bulls Preview from Hoopsworld...
• TBJ Playoff Preview: Bulls vs. Pacers | Blog Archive | The Basketball Jones | Blogs | TheScore.com
• Indiana vs. Chicago Preview - NBA - FOX Sports on MSN
• Blog a Bull
• Final NBA Power Rankings For 2010-11 - RealGM Basketball Blog  Pacers still in the 20's in this poll?? Seems a bit odd considering they play in the playoffs tomorrow....I guess it's all opinion, though...
• Knicks Get an Unlikely Proponent: Reggie Miller - NYTimes.com  Reggie Miller, once the Knicks' tormentor and now a television analyst, said he believes the Knicks can beat the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.