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SB Nation's Drew Garrison released his first NBA power rankingspost of the 2014-14 season and you'll need your scroll functionality to find the Indiana Pacers starting at No. 22.
On a day when the Pacers injury news turned things even more sour, the No. 22 rank seems about right, as Garrison explains.
All it takes is one injury to change everything for a team. The Pacers losing Paul George for the season, shortly after losing Lance Stephenson in free agency, is just too much. They struggled offensively even with their two playmakers on the team. Without either of them? At least they own their 2015 first-round draft pick.
So our positive take-away for the season is that next summer, the Pacers have their top pick. Good times (dun, dun, dun) These are such good times!
Garrison's rankings have the Pacers sandwiched between the Detroit Pistons (21) and the Utah Jazz (23). How'd that cold splash of water feel?
At the top of the list, you know, the neighborhood the Pacers rented in last year, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs sit at the top, followed by the L.A. Clippers (2nd), Chicago Bulls (3rd), Cleveland Cavaliers (4th) and Golden State Warriors (5th).