Can the Pacers Stop the Bleeding?:

Calling the Pacer's recent struggles a slump is like calling the grand canyon a ditch. What they have done is nothing short of a total collapse. They have been in a dead free-fall down the Eastern-Conference Standings for a solid month now. They have lost 12 of their last 14 games and have dropped all the way to 4th in the East. The Pacers have not only been losing, and losing badly, they have been playing a lousy brand of basketball. Many players are being selfish not only on the offensive end but on the defensive end. They no longer are playing great team defense. The enthusiasm and emotion is gone, as is the "us against the world mentality". They aren't having any fun, they are simply going through the motions. So, is this the beginning of the end for the Pacers? Will they continue to plummet down the standings, or will they regroup, pull together, and start playing like we all know they can? Only time will tell.

The Week Ahead:

The Pacer's season is down to 16 games, and they are at a position that not even the biggest Pacer doubters could have foreseen just a month ago, looking up in the standings. The Pacers are currently 2 ? games behind the Pistons and 1 ? games behind the Nets. The next week could be the biggest indicator of which Pacer team will finish out the season. The next five games, four of which are at home, are against teams the Pacers lost to during the past month. If the Pacers have any team pride remaining they will show us the fire that drove them at the beginning of the season. They will start making things happen instead of waiting for the refs to do something, and they will start fighting for each other instead of trying to get into a fight with an opponent. If not we will be watching the Pacers limp there way into and out of the Playoffs.

Injures:

When it rains it pours right? Just when the Pacers need to be pulling together for final playoff push, they continue to get nailed by injuries. Brad Miller has been kept out of two games with a sore foot, and Jamal Tinsley has been out with a rash of injures combined with personal problems. On the positive side (one of the very few for the Pacers right now) Jonathan Bender finally seems to be healthy and may finally be ready to be a serious contributor. He showed us a glimpse of what he is capable of on Friday as he lead the Pacers to victory with a career-high 22 points and 7 rebounds. He could play a major role down the stretch for the Pacers.

Weekly Predictions:

I am predicting like a blind fan this week, and going with what my team really needs. Pacers go 4-0.

Last Week: 1-2

Season Total:15-13

Portland: Revenge a factor in all these games but Portland beat-up the Pacers last time they played. Look for a big game from JO.

Boston: A possible first round match-up? Hopefully not though. Pacers by 3.

Memphis: Memphis has been winning as of late, but the Pacers have more to play for. Pacers by 9.

@ Atlanta: Atlanta has officially mailed it in this season. They have had a terrible season and play like they want to pull a St. Bonnie. Pacers by 10 or more.
Marc Roberts covers the Pacers for Hoopsworld.com and also covers the Pacers on pacers.realgm.com