INDIANAPOLIS — The All-Star party is over in the NBA, and the focus shifts to the playoff chase.
Now that we've passed the metaphorical "midway" point of the season, here's a look at where the Indiana Pacers are for the final stretch.
The Pacers have played 56 games as of the All-Star break, compiling a 31-25 record. That mark is currently good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, square in the middle of a five-team group separated by a total of three games in the standings.
Under the relatively new NBA playoff format, the top six teams in each conference automatically make the playoffs, with the teams finishing in seventh through 10th place placed in a play-in tournament in order to advance.
Indiana currently sits 2 1/2 games behind New York and two games behind Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference, but would be in the playoffs if the postseason started today.
But the teams that are competing to get out of the play-in round are right on the Pacers' heels. Both Miami and Orlando are just a half game behind Indiana in the East. Chicago and Atlanta are a little further back, but would currently make the play-in tournament if the season ended at the All-Star break.
The Pacers have also played one game more than each team in fourth through 10th place.
Indiana will play exactly half of their final 26 games at home. They only play five games against the group of teams currently closest to them in the standings and just two against the current top three teams in the Eastern Conference — both against Cleveland.
Meanwhile, two of their remaining games are against the Detroit Pistons — the worst team in the league at the All-Star break.
The play-in games are currently scheduled to take place April 16-19, with the first round of the playoffs starting April 20.