Fun and entertaining are great, but it's time for the Pacers to reach the playoffs

With additions like Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin, the young and exciting Pacers are poised to take the next step and reach the post-season. But that's going to take a major defensive improvement.

The Pacers are done being the cute little team that plays entertaining offensive basketball, only to see their season end before the good stuff – the playoffs – begin. They’re done being competitive enough to be interesting and fun to watch, but not quite good enough to reach the post-season. They’re tired of building toward something down the road.

It's time to win.

Now.

To make the playoffs.

At the very least, the play-in tournament.

Prediction: They will. The Eastern Conference is wildly top-heavy with Milwaukee and Boston, but the rest of it is wide open. The Pacers will sneak in there. Somehow. It’s time.