Who’s got what it takes to make a genuine run in the Western Conference standings? Remember that the seeding in either NBA conference is determined by where you land in the standings. And the Utah Jazz have proven to be head-and-shoulders above the rest.

But in a race that seems wide-open, the Phoenix Suns are refusing to set; they are sitting 2.5 games behind the Jazz, with a better record than anyone else in the league.

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We saw that Phoenix was ready to make a leap, based on their 8-0 record in the bubble last season. But you have to admit that you didn’t think that coming out of the All-Star break, they would be ahead of the Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets in the playoff queue.

Will this continue? Well, on Saturday night they’ll play host to the Indiana Pacers, who are coming off a rough defeat and are in quite a chase of their own in the East.

We see an opportunity here, and we are ready to jump on it at 1Vice.

Indiana Pacers vs. Phoenix Suns

Pacers vs. Suns Betting Report

When: 10:05 PM ET

NBA Betting Odds: Suns -6.5, Total 221

First of all, let’s address the injury and illness situation. Cameron Johnson, the small forward who is averaging 10.4 points, mostly off the bench, is out due to COVID protocols. Devin Booker, the Suns’ leading scorer, is listed as probable as he continues to deal with his knee. But he did have 35 points the other night as Phoenix beat Portland.

That was the Suns’ fifth straight win and fourteenth in their last 16 games.

For the Pacers, TJ Warren is not coming back anytime soon from his foot injury. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Caris LeVert, who they acquired from the Nets in the roundabout trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn, is set to make his debut with the team after having surgery to remove a tumor in his kidney. LeVert, if you recall, was far and away Brooklyn’s biggest weapon in the bubble, and he was averaging 18.5 points for the Nets.

He’ll give the Pacers a boost. And they really need it.

Indiana has lost six of its last seven games, and right now they are out of the East playoff queue. But it’s definitely congested there, so their 16-20 record not only leaves them just a half-game from the eighth spot, they are just two and a half games out of fourth position. And there’s a lot of basketball left to play.

On Friday night, Indiana blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, falling 105-100 to the Lakers. Malcolm Brogdon had 29 points. Domantas Sabonis had 20 points and 14 rebounds. This is not a bad ensemble, but they could use more firepower. They dealt away Victor Oladipo in that same Harden trade, and LeVert gives them a viable third scoring option.

But last night’s game was a drain for them. After they lost the lead, they came back and tied it. Then they faded down the stretch.

Fading down the stretch won’t work well against Phoenix, which has the second-best average fourth-quarter margin in the league. They are also second-best at defending three-pointers. Monty Williams’ team is 24-11-1 against the number and has covered nine of the last 11 at home.

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The Pacers will eventually benefit a great deal from LeVert’s presence. In fact, they’ll likely get to the playoffs. But in this first game back, he’s likely not going to be pushed by head coach Nate Bjorkgren.

Yes, it’s a feel-good story. But at the end of 48 minutes, we don’t think the Pacers are going to feel any better than they did last night.

The Play: PHOENIX -6.5

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