Indianapolis, IN – The Indiana Pacers clinched their first Central Division title in nine years on Sunday after the second-place Chicago Bulls fell to the Detroit Pistons.
The division crown is the fifth in franchise history since the NBA restructured its alignment in the 1979-80 season and the Pacers became a member of the Central.
Indiana is 48-29 this season and sits third in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games behind the New York Knicks and 3 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets.
As the division winner, the Pacers are guaranteed a home playoff series and cannot be seeded lower than fourth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Indiana, which was idle on Sunday, hosts Cleveland on Tuesday.
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