Once the Nets were blown out at home by the Bulls on Monday, the Pacers suddenly gained control of their playoff destiny.
Win the final two games of the regular season, and they would get in. The only problem, of course, was that the two games that remained seemed difficult on the surface -- a back-to-back set that featured a home contest against the Wizards, followed by a trip to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies the very next night.
Indiana beat Washington to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive, but needed two overtimes to do so. The Pacers may be fatigued against a Grizzlies team that can be tough to face, so they’ll take any edge they can find -- and that includes their uniform choice.
The official release:The Indiana Pacers will wear their iconic Flo-Jo jerseys once again for Wednesday’s nationally-televised game at Memphis, the final game of the regular season. The Pacers have received approval from the NBA to wear their throwback uniforms for Wednesday’s game, which will be televised locally on FOX Sports Indiana and nationally on ESPN. Indiana can clinch a playoff berth for the fifth straight year with a win over the Grizzlies.
A longtime fan favorite, the Pacers originally wore the Flo-Jo jerseys, designed by USA Track and Field star Florence Griffith-Joyner, for seven seasons from 1990-1997; which coincided with the first major steps of success of the franchise during its NBA Years. During that time, the Pacers made six appearances in the playoffs and two Eastern Conference Finals appearances. ...
This season, the team originally wore the Flo-Jo jerseys in six games as part of the NBA’s Hardwood Classics program. After receiving permission from the NBA, the team wore them on April 10 in Detroit. The Pacers have not lost when wearing the jerseys, winning by an average of 10.7 points per game.That last part is key, and Indiana will hope to continue the trend one last time in order to sneak into the postseason.