The Indiana Pacers scored 4 points over the final 6:45 of Monday’s game to the San Antonio Spurs. As a result, a 10-point lead turned into a 2-point loss.

This lackluster production came not long after Indiana held San Antonio to an 18-point third quarter to take control. It wasn’t the first time the Pacer offense let down the Pacer defense.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Indiana has held their opponent to less than one point per possession 20 times this year, just a little under 38% of their games. Leaguewide, teams only accomplish this difficult task about 27% of the time — and only five teams have done so more often than the Pacers this season.

Unfortunately, the Pacers have only won 50% — going 10-10 — of these 20 games.

Meanwhile, the other 29 teams have turned more than 85% of the opportunities into wins.

Not only is this conversion rate the worst in the NBA this year, it’s one of the worst winning percentages any team has posted in such games during last decade.

The Indiana Pacers Futility in Historic Context

Over the 10 seasons prior to this year, teams holding their opponents to less than a point per possession won 84% of games, going a remarkable 5246-968. Compare that to the 50% win rate of this year’s Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers are trying to claw their way back into the playoffs. As of this morning, they stood two-and-a-half games behind the 8th-seeded Charlotte Hornets and only three games behind #7 Miami.

By going just 10-10 in games when they have played top-notch defense, Indiana has easily left at least five wins on the table.

This is a hard fact to accept for a team starving for wins — and one that might be the difference between making the playoffs and going fishing early.