Let’s be honest—no one really expected the Indiana Pacers to make the Finals. Heck, most people didn’t even think they’d make it out of the first round against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. And if you’ve been online at all, you’ve definitely seen the memes—Pascal Siakam sacrificing Victor Oladipo’s knees, or Tyrese Haliburton offering up Jim Irsay (which, let’s be real, probably happened). These Indiana playoff runs have been wild in the best way.
Coming into the playoffs as the 4th seed in the East, the Pacers were one of the most overlooked teams in the league. Most of the talk was about the so-called "stronger" teams like Boston, Cleveland, and New York. The Pacers opened the postseason against a banged-up Milwaukee squad—Damian Lillard was out with blood clots and a torn Achilles—but beating a healthy Giannis in five games? That’s no small feat.
Next up: the Cavs. And while Donovan Mitchell was on fire—dropping 34 a game on solid efficiency, including a 48-point explosion in Game 2—Indiana looked like the better team from start to finish. After two impressive series wins, the Pacers finally found themselves favored going into a matchup.
But the Knicks weren’t going down easy. That series went the distance. Jalen Brunson was doing his thing, averaging 29 points and keeping New York’s hopes alive. The Knicks, led by the Villanova crew, looked locked in. But in Game 7, Indiana came out swinging. Five players scored over 15 points, Aaron Nesmith didn’t miss a shot (literally—8 for 8), and Haliburton steered the ship like a seasoned vet.
Now here we are. The Finals. The Pacers already stole Game 1, but make no mistake—this series is going to be tough. That said, if you’ve got Tyrese Haliburton, the clutchest dude in the league right now, all you really need to do is keep the game close and let him launch a prayer at the buzzer. And odds are? It’s going in.
Landon Neilson
2025
Add comment
Comments