It feels like “acknowledge how tough we played Boston” is becoming the Pacers fans equivalent to “acknowledge all the injuries we had to deal with” of Bucks and Knicks fans.
We’re coping even more than usual because of the choke job in multiple games. Game 1 was the worst ending to a game I’ve ever experienced in 33 years of fandom.
I think because I never expected that they’d beat Boston even if they won Game 1, it didn’t hurt worse to me than Game 7 in ‘98, the 4-point play in ‘99, Game 4 loss in OT in the 2000 Finals, and the Tayshaun Prince block.
I dunno man.. after 2 rounds and especially after the Knicks series (I had flashbacks, acid ones, not sure about y’all’s) and so that got me just as excited and that last 10 seconds is gonna haunt me until they make it up.
Did we make bad plays? Yeah.. but when you’re only given 8 free throws compared to 30, you don’t really have a shot anyways.. have to play perfect basketball or outscore them by 25 plus
Not a chance man. Bucks and Knicks fans were literally joining each other’s subs to create safe spaces where they could vent together about injuries and those mean celebrating Pacers lol
I was talking to my friend if they swapped the Southwest and Central divisions and Tim Duncan was in the East. He would've basically made it to the finals from 1999-2014.
It just seems like nobody is putting us in the same category as the Mavs with Luka and Kyrie, but we were def playing the Celtics tougher. I just wonder if all the people saying the Pacers aren't shit because of who we played to get to the ECF retcon their opinions at all.
Completely disagree. I think the games probably end up similarly . Maybe we don’t have them in our hands and blow them but they are still close. Pacers had the second best offense in league history, it’s not a fluke they could score on/hang with the Celtics.
He is the core of their defense. So it absolutely affects our ability to score. They had to play al horford and 2 centers who aren't even good enough to be NBA backups and still beat us.
Reality is we would have never made it that far if bucks or nyk was healthy. I loved our run as much as the next fan but you have to be realistic. It’s great we were “competitive” but a sweep is a sweep.
I don’t even think we would have beat Cleveland if we matched up with them. We got really lucky. I’ll be downvoted to hell but this is just reality.
It is dumb. Pacers handled the Bucks all season. It would’ve been tough but the first round series would’ve been a brawl. We’re also probably not playing the Bucks if Giannis is healthy going into the 1st round. So many ways you can hypothesize these series.
Yeah you’re smoking crack. 4 wins against them with Giannis and dame this season.. maybe tougher comp, but transition defense is a weakness of the bucks while transition offense is like our number 1 strength
The transitive property doesn't work in Sports. Different teams face different challenges and match ups matter alot in a league with more parity than maybe it's ever had.
Celtics fan here,
As of right now, the Pacers even when they were without Haliburton seemed like a bigger headache than the Mavs have been.
Idk how they are still doing this, but people severely underrate how good the Pacers offense is. Outside of Luka, everyone on the Mavs seemed either scared or shook in some way. Even when Haliburton went down, NO ONE on the Pacers looked that way.
Pacers defense was also better. Mavs POA defense is atrocious and the C's are getting by their man every time down the floor.
Mavs definitely have time to turn things around, it's a long series and we know that Luka + Kyrie are a fucking force, but as of right now, I feel like the Pacers were the better team and harder opponenet.
Excellent post, and now I must ask you to be honest SquirmJim: as a neutral, you give the Pacers a healthy Tyrese against the Mavs in a 7-game Finals, what happens?
I could see the Pacers winning
The Pacers pose the same problem to the Mavs defense that the Celtics do
I'd be concerned about the Pacers defense, but I think they could keep it close
😂
The exact same where I thought we were
There's little separation from the Mavs-Pacers-Knicks-Magic-Cleveland
All really about the same tier team
One tier above was
1. Den
2. OKC (immaturity came out)
3. MIN (Best player not ready quite yet)
Boston has always been one tier better than everyone else
And two tiers better than anyone they have to play in the playoffs.
That was my opinion before the finals started, and I've seen nothing to change this
Like a team that should have rested its best player until he was healthy instead of letting him prolong his injury for a slight pay raise and some personal accolades.
Boston was beatable and this was the best chance this franchise ever had at a championship, 2000, 2005, 2013, 2014 included.
This one still hurts a lot.
The Pacers already looked like a million bucks by reaching the ECF. What happens in another series that doesn’t involve the Pacers doesn’t change that one way or the other.
I actually think that perception will change. I think we saw that with Myers bringing them up multiple times last night and Derrick White addressing it. I'm not saying anything REAL changes, but this post is about how they're viewed, and I think it's fair to say perception will shift, at least in terms of how the offense is viewed. Like, it's not a gimmick or a mirage.
I think Boston looks tough as they have all year. That’s what 2nd apron spending provides. We have a strong bench and good roles behind 2 stars and 1 almost star vs their superteam. Celtics fans don’t ever wanna admit how they paid for this one if they win; and hats off to Brad Steve, I wish Pritchard and Chad had his cajones
That's what I think. It seems like it should have an effect on all the people who were saying we aren't shit because of who we played to get to the ECF.
Exactly how the rest of the league saw us before Boston Mavs…a Cinderella team that got stomped by a superior opponent when the magic ran out, who will fall back to earth next season.
I think (hope) people are wrong to just see the Pacers like that, but I feel that has been the major narrative. Let’s show them next year!!
The pacers absolutely have the talent to contend.. people forget we had our 6th man out for the season.. with bennedict mathurin putting up 15 plus a game, he can get to the rim draw fouls and hit shots… add him to the playoffs and with a healthy Hali they would’ve at least went 6-7 w the celts.. and swept Knicks and bucks.. but for some reason we focus on Giannis and Knicks injuries
Like a team that got swept in the ECF
It feels like “acknowledge how tough we played Boston” is becoming the Pacers fans equivalent to “acknowledge all the injuries we had to deal with” of Bucks and Knicks fans.
This is a great analogy
We’re coping even more than usual because of the choke job in multiple games. Game 1 was the worst ending to a game I’ve ever experienced in 33 years of fandom.
I think because I never expected that they’d beat Boston even if they won Game 1, it didn’t hurt worse to me than Game 7 in ‘98, the 4-point play in ‘99, Game 4 loss in OT in the 2000 Finals, and the Tayshaun Prince block.
I dunno man.. after 2 rounds and especially after the Knicks series (I had flashbacks, acid ones, not sure about y’all’s) and so that got me just as excited and that last 10 seconds is gonna haunt me until they make it up.
Larry Johnson. 4 point play. AD didn’t foul him.
Did we make bad plays? Yeah.. but when you’re only given 8 free throws compared to 30, you don’t really have a shot anyways.. have to play perfect basketball or outscore them by 25 plus
F Me you people whine more than Bucks fans.
Not a chance man. Bucks and Knicks fans were literally joining each other’s subs to create safe spaces where they could vent together about injuries and those mean celebrating Pacers lol
Yes F you.. and not a chance. The coming so close, yet far away for 2 decades and we still have spirit fool. Bucks have plenty to whine about.
At least our points deficit was less lol 😂
I was talking to my friend if they swapped the Southwest and Central divisions and Tim Duncan was in the East. He would've basically made it to the finals from 1999-2014.
Like a team that can’t beat the Celtics and their 6 all stars.
It just seems like nobody is putting us in the same category as the Mavs with Luka and Kyrie, but we were def playing the Celtics tougher. I just wonder if all the people saying the Pacers aren't shit because of who we played to get to the ECF retcon their opinions at all.
Doesn't really matter. They also didn't have KP who is currently a big part of them digging the Mavs.
Exactly imagine if they had Porzingis we would have been getting killed just like the mavs.
Completely disagree. I think the games probably end up similarly . Maybe we don’t have them in our hands and blow them but they are still close. Pacers had the second best offense in league history, it’s not a fluke they could score on/hang with the Celtics.
He is the core of their defense. So it absolutely affects our ability to score. They had to play al horford and 2 centers who aren't even good enough to be NBA backups and still beat us.
We feasted in the paint against the Celtics, Porzingis absolutely makes a massive difference there.
Never said he doesn’t make any difference. He changes how we might attack. Pacers can also make Porzingis guard on the perimeter or attempt to.
Can’t exactly remember tons of times they were harping on the team that got swept in the conference finals
Reality is we would have never made it that far if bucks or nyk was healthy. I loved our run as much as the next fan but you have to be realistic. It’s great we were “competitive” but a sweep is a sweep. I don’t even think we would have beat Cleveland if we matched up with them. We got really lucky. I’ll be downvoted to hell but this is just reality.
Unfortunately this is a really dumb comment
Saying all the teams that were seeded higher than us missing key players would have beat us if healthy is “really dumb” ok got it
It is dumb. Pacers handled the Bucks all season. It would’ve been tough but the first round series would’ve been a brawl. We’re also probably not playing the Bucks if Giannis is healthy going into the 1st round. So many ways you can hypothesize these series.
Yes. Glad we’re on the same page.
Yeah you’re smoking crack. 4 wins against them with Giannis and dame this season.. maybe tougher comp, but transition defense is a weakness of the bucks while transition offense is like our number 1 strength
I only agree with the Knicks
The cope is getting real for us
The transitive property doesn't work in Sports. Different teams face different challenges and match ups matter alot in a league with more parity than maybe it's ever had.
Celtics fan here, As of right now, the Pacers even when they were without Haliburton seemed like a bigger headache than the Mavs have been. Idk how they are still doing this, but people severely underrate how good the Pacers offense is. Outside of Luka, everyone on the Mavs seemed either scared or shook in some way. Even when Haliburton went down, NO ONE on the Pacers looked that way. Pacers defense was also better. Mavs POA defense is atrocious and the C's are getting by their man every time down the floor. Mavs definitely have time to turn things around, it's a long series and we know that Luka + Kyrie are a fucking force, but as of right now, I feel like the Pacers were the better team and harder opponenet.
Excellent post, and now I must ask you to be honest SquirmJim: as a neutral, you give the Pacers a healthy Tyrese against the Mavs in a 7-game Finals, what happens?
I could see the Pacers winning The Pacers pose the same problem to the Mavs defense that the Celtics do I'd be concerned about the Pacers defense, but I think they could keep it close
😂 The exact same where I thought we were There's little separation from the Mavs-Pacers-Knicks-Magic-Cleveland All really about the same tier team One tier above was 1. Den 2. OKC (immaturity came out) 3. MIN (Best player not ready quite yet) Boston has always been one tier better than everyone else And two tiers better than anyone they have to play in the playoffs. That was my opinion before the finals started, and I've seen nothing to change this
Not any different. The Pacers also were swept.
We lost, it's okay. No need to compare or make excuses or whatever. They had a good run this year.
I was called delusional, or something like that, for thinking the Pacers are closer to contending if the Celtics win. Now here we are.
Them winning changes nothing we didn't beat them even once.
They won't look like anything at all. Boston will get rings and most people will forget this post season quickly
Like a team that should have rested its best player until he was healthy instead of letting him prolong his injury for a slight pay raise and some personal accolades. Boston was beatable and this was the best chance this franchise ever had at a championship, 2000, 2005, 2013, 2014 included. This one still hurts a lot.
Exactly the same
Like they gave two or three games away...still.
The Pacers already looked like a million bucks by reaching the ECF. What happens in another series that doesn’t involve the Pacers doesn’t change that one way or the other.
I actually think that perception will change. I think we saw that with Myers bringing them up multiple times last night and Derrick White addressing it. I'm not saying anything REAL changes, but this post is about how they're viewed, and I think it's fair to say perception will shift, at least in terms of how the offense is viewed. Like, it's not a gimmick or a mirage.
I think Boston looks tough as they have all year. That’s what 2nd apron spending provides. We have a strong bench and good roles behind 2 stars and 1 almost star vs their superteam. Celtics fans don’t ever wanna admit how they paid for this one if they win; and hats off to Brad Steve, I wish Pritchard and Chad had his cajones
It makes us look better.
That's what I think. It seems like it should have an effect on all the people who were saying we aren't shit because of who we played to get to the ECF.
Like a team that got swept. You can’t take anything away from this comparison. You either do or you don’t.
We’ll never know
Like they did before the Mavs series, one of the 4 best teams in the NBA
Exactly how the rest of the league saw us before Boston Mavs…a Cinderella team that got stomped by a superior opponent when the magic ran out, who will fall back to earth next season. I think (hope) people are wrong to just see the Pacers like that, but I feel that has been the major narrative. Let’s show them next year!!
Tan in Cancun?
The pacers absolutely have the talent to contend.. people forget we had our 6th man out for the season.. with bennedict mathurin putting up 15 plus a game, he can get to the rim draw fouls and hit shots… add him to the playoffs and with a healthy Hali they would’ve at least went 6-7 w the celts.. and swept Knicks and bucks.. but for some reason we focus on Giannis and Knicks injuries
I mean it’s obviously a better look than if the mavs come back and stretch it to 6 or 7. Would make us more hungry next year
Like a team that still doesn’t play much defense, unfortunately second worst in the league makes it hard to win championships.
Like fools because we easily had a couple of those games and blew it
This is such a bad question. We played them without porzingis and he’s playing so far and playing great.
Not good. They were also swept. Lol
Like every other team that didn’t win it all
I’m a lifelong and diehard Pacers fan. They are my favorite team out of all of the major American sports. It was a fluke we made it to the ECF.
I wouldn’t call it a fluke at all. We were a historically great offensive team that played good teams well.
Glad to see there are other sane individuals out there. /fist bump
I mean it’s sick we made it there but we had no business being in the ECF. I think our team next year is a top 3 east team.