Easily advance 4-1, win the match point 3-1! The strongest dark horse in the NBA is born, and the East is about to change

Have you ever thought about how big a storm can a team that has been underrated all year round in the NBA playoffs? The Pacers, the "lower dog" of the East, played the role of a dark horse this year. They killed the Bucks 4-1 in the first round, and the second round 3-1 forced the Cavaliers to breathe, making the Eastern Conference start to sway. I personally think that their counterattack is quite ignited, but no one dares to guarantee whether they can break out of the Eastern Conference. After all, there are so many variables in the playoffs that make people feel numb. Next, let’s talk about how this team has come to this day step by step, and see what ability they have and whether they can really turn the East upside down!

To put it bluntly, the most awesome thing about the Pacers team is that "everyone can fight". Look at their playoff data, they have a shooting percentage of 50.1%, a three-point shooting percentage of 40.4%, and averaging 30.1 times per game, ranking first in the league! Not to mention the 10-man rotation, 6 buddies averaged double-digit points per game. Siakam, who averaged the highest average score, only 18.6 points, and Halliburton, who averaged the longest average playing time, was only 33.9 minutes.

This is not because of a big-name star's hard carry, it is purely because of team basketball. Just like a group of brothers who come on stage together, anyone can stand up and take the lead. This tacit understanding is really delicious if you taste it or you carefully. At first glance, I think this style of play is too popular in the playoffs. After all, the opponent can't defend you as a star, can you still defend your entire team?

If you want to talk about why the Pacers can beat like this, Carlisle, the old coach, needs to remember his first achievements. This man is not a vegetarian. As early as 2011, he led the Dallas Mavericks (now called the Mavericks) to beat the Heat 4-2 in the finals. Those are the Big Three led by LeBron! Carlisle's brain was spinning fast, and his tactical adjustments were like magic tricks, making his opponent dizzy. Now in the Pacers, he has taken out this set of skills and forced a group of young people to play the old ball skin. Look at how he trains the players, everyone can find their own position on the court. This sense of trust, if I don’t want to work hard for him. I really think that Carlisle is a treasure among the coaches. It is not easy to be able to pinch the team into a fist!

Let's talk about Halliburton again. This young man is really the soul of the walker. In 2020, he was still a rookie in the Kings, averaging 5.3 assists per game. After coming to the Pacers in February 2022, he averaged 10.4 assists per game in the 2022-23 season, becoming the league's assist king! His performance in the playoffs was even more impressive. In the first round of G5, the Pacers were 20 points behind, dragged into overtime, and reversed 7 points in the last 40 seconds. Halliburton made a layup and made a great layup! G2 fell behind again in the second round, and reversed by 7 points in the last 40 seconds. He scored a three-pointer and directly defeated the Cavaliers! Do you think this big heart is scary or not? When I saw him playing basketball, my heart was in my throat, but I was very satisfied and felt that this kid was born to do big things! The fighting spirit of the walker is really not something that can be covered, especially in adversity, the unyielding spirit makes people excited. I won’t talk about the reversal of G5 and G2 in the second round. Let’s mention the details. G4 in the second round was at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Pacers led the Cavaliers 41 points in the first half. The shouts of fans on the scene were about to overturn the roof! The home occupancy rate is as high as 98%, and the power of this "sixth man" has forced the team's momentum to the sky. Imagine that when you are behind, the fans are still shouting "Defense! Defense!". Who doesn't fight hard when they are on the court? I am personally really moved by this scene. Sometimes the power of the home court is more effective than any tactic. Fans who can make it to this day are extremely rewarding!

When it comes to growth, walkers have suffered losses. Last season from 2022 to 23, they were swept 0-4 by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, with poor defense and no experience at critical moments. They were beaten so hard that they could not find the North. But you see, their defensive efficiency has been mentioned from 27th to 20th this year, and their progress is not a small part. That defeat was like a heavy punch, awakening these young people and letting them know that the playoffs were not a family. I felt very moved when I looked at it. Failure is not scary. What is scary is that I don’t have a memory. It is really worthy of admiration for walking people to get up from the mud.

The current situation in the Eastern Conference semi-finals is the Pacers leading the Cavaliers 3-1. The historical data is here. The probability of the team leading 3-1 is as high as 95%, with 280 wins and 13 losses, basically entering the Eastern Conference finals with one foot. Look at the other side, the Knicks lead the Celtics 2-1. If these two teams really meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, there will be a good show! The Pacers' offensive efficiency in the playoffs is 117.7, several streets away from the Knicks 110.5, but the Knicks wins 2 wins and 1 loss against the Pacers in the regular season, and their tough defense is not vegetarian. Think about the Pacers' fast-paced three-point firepower against the Knicks' iron-blooded defense. This scene is like Mars hitting the Earth! No matter how I think about it, if this duel really starts, it will definitely ignite the popularity of the entire East. Do you think so?

To say a few more words, the Pacers team has been too difficult to walk from being underestimated to counterattack. Holding three match points, Carlisle said in a low-key manner after the game, "We did nothing." This attitude is very stable. Can the Dark Horse of Pacers really turn the East upside down? Fans, let’s see the truth in our comment section!