Pacers has something to prove in return for the conference final

Indianapolis – The Indiana Pacers Guard Tyrese Haliburton began this season to calm everyone who considered the final of the NBA Eastern Conference last year.

Now that the Pacers are back, Haliburton and his teammates have a new goal: they have prove themselves that they were right all the time about how good these pacers could be.

Read: NBA: Pacers eliminate top -samen -cavaliers, return to the East Finale

“You (Boston trainer) Joe Mazzulla say this year that Indiana is our hardest opponent,” said Haliburton after training on Friday. “This type of a MEM became like a participation price in a sense. But I think that's the greatest respect you could get from what you ultimately compete against.”

Indiana should have made everyone aware of long before this after season started.

Sure, the Celtics picked out the Pacers from the playoffs of the last year with a hobbled Haliburton from the last two games when they won the NBA title. But nothing was easy.

Boston needed a late turnover from Haliburton to force the extension into game 1 and another important Haliburton turnover in extra time to end the 133-128 victory at home. And even without Haliburton, Boston scored two three -point wins in Indianapolis.

In these moments, however, the Pacers already thought about taking their next big step.

Read: NBA: Build Pacers 41-point lead, Routing Cavs for 3-1 Advantages

“As soon as we lost to Boston last year,” said Swingman Aaron Nesmith when we were asked to achieve a second final in a row in the moment he knew. “Everyone had the right attitude, I think we all used it as a fuel for summer. Everyone believes that we should be here at this point and now we are ready to take advantage of it.”

This series, especially the end in game 1, gave Indiana some important lessons for her next chance – appreciate the chances when you come, play through the last buzzer and don't take it for granted.

It stole the Pacers for what they had confronted this season, Haliburton's slow start and a robust 10-15 mark, in which the doubters once again talked about Indiana's “good luck” to meet two teams that were severely limited in the playoffs of last year by injuries.

Then the Pacers showed resilience.

They have gone 48-19 since December 13, went to No. 4 in the East for the first time since 2013 to 2014 and have the lead in the first round.

Read: NBA: Haliburton Hits Last Second 3, Pacers take the lead 2-0 against Cavs

This run was even more impressive than the previous one. They eliminated Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee, the 2021 NBA Champs, in five games by reaching three home games. They also equipped Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland in five games with Cleveland by swepting the three street games.

And they did it in a way that seemed unfathomable a year ago. The Pacers did it with a hard, physical basketball, never retired from the challenges and even turned their often criticized defense into a strength.

As a result, Indiana in game 2 in Cleveland deleted deficits of 20 points in game 2 and 19 points in a crucial game 5 on the Home Court Cavs, especially thanks to Haliburton's 3-point shooting and placing Indiana within four victories to achieve his second NBA final in franchise history.

Haliburton also contributed to seeing in two big comebacks.

He ended Milwaukees' season with a layup in the extension of game 5 and left Cleveland in a 2-0 hole after he had grabbed his missed free throw and reached a 3-year-old 3-year-old in the last second. Both baskets, eight days apart, have two Pacers rallies of seven points down in the last 40 seconds in the last 40 seconds in the last 40 seconds.

Their resilience has created confidence in what is possible, and without the late season of last year it may not have happened.

“We were in enemy games, we were on the way, had to find ways to win,” said the three-time all-star Pascal Siakam. “We were down, we were up, we saw it at the highest level. But you still have to go through it. It doesn't mean you (lose) (lose), but I think we have a better experience because we have seen it before.”

Next, there is a remaining with the New York Knicks. Indiana removed in game 7 in Madison Square Garden New York last May.

This is not the same Pacers team that was exposed to 1-0 deficits in all three of last year's series. These Pacers won four direct games when they were at the top, and these Pacers believe that they are far from finished.

“We had many games in which they could make a screenshot at any moment and how” How did you win this game? “” We only find ways to win. We don't give up and we are being tested. “