Pacers return to the conference final with something to prove

Indianapolis (AP) – The guard of Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton, started this season with the aim of abandoning everyone who considered last year’s eastern conference final. Now that the Pacers are back, Haliburton and his teammates have a new goal: to prove to themselves that they were right about how good these pacers can be. “You have heard (Boston Coach) Joe Mazzulla this year says Indiana was our toughest opponent,” Haliburton said after Friday’s exercise. “It became like a meme, like a participation in a sense. But I think it’s the most respect you can get from who you finally compete. ‘ Indiana should have attracted everyone’s attention long before this season began. Of course, the Celtics swept the Pacers from last year’s playoff games with a Hobbled Haliburton from the last two games as they won the NBA title. But there was nothing easy about it. Boston needed a late turnover from Haliburton to force overtime in Game 1 and another important Haliburton turnover in overtime to close the 133-128 victory. And even without Haliburton, Boston culminated in two three-point victories in Indianapolis. In those moments, however, the Pacers have already thought about taking their next big step. “Once we lost to Boston last year,” Swingman Aaron Nesmith said when asked the moment he knew that Indiana could make a second final for the conference. “Everyone had the right mindset, I think we all used it as fuel for the summer. Everyone believes that we should be here in this place, and now we are ready to use it. ‘ That series, especially the end in Game 1, gave Indiana some important lessons for his next chance – appreciate the opportunities when they come, play through the final buzzer and take nothing for granted. It steeled the Pacers for what they faced last season-Feeding injuries, the slow start to Haliburton and a robust 10-15 point that made the doubters talk about Indiana’s “strength” to experience two teams in the play-off match in the playoffs. That’s when the Pacers showed resilience. Since December 13, they have led 48-19 and in the east’s no. 4-seed and earned an advantage in the first round for the first time since 2013-14. This run was even more impressive than the previous one. They eliminated Giannis Antetokounmpo and fifth seed Milwaukee, the 2021 NBA Champs, in five games by wiping three home games. They also knocked out in five games Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland and top seed Cleveland by wiping the three away games. And they did it in ways that looked unfathomable a year ago. The Pacers did so with tough, physical basketball, and never put off the challenges and even turned their often criticized defense into a force. As a result, Indiana deleted 20 points in Game 2 on Cleveland and 19 points in a decisive game 5 on the Cavs hometown, largely thanks to Haliburton’s 3-point shooting and Indiana within four wins to make his second NBA final in the Franchise history. Haliburton also did his part with two large comebacks. He ended the season of Milwaukee with one final seconds in overtime of Game 5 and Cleveland in a 2-0 pit after grabbing his missed free throw and knocking off one last second 3. Both baskets, eight days apart, closed two Pacers events of seven points in the last 40 seconds-something that only once in the previous 1,643 Playoff games had their resilience created confidence that was possible, and that may not have happened without the recent year’s roller coaster-season. “We were in hostile matches, we were on our way, had to find ways to win,” the three times all-Star Pascal Siakam said. “We were off, we were up, we saw it at the highest level. But you still have to go through it. That doesn’t mean you’re immune to (losing), but I think we have a better experience because we’ve seen it before. ‘ Next is a re -broadcast with the New York Knicks. Indiana eliminated New York in Game 7 in Madison Square Garden in May last year. It is not the same Pacers team that found themselves 1-0 deficiencies in all three series of last year. These Pacers won four straight secluded matches when they were in the lead, and these Pacers believe they are far from finished. “We had a lot of matches where you could take a screenshot at any moment and like ‘How did they win the game? ” Haliburton said after his winner of the match 2 on Cleveland. “We only find ways to win. We don’t give up and we’re a battle test. ‘ ___