The Indiana Pacers are shaking things up in the 2025 NBA playoffs. If anything, they’ve proven their amazing ability to orchestrate late-game comebacks! During the entire postseason, the Pacers have shown a crafty ability to shift the momentum in their favor. So far, the Pacers have become the postseason’s best comeback specialists. They pulled off three fantastic comebacks, with win probabilities of 2.1% or less, capped by an epic recovery from an impressive rally against the New York Knicks with a chance of victory just 0.9%.
The team’s winning ways are due in no small part to its clever play style, especially its league-leading penchant for taking advantage of defensive boards. With a league-best 1.26 points per possession after opponents’ defensive rebounds, the Pacers sit second in the NBA with that mark. This trend has allowed them to score effectively and maintain pressure on their opponents, leading to their remarkable playoff performance.
The Pacers’ notable comebacks rank among the seven best in playoff history since 1997, highlighting their ability to perform under pressure. Incredibly, they are only second to the New York Knicks in average score of being down at any point in time. Their cumulative victories this postseason further emphasize their outstanding run. As teams across the league engage in higher intensity games, the Pacers have found ways to leverage these situations to their advantage.
The Pacers’ Remarkable Comebacks
In the Eastern Conference finals, the Indiana Pacers showcased their comeback prowess in Game 1 against the New York Knicks. A sequence of clutch plays illustrated a sensational overtime win. Aaron Nesmith’s timely three-pointers and crucial turnovers from the Knicks allowed Tyrese Haliburton to deliver a high-bouncing shot at the buzzer, ultimately forcing overtime and securing a crucial win for Indiana.
This victory not only demonstrated the Pacers’ ability to rally from behind but exemplified their strategic approach to capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes. This blend of pinpoint marksmanship and exuberant opportunism has helped to transform the Pacers into a dangerous opponent, even when the stakes are at their highest.
Their comeback against New York was no fluke. The rare three-pointer would signify the start of a bigger trend for Indiana during the playoffs. Across all three long-shot wins, their tenacity is apparent – they aren’t just lucky. They’re doing it with smart strategies that maximize their likelihood of success, even when they find themselves fighting uphill for victory.
Efficiency in Scoring
Another major factor to the Indiana Pacers’ success this season has been their offensive scoring efficiency off defensive rebounds. This year, they’ve been remarkably productive with 1.17 points per possession following a defensive rebound. This incredible stat is a testament to how quickly they move from defense to offense. That kind of efficiency puts them in rare air for teams in this category over the course of the playoffs.
They have been the best re-scoring team in the country following a defensive rebound. They come up a bit short in being able to score after made shots or dead ball TOs. The team has experienced a decrease of 0.16 points per possession in such situations. It may underscore an opportunity for them to focus on more granular aspects of their play.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been very excellent defensively following makes or dead ball TOs. They concede a whopping 0.08 points per possession worse than the average team when possessions begin with defensive rebounds. This sheds light on the tactical war teams must wage in maximizing possession efficiency, particularly with the higher stakes of playoff contests.
The Impact of Physicality and Turnovers
The 2025 NBA playoffs were marked by an astonishing comeback streak. In fact, more teams than ever are displaying improved scoring efficiency immediately following an opponent’s defensive rebound. Analysts have speculated that this trend is a result of the uptick in physicality that referees have permitted over the last few seasons. This increased physical play has both enabled and necessitated the ability for teams to capitalize off of defensive rebounds and turnover chances much more efficiently.
Teams that didn’t turn the ball over established an incredible standard with 53 wins and 20 losses. This accomplishment provides them with the remarkable winning percentage .726, a new record for those teams alone in a single playoffs.
As teams adapt to these circumstances, the Indiana Pacers have positioned themselves as an example of how to capitalize on both defensive rebounds and opponents’ mistakes. They’re good at returning from impossible losses. Their productive scoring is what puts them ahead of the other title hopefuls.
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