The Indiana Pacers are the new Eastern Conference champions in the 2025 NBA playoffs. They proved a remarkable ability to stage great escapes along the way in this surprising run through the playoffs. This year, they’ve done it with some of the most unexpected wins ever seen in playoff history. Their return numbers are on track to be one of the best comebacks since 1997. The Pacers have an incredible statistical tendency to come back from deficits. It’s this talent that has propelled them to the finals and attracted the intrigue of analysts and fans alike.
Earlier this year, the Pacers pulled off one of the greatest upsets in playoff history. In fact, it’s the highest score we’ve ever recorded in nearly 30 years! That’s a remarkable record of three long shot wins in their impressive performances. Those wins now stand as the seventh greatest playoff comeback of all-time since 1997, confirming their hope and fighting spirit. Indiana has proven time and again that they can show up in the worst of moments. Most impressively of all, they orchestrated one of the most surprising wins in NBA history, defeating the New York Knicks with just a 0.9% chance to win.
Remarkable Comeback Against the Knicks
In what turns out to be one of their most exciting games of the season, the Indiana Pacers went up against a tall task in the New York Knicks. With just over four minutes left in regulation time, they were up against a 14-point deficit. Given this historic deficit, the team maintained their composure and grit, coming back to tie the game and send it into overtime.
The turning point was in the last minute when the Pacers were able to rally from an eight-point deficit. Aaron Nesmith stepped up in a big way by knocking down a bunch of important threes. Key turnovers by the Knicks allowed the Pacers to take advantage of their opponents’ sloppy play. Tyrese Haliburton capped this amazing comeback with a beautiful high-arcing shot at the buzzer. That buzzer-beater sent the championship game into overtime! The Pacers would go on to steal Game 1 from the Knicks, a culmination of their completely unlikely playoff run.
That kind of resilience illustrated how characteristic this game was of the Pacers’ approach during their run in the playoffs. Specifically, they emphasize getting defensive rebounds. By finding and taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes, they make low-probability outcomes into wins.
Dominance Through Defensive Rebounds
And the Indiana Pacers are fantastic at punishing teams on this. As a result, they’ve developed a reputation as one of the most efficient NBA teams in this regard. They are both elite on the boards, allowing them to be hyper-efficient scorers come time for the playoffs. On the possession immediately following defensive rebounds, they score an insane 1.26 PPP—third best in the entire league.
This shocking statistic underscores the significance of defensive rebounds in their approach to games. The Pacers extend their scoring advantage, even on made field goals or dead ball turnovers. They won’t allow a loss in efficiency. In these situations, their effectiveness only falls by .16 points per possession. In reality, this performance is much better than one might think in comparison to other teams. This capability allows them to quickly transition from defense to offense, taking advantage of opportunities that arise from securing rebounds.
The Pacers do everything possible to secure a defensive rebound. This strategic move has been deeply impactful, even allowing them to stand competitive with the strongest of foes. Their success in this area underscores how they have turned what is often seen as a defensive metric into an offensive weapon.
Staging Another Comeback in the Finals
As Indiana marched through the East and into the NBA Finals, they would meet the heavily favored, top seeded OKC Thunder. In Game 1, they proved, once more, that Yankees comebacks are made of something more than mortal intent. Trailing late in the game, Tyrese Haliburton delivered another stunning performance that culminated in a comeback victory over the Thunder.
Beyond that, Haliburton continued to display excellent composure, polish and attacking skill throughout the game. He ran plays smoothly and capitalized on scoring opportunities just when it counted the most. This victory added to the Pacers’ growing legacy of remarkable comebacks throughout this playoff season, further solidifying their claim as one of the preeminent teams in this year’s postseason.
Kevin Pelton, co-author of the Pro Basketball Prospectus series and former consultant with the Indiana Pacers, has closely analyzed their performance during these playoffs. He wants to make clear that their success isn’t a happy accident. Instead, it comes from data-first approaches and a deep knowledge of in-game mechanics. Inpredictable.com has even given each of these victories a comeback score, illustrating just how unlikely these comebacks were. These impressive scores highlight the Pacers’ dogged determination and tactical brilliance in punching above their weight.
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