It was that bad a series, as the Indiana Pacers were swept in the first round of their playoff series against the New York Knicks. They lost 111-94 on Thursday night. Additionally, the Pacers performed poorly offensively this postseason. For the first time in their history, they didn’t crack the 100-point ceiling. Even with the disappointing loss, influential figures continue to be hopeful about making a comeback in Game 6.
Tyrese Haliburton has been the engine for the Pacers in this series. In those first four games, he scored or assisted on an incredible 41 percent of his team’s points. He found it difficult in Game 5 and managed only eight points on 2-of-7 shooting with six assists. Haliburton acknowledged his need for improvement following the loss, stating, “I got to be better, and I’ll be better in Game 6.”
The Pacers had the double whammy of an even worse turnover rate. They turned the ball over 20 times, their most in any postseason game this year. Her starting lineup combined for just 37 points. Bennedict Mathurin thrived in a sixth man role, scoring a team high 23 points. Newly appointed starter Pascal Siakam was able to put up 15 points and Obi Toppin came off the bench to contribute 11 points of his own.
As Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Pacers, pointed out after the game, his team couldn’t match the intensity to start the game. “To start the game, we just didn’t have the right level of force, the right level of attitude necessary in this environment,” he said. The Pacers continued a good trend of their own, as they had not lost two games in a row since March. Now they’re hell bent on not letting that happen back home.
After the game, Aaron Nesmith addressed the media and reiterated the importance of staying resilient as a group. “You get punched in the face like this. Sometimes you got to lose to get better. That’s what happened today,” he remarked. His view is indicative of a general feeling amongst the players that they are too experienced and too smart to let this loss linger.
Haliburton emphasized there’s no need to hit the panic button. Even after blowing the opportunity to close the series against the Knicks, he was preaching this same message. “We understand what the stakes are. … We’re fine. There’s no need to panic or anything,” he said, reinforcing a sense of unity amongst teammates.
Pascal Siakam expressed confidence heading into Game 6, stating, “It is just all about us, man. It’s always been us against the world, and I don’t expect it to change. … We are 3-2 in a series and we have an opportunity to go back home and show what we’re made of.”
Now that the series has reversed course to Indianapolis, the Pacers have better plans for retaliation and reestablishment of order. The squad did not give up, even as the team came together to have the most improved overall performance. Haliburton emphasized the need for better pace and execution, saying, “We got to be better as a group. Our pace has to be better. That starts with me.”
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