The Indiana Pacers Simply Refuse To Die

Zach Beeker. Getty Images.

First off, congrats to Vibbs who I am sure has to be floating in another galaxy right now after witnessing his franchise player bury an incredible game winner to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals. What a feeling, the type of moment you dream about. Given how this entire Pacers run has gone so far, it's a fitting moment for a player who has certainly made a habit of burying shots just like that.

While we'll have to wait for the official TV ratings to let us know if we were allowed to enjoy Game 1, I think it's safe to say that everything about the start of these Finals lived up to the hype. While people complained about how "boring" this matchup would be and how "nobody would watch" because there were no big markets or superstars involved, in reality, they missed what was an incredible NBA Finals game. Basketball fans knew how fun this matchup could be, and Game 1 delivered in every possible way. We saw the strengths of both teams, and why each team is currently in a position to win their first ever title.

For OKC, it's their devastating defense. What they were able to do to the Pacers in the first half was unlike anything you'd ever seen. Forcing 20 TOs? In a half? Who the fuck even does that? The way they close passing lanes, the physicality they play with on the perimeter, how flawless their help is, they just beat you down to the point where you lose all brain power and can't stop making stupid decisions with the basketball. It's truly remarkable how they do it to every single team they play. Everyone knows the #1 thing you cannot do against OKC is turn the ball over, and every single game teams cannot stop turning the ball over. Unfortunately, the Thunder weren't really able to capitalize the same way they have all playoffs off those turnovers, so the Pacers were able to stay attached, even at their worst. Things never truly got out of hand.

That's where the Pacers showed their superpower. This team doesn't just have championship-level resiliency. That's nothing. They're a group that possesses something that could only be described as historic-level resiliency. I mean look at this shit!!

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This should not be possible. You're lucky if you get one or two of those types of comebacks in an entire playoff run. The fact that the Pacers have FOUR of these things is patently insane. My brain doesn't even know how to process that. These aren't comebacks against scubs either. This is Giannis and Dame. A 64 win Cavs team. A 50+ win top 3 seeded Knicks team. And now, a historic 68 win Thunder team. The craziest part? 

The majority of those comebacks have come on the road! 

We're well past the point where you could write this off as all pure luck. Sorry. Not 4 different times, with multiple road comebacks. Not when it comes as a way to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals. This is simply who the Pacers are. They refuse to die.

Here's why Game 1 was so important. The big one is the fact that teams that win Game 1 of the Finals go on to win the series 71% of the time. Granted, I'm not sure how many teams that have been down 0-1 are the caliber of OKC, so this series is obviously far from over. We all remember the DEN series, yes? But given how well the Pacers shot the ball and the way they were able to come all the way back, you don't want to waste it. The margin for error in the Finals is so slim, you can't get into the business of giving games away if you're such an underdog like the Pacers are.

From here, the Pacers now just need to play .500 basketball, and they win the title. That doesn't seem so daunting right? It's only a one game difference, but there's a huge mental shift from needing to win 3 out of the next 6 compared to needing 4 out of the next 6. Something about it looks better and, in turn, makes it feel more doable. Especially when you haven't even played a home game yet. 

As someone who was just rooting for chaos and a competitive Finals, I couldn't be happier with how things have started. Like I said earlier, for anyone who enjoys the game of basketball, you should love this matchup. If Game 1 was any indication of the type of Finals we're about to have, I'd like to sign up for 6 more of these without hesitation.

Playoff basketball, there's truly nothing like it.