The Indiana Pacers dominate the NBA playoffs with an electric attack.
True to their names, the Indiana Pacers showcase the incredibly fast-paced, high-octane attack that fueled the magical run this postseason.
Under Rick Carlisle’s leadership, the Pacers are the ability to suck competition and suck competition to this stage.
They lasted longer than Giannis Antetocomo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round, causing a major upset against the top seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the semi-finals. Now they’re one win from reaching the NBA Finals, taking the New York Knicks a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
It’s beauty to see how a Pacer plays on the offensive side of the ball.
Tyrese Halliburton is the floor general who controls the tempo of Indiana. Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, Obi Toppin, and TJ McConnell all work brilliantly as his complementary works.
The run-and-gun scheme has put the pacer offensive statistics at the top of the league charts. Of the four teams remaining in the playoffs, they rank first in points (118.5), field goal percentage (50%), 3-point percentage (39.7%) and offensive rating (118.4).
Bill Simmons is fascinated by the offensive style of play shown by the Pacers, urging him to compare it to the iconic “under 7 seconds” Phoenix Suns, claiming Steve Nash agrees.
“I texted Steve Nash in (Game 4 of the East Finals) and asked him. Do you think (Indiana) is the illegal son of the Sun for less than seven seconds?”
“And he said, “Absolutely.” An NBA expert told the Bill Simmons podcast.
“Maybe others have compared, but I don’t remember thinking about it until I was watching (Game 4).”
The “under 7 seconds” Phoenix Suns in the mid-2000s served as a pioneer in the game we are witnessing now.
Acting behind Mike D’Antoni’s coaching mastermind, the Suns thrive, revolutionize basketball, Steve Nash runs the show, Amal Stoudemia rules, Sean Marion can seize the role of the team’s Swiss Army knife
It’s interesting to compare them to the Suns, but Pacer’s 130-121 Game 4 victory truly shows his victory against the Knicks. Halliburton held the show with a historic triple double performance and treated his father’s return to watch the Indiana playoff game.
“I don’t think it’s under 7 seconds. It could be under 6 seconds. It could be five and a half seconds or even a pacer. They’re like 2-for-2, 3-for-2, or what they want to get into, or something that’s left on the shot clock.”
“I didn’t think the Knicks could keep up with their pace.”
As the spirit of “under 7 seconds” resonates, Halliburton and the Pacers hope to ultimately assert the franchise’s first NBA title.