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Jamal Collier, ESPN
INDIA — Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner still filled with conflicting emotions after the Eastern Conference finals.
On one hand, Turner – the longest-tenured player on the team, having been drafted by Indiana in 2015 – called this season an incredible journey. After missing the playoffs the past three seasons, the Pacers won their first playoff series in more than a decade and reached the conference finals for the first time since 2014.
But the reality is that the Pacers trailed in the fourth quarter in three of their previous four losses Boston Celtics Still stinging as players left the arena Monday night after dropping Game 4 105-102 ARRIVE completed the series sweep in Boston.
“It’s still very new to all of us,” Turner said. “It’s frustrating to have all these games in hand and let it go.”
Indiana played its last two games without its star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was sidelined with a left hamstring injury, but the Pacers didn’t use his absence as an excuse. Especially since the Pacers know they have a chance to win multiple games in the series.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Pacers had at least a 90% win probability in the fourth quarter of Games 1, 3 and 4. They lost all three games.
They led 117-114 with the ball and nine seconds left in Game 1. They led 109-101 with 2:25 seconds left at home in Game 3. And again in Monday’s Game 4, they led 98-90 with 5:40 left but no scoring in the final 3:30.
“For a young team like us, this playoff experience is second to none,” the Pacers guard said. Andrew Nembhard, who finished with a team-high 24 points. “A lot of our firsts. A lot of little things that we probably want to do better and we’ve learned how these games go and what it’s like to be in a series of games.”
Yes, the Pacers have a roster full of first-round playoff players, such as Nembhard, Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith. But the Pacers’ veteran forward Pascal Siakamwho won the championship with Toronto Raptors in 2019, emphasizing that Indiana will certainly not have this opportunity again.
“I can tell you that, yes, we will learn from it and it will happen, but that is not guaranteed,” Siakam said. “I know it was difficult to get to this point. It’s unfortunate. You want to give credit to the other team because they took advantage of every mistake we made. They did well.
“But for us, it was difficult, like heartbreaking loss after heartbreaking loss. Yes, you will be encouraged by that and you will hopefully make the right effort to continue continue to get better. Because we need to put in a lot of effort.” It’s better if you want to compete with those teams and understand that no matter how well we play, we’re not going to get it done.”
Siakam, who will become a free agent this summer after coming to Indiana in a midseason trade, declined to talk about his future but reiterated several times that he was grateful to feel supported. aid during his tenure in Indiana.
“It was a blessing,” Siakam said. “I really appreciate everything. Coming from where I come from, it means a lot.”
The Pacers established themselves as one of the league’s breakout teams by reaching the tournament finals during the season in early December. They posted 47 wins and earned the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference , while Haliburton was named an All-Star starter and made third team All-NBA.
Indiana has won two of this playoff series by defeating a higher seed. The Pacers took a beating Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and New York Knicks in the conference semifinals.
The Pacers benefited from some injury luck in their game against Milwaukee without one Giannis Antetokounmpowhile the Knicks look on Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby And Josh Hart all were injured in the second series.
Then, in the conference finals, the Pacers faced their own injury woes when Haliburton aggravated a left hamstring injury in Game 2 that kept him out for the remainder of the series. In the first 15 playoff games, Haliburton averaged 18.7 points and 8.2 assists.
“Ty was never flustered, man,” Turner said. “Whatever team throws at him, he finds a way.”
Ultimately, Indiana did not have the strength to overcome the loss of its star player. Still, as Pacers players grapple with their emotions as the season ends, they’re sure to emphasize how far they’ve come in a short amount of time.
“This whole year we’ve grown as teammates, we’ve grown as an overall culture,” Pacers forward Obi Toppin speak. “It feels like everyone is putting everything they can into this organization every day. Obviously, the season didn’t end the way we wanted, but there were a lot of good things that came out of this season. And we don’t want to miss it.” that thing.
“It’s an important year for the Pacers and this entire organization, so we don’t want to let that go.”
