The Pacers looked headed for a shocking triumph at the TD Garden in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals — until, that is, they figured out a way to lose. For much of the match, they seemed all too ready to take the measure of the heavily favored hosts. They even managed to overcome double-digit deficits twice by running at every opportunity, just as they had throughout the regular season and in the first two rounds of the playoffs. For all the energy their grueling seven-game slugfest against the Knicks sapped out of them, they showed a predilection for going on overdrive at every turn.
Indeed, the Pacers’ refusal to compromise regardless of the score gave them the advantage heading into the final half minute of regulation. Armed with a three-point lead and in possession of the ball following a missed trey attempt by the Celtics, they could then have milked the clock until it was absolutely necessary to take a shot. As things turned out, their refusal to compromise regardless of the score likewise handicapped them. For some reason, top dog Tyrese Haliburton saw fit to push the ball up the court despite the absence of pressure; his pace led to an unforced turnover. And when they gained possession anew still up three with 10 ticks left in the fourth period, fellow starting guard Andrew Nembhard insisted on inbounding the ball under pressure. The ultimate fallout of the bad pass was nothing short of a downer: a loss in overtime.
Considering that a handful of plays does not a final score make, it’s fair to contend that the Pacers simply succumbed to the superior Celtics only too prepared to capitalize on opportunities in the clutch. That said, there can be no discounting the gravity of their foibles. Why didn’t they call timeout to advance the ball instead of allowing Nembhard to force the issue? Why didn’t they foul in the ensuing sequence to prevent any kind of attempt to tie the score? Even though two charities with not inconsiderable pressure would have been in the offing, and even assuming both were made, they would still have had the lead.
Needless to say, the Pacers were left to ruminate on their miscues in the aftermath of the heartbreaker. Center Myles Turner, who made an exceptional accounting of himself on both ends of the floor from opening top to final buzzer, noted that it was the first time he felt them display their relative youth. Of course, the flipside is that the type of confidence intertwined with their age will allow them to bounce back quickly. When they trek to hostile territory anew today, they will be all the better for the lessons they hitherto learned. In short, Game Two is another chance to prove themselves worthy of the moment. Whether or not they actually do is up to them.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
