Pacers “embarrassed” in Game 5, but opportunity remains
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
The entire Pacers season continues to be defined by two things: head-scratching losses and big-time responses. Each time you think they’ve turned the corner, they lay an egg. Each time you give up on them, they respond. Rinse and repeat. This time, however, they’ve put themselves in a win-or-go-home situation, which is new territory.
After an impressive Game 4 victory to tie the series on Sunday, the Pacers said all the right things. They acknowledged how different Tuesday’s game would be and how they needed to mature and be up for the challenge. Easier said than done. The Knicks dominated the Pacers in a complete role reversal from Game 4, and Indiana now has to win two straight elimination games to keep their season alive.
Perspective is needed in even after an “embarrassing” loss: The Pacers are still playing huge games in the middle of May. They still have an opportunity to advance to the Conference Finals. Whatever happens the rest of the way, it will go down as a successful season. At the same time, when you have this opportunity in front of you, you don’t want to waste it. There’s no guarantee of getting back to this point next season, even if the team is better.
Here’s even more perspective: If Pacer fans were given this exact situation as an option at the start of the season, they all would have taken it. They made the playoffs, they’ve won a series, and now they’re coming home for a Game 6 with a great opportunity to send this to a winner-take-all Game 7. When you consider where this franchise has been over the last 10 years, you take that scenario and opportunity all day.
The question remains: Is this season about to end, or will the Pacers respond once again and give themselves another opportunity at the Garden? Home teams have absolutely dominated in the playoffs in this storied Pacers/Knicks rivalry. Not only are the home teams 5-0 in this current series, home teams are a combined 35-12 all-time in this match-up in the playoffs. Road teams had plenty of opportunities in the first three games but came up short each time, before the last two blowouts. First things first: The Pacers can’t worry about Game 7 until they continue their home dominance on Friday first.
The Pacers haven’t lost at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since March 18th. Friday’s game will be just one day shy of the two-month mark since their last defeat at home. We will see if the Indianapolis crowd can help this team one more time in the biggest game of the season. Whether it’s the last home game of this crazy season or not, you can expect a ridiculous atmosphere for a team that, although frustrating at times, is worthy of the love and support.
Could this young Pacers team actually win a Game 7 at the Garden? It may be unlikely, but we would all love to see them get that chance.
