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8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Tweets of the Night: Pacers Get Swept Out of the Playoffs

By Jay Neal

Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Indiana Pacers looked to keep their season alive after being of the wrong end of the largest comeback from a halftime deficit in NBA playoff history. Indiana had one job to do: Win one game.

Easier said than done against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has multiple veterans, multiple All-Star caliber players, and (oh yeah) the best basketball player walking the Earth. Could the Pacers salvage their season?

Here’s how Pacers fans & media reacted to the game on Twitter as it happened:

PREGAME

No starting lineup changes, but will there be rotation change? (aka will this game not include Monta Ellis?)

A lot more than just pride on the line today.

Naturally…

After the Game 3 collapse, this was expected.

1st QUARTER

Five early points, including a three-pointer for PG. Pacers lead 13-10 at the first timeout.

“That’s too much sauce” © Future

His second foul sends him to the bench.

Lance comes in. First possession, three-pointer from the left side. Never change, man.

We’ve seen this team without Thad. It’s not a good sight. Hopefully, he’s okay. Pacers lead 18-16.

The downside of Thad Young being hurt. A “double plodder” alignment against a team that will eat it alive.

After a timeout, McMillan changes the lineup to match up with a smaller Cavs team. Lavoy Allen out, Monta Ellis in.

The point guards exchange buckets on four straight possessions to end the quarter. Pacers lead 24-22 after the first 12 minutes.

2nd QUARTER

He just keeps driving and throwing up nonsense looking for fouls… but McMillan keeps throwing him out there. And speaking of McMillan…

Your Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for April!

I mean… if you were him, would you stand in the huddle?

Lance has hit a trio of threes as the Pacers fight back after trailing by six.

And yet, here we are! Indiana trailing by six midway through the quarter.

Lance picks up his third foul. He tries to talk McMillan out of taking him out, but fails. CJ Miles back in.

He’ll go to the bench despite having, arguably, his best half of the series. Nine points and four rebounds thus far.

A city holds its breath…

The Cavs, on the strength of a 36-point 2nd quarter, lead by six at half. Indiana seems to stuck somewhere between hedging and switching screens on defense. The Cavs are feasting on the Pacers’ indecision, getting whatever they want offensively.

And possibly the last 24 minutes of Paul George in the blue & gold.

Indiana could have used him in a series like this… but alas.

3rd QUARTER

Wait… do you think that could work or something? Hmmmmm… weird.

Pacers in “uh-oh” land… Cavs leading by nine and starting to run away.

The tech comes after being called for a foul on a Kyrie and-1. Pacers trail by 12. McMillan calls timeout about a minute after the current run started. It’s all starting to fall down.

The Cavs appear to have other ideas about this.

https://twitter.com/JumpinJackFlask/status/856217181369098240

The fans have their own ideas right about now.

Teague walks it off, but LeBron got him good on that screen.

“When it allllll… it allllll fallllllls dowwwwwwwwwnnnn”

Fans looking toward “El Clasico” rather than sticking with this game.

Fans also looking toward the off-season…

Pacers trail by 11. It doesn’t look good.

4th QUARTER

Pacers fans… they know how this ends. They are accepting it.

Again, Pacers’ wives Twitter is the best Twitter. Indiana trails by 13.

Seems pretty close… not sure though. Is that close?

A CJ three. A GR3 floater. A Lance lay-up. Indiana trails by six with 8:08 left.

Meanwhile, PG drops a three from the right side. It’s a five point game with six minutes left.

HOW SWAY?!?!

After a crazy Kyrie bucket, a Teague three & Turner lay-up cuts the deficit to two. Indiana with a 15-4 run has the Fieldhouse alive again.

We’ve been through a lot this season.

Easily the best he’s looked all series.

PG gets doubled, finds Thad in the lane. The game is tied? The game is tied.

What world are we living in? Pacers fail to capitalize on other end.

A Thad Young tip gives the Pacers the lead, 102-100.

I guess that’s why they call him “The King”. Cavs lead 103-102.

Kyle Korver hits two free throws and Indiana’s season comes down to a final possession trailing by three.

After a crazy exchange of turnovers, PG gets a clean look from three and draws all backboard. LeBron rebounds, hits a free throw and the Pacers’ season is over. Final score: 106-102

It’s not surprising to see it end this way after the collapse in Game 3. It was pretty much expected. The team fought, but this mismatched group with an identity crisis never lived up to its expectations.

There are plenty of questions heading into the off-season, but the biggest remains whether or not Paul George will ever put on an Indiana uniform ever again? The Pacers best player has one year remaining on his contract, but the franchise may see fit to move him prior to losing him for nothing next summer. The next few months will be very interesting.

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