Indiana Pacers: 3 best playoff moments since 2011, according to fans

The Bogey Game: Bojan Bogdanovic leads Indiana Pacers comeback to take a 2-1 lead vs LBJ and the Cavs

The 2017-18 Indiana Pacers were very fun and memorable. After the tumultuous exit of franchise cornerstone Paul George, the Navy and Gold were seemingly intent to rebuild, until they decided to shock the NBA and qualify for the playoffs as the fifth seed in the East.

Most people didn’t expect the Pacers to seriously challenge the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James. However, Indiana quickly stole one in their homecourt and rode back to the Bankers Life Fieldhouse with the series tied 1-1.

The Cavs were seemingly on pace to win, leading as much as 17 before the Pacers came back with a different fire. All-Star Victor Oladipo and veteran Thaddeus Young led the rally, but Cleveland was ultimately stunned by a sensational game from a player the league seemingly overlooked: Bojan Bogdanovic.

The Croatian sniper, who signed with the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2017, averaged 14.3 points per game in his first season with the team, proving to be a great complement to the fast-paced Navy and Gold. However, in Game 3 of the First Round of the 2018 playoffs, he silenced critics by leading the team in scoring with 30 on seven three-pointers while playing great defense on the best player in the planet.

Bogdanovic nailed two consecutive three-pointers, one of which a four-point play, to put the team up seven in the 4th. The Cavs mounted a rally, tying it at 84 apiece before Bojan scored the next five, including a 30-feet heave that gave the Pacers the lead and they never looked back.

I know, the Cavaliers ended up winning the series, but there’s no denying that Bojan’s explosion in Game 3 gave fans hope despite being projected to be a lottery team in the beginning. It was a remarkable moment in a season that revitalized a franchise which just lost its cornerstone player.