After taking Game 3, the Indiana Pacers are now up 2-1 in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite there just being a one-day rest before Game 4, the Pacers are a team that simply doesn't get tired, and they must use this strength to their advantage to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Even last season, the Pacers were one of the most difficult teams for opponents to beat because of their ability to wear them out. This is no different this year, and it is a big reason for their playoff success. They seem to never get tired, and they make things incredibly difficult for the opposition, even the Thunder, who were the most dominant team in the regular season.
Fans should expect the Pacers to bring it their all on Friday night to secure another win in the NBA Finals. The shorter rest is tough for teams to overcome, but for Indiana specifically, this may be just the thing they need to inch even closer to winning an NBA Championship.
The Pacers have stayed the course in the NBA Finals
Heading into the series, the Pacers were considered the heavy underdogs, and rightfully so. Though they had an incredible playoff campaign through the conference finals (and were one of the hottest teams in the NBA since the turn of the calendar), the Pacers are objectively not more talented than the Thunder, who have the reigning MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Even so, Indiana has kept playing the brand of basketball that got them to this point, and it is working out incredibly well for them.
The Pacers are a resilient team that never gives up or folds under pressure. They play at a high energy from tip-off all the way to when the buzzer sounds, and they are a team that can never be counted out. Even against a team like Oklahoma City, the Pacers have been able to use this to their advantage and gain control of the series, which is something not many people thought they could do.
As they aim to keep the pressure on the Thunder and take a 3-1 series lead back on the road, the Pacers must keep doing what has worked for them up to this point. The Thunder are not an easy team to eliminate, but the Pacers are proving they have what it takes to do so by wearing them out and playing at a high pace from wire to wire. Now that both teams will have even less rest going into Game 4, this is a great time for Indiana to keep doing exactly that.
It may have seemed like a pipe dream even just a couple of months ago, but the Pacers are within reach of winning their first-ever NBA Championship. The series is far from over, and a team like the Thunder will not go down without a fight. However, things are looking great for the Pacers, and as long as they keep staying the course, their dreams may turn into a reality very soon.