The Indiana Pacers need to be desperate in Game 4

The Indiana Pacers have had a rough series against the Boston Celtics, and it is basically over. No team has ever come back from an 0-3 series deficit since the NBA instituted seven-game playoff series. That's over 150 examples of evidence that the Pacers are essentially screwed after their loss on Saturday.

It's a shame, truly. Out of all the teams the Celtics have faced in the playoffs, Indiana has given them the most trouble by far. While in the first two series, Boston got blowout win after blowout win, the Pacers have made them work for everything in this series.

As we know by now, if some late-game execution had gone Indiana's way in Games 1 and 3, Indiana could be up 2-1 in the series and staring down a potential 3-1 lead on their home floor. Unfortunately, due to the Pacers choking both of those games despite having leads with minimal time remaining, they face the chance of being eliminated on Monday without a single Conference Finals win to their name. However, they are not dead yet.

Indiana has not been eliminated from the series just yet. A 3-0 series deficit may be a guaranteed loss but it does not mean a guaranteed sweep. The Pacers can still give the Celtics a lot of trouble before they eventually go down.

Despite Tyrese Haliburton being out, Indiana still has at least one more game left in the series, which is at home, perhaps their final home game of the playoffs. The Pacers have been very strong at home these playoffs holding a 6-1 record with their one loss being the choke from Game 3.

The last the Pacers can do is avoid a sweep in front of their loyal home fans who have given them so much these playoffs. Pacers players and opposing players alike have raved about Indiana's fans and how hard they make it on the opposing teams to focus during a game. They cannot let their fans see their team get swept after giving them almost nothing but positivity during these playoffs.

According to Rick Carlisle, the Pacers still have some fight left in them and do not want the Celtics to present their Conference Finals trophy on their floor. With the league making logistical plans for a trophy presentation on Indiana's floor after Game 4, Carlisle believes this should make the players and fans extra motivated to come out and spoil Boston's fun for at least one more night.

Monday's Game 4 probably doesn't mean much to the Celtics. They can win this series whenever they want with one win. However, the Pacers would prefer to spoil that parade for as long as they can before the inevitable happens. This is not saying that Indiana has a chance to win the series, as unfortunately, they have dug themselves too deep of a grave to get out of.

The only question now is how long they can prolong jumping into that grave before it is unavoidable.