A lot of people have taken some positives and looked at the silver linings of the Indiana Pacers' NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, this does not apply to T.J. McConnell, who simply called the loss, mixed with Tyrese Haliburton's injury, "devastating" in his article for The Players' Tribune.
"Your season ends the way ours did……. you’re pretty much feeling like a little kid in that moment. It’s total helplessness, you know?? You go from walking onto the floor, pre-game, and you’re believing in your heart you’re about to win a championship — to then suddenly you’re walking off and it’s over. Just over, the end, time to go home. Plus our guy is on crutches and we all know what it is. I could tell you how that moment was bittersweet, or how there were mixed emotions, but I’d be lying. It was just [expletive] devastating, man," McConnell wrote.
The Pacers exceeded expectations and nearly capped off a magical season. Furthermore, they took the best team in the league to a Game 7 (which many believe they would have wone had Haliburton not gone down). Regardless, a loss is a loss, and McConnell's words are valid.
Next season looks grim for Indiana. There is still a lot to be excited about, but serious title contention might be out the window for at least one year. The Pacers should be able to re-establish themselves as contenders down the line. However, even so, losing in the NBA Finals, especially in the fashion they did and after their magical playoff run to that point, might leave a big mark that the fanbase and players might never move on from.
Tyrese Haliburton's recovery will determine everything
While losing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals is tough on its own, it was even worse for the Pacers after their star guard went down in the first quarter of the game. Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury in just seven minutes after scoring nine points on 3-for-5 shooting. He started the game off hot, but unfortunately for him and the team, he couldn't finish it.
It has since been confirmed that the Wisconsin native will miss all of next season. In his place, the Pacers will likely slide Andrew Nembhard over to the point. While this will be a good chance to see what Nembhard can do as the leader of the offense for a full season, this is still far from ideal for the Pacers. This is especially true given how different their offense is likely going to look.
What Haliburton has going for him is that he is still just 25 years old. Most players who suffer Achilles injuries come back as just a shell of their former selves. However, they are also typically a lot older than Haliburton is. If he can make a full recovery and at least get close to form, he and the Pacers will be in a great spot for the long haul. However, if he doesn't, the Pacers might have a tough reality to face--one where they don't ever return to legitimate title contention.
Fortunately for Indiana, there are more reasons than not to believe he will come back and take the league by storm again. However, until it happens, it is important to keep expectations tempered.
The Pacers' Game 7 loss to the Thunder may forever be one of the biggest "what-ifs" in franchise history. Though they still have a bright future, there is no guarantee they will be able to make it back. After getting so close to reaching their ultimate goal, it is clear that they want to make it happen sooner rather than later. However, until they do, this loss will continue to sit with the team and leave a negative impact, much like it has already done for McConnell.