Indiana Pacers to the Finals!

The Indiana Pacers this postseason were hard to cut out. The Cavs had a great season, and the Celtics won a championship. Still, it was hard to overlook last year's Eastern Conference runners-up. A skilled team features two All-Star players and a strong roster. They made an impressive run this year against the Bucks, Cavs, and Knicks. Pascal Siakam leads with his scoring and defense. He’s also a strong ball handler and a solid playmaker. Siakam shined in the Eastern Conference Finals. He averaged 24.8 points per game, shot 52% from the field, and 50% from three. Throughout his career, people have underrated Siakam won a title with the Toronto Raptors. He’s also a three-time All-Star and made two All-NBA teams, making an impact in the history of basketball. Now, Pascal has won an Eastern Conference MVP to add to his impressive resume. Tyrese Haliburton was amazing during this run. He averaged 20 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds per game. One highlight was game 1, where he helped send it to overtime. The pass-first point guard made a strong argument for why he should have won the award, coming up a vote short of Pascal. Haliburton passed up Paul George in the all-time Pacers list as he's done one hell of a job in adopting the city as his own. While the two stars showed up big, the role players on this team were a key factor in the success throughout this run.

One of the surprises for many people this postseason was Aaron Nesmith. From a meme on Bleacher Report, he seemed unimportant in the Malcolm Brogdon trade. Aaron is a great three-and-D player. In Game One, he scored 30 points. He shot 9 for 13 and 8 for 9 from three-point range. Andrew Nembhard was great on defense. He guarded Jalen Brunson and made six steals to finish the series. Andrew is one of the most underrated shooting guards in the league today. The Indiana Pacers' key players showed up strong, leading to a finals appearance. Big man Thomas Bryant also contributed from the bench.

After James Wiseman suffered an Achilles tendon tear, that was a huge hit for the Indiana Pacers. They were desperate to get another big man, which led to them making a trade mid-season for Thomas Bryant. The big man has had a tough time finding a team. He played for the Lakers twice, the Heat, and the Wizards. He also won a championship with the Nuggets. It seemed like Thomas was out of the league, but he secureda future deal now. Bryant has been amazing this post-season. Thomas stretches the floor and brings great energy to the court. This off-season could be a payday for the 27-year-old. Indiana's bench was able to shine this season as Obi Toppin was the main scorer.

It must have been a sweet moment for Obi Toppin, who beat his city and former team to make the NBA Finals. He was amazing off the bench. Obi finished the series with 18 points, shooting 7 for 11. He also hit 50 percent of his three-pointers. Toppin can score at the basket and behind the three-point line. He can put the ball on the floor and create his shots. Obi has been a key to the back-to-back successful postseason runs. Along with TJ McConnell, who has been the defensive anchor off the bench.

TJ McConnell has been one of the best defensive guards for a decade. People know him for his energy. McConnell gets steals and plays strong defense against top guards. TJ is good at driving to the rim, where he can finish strong or shoot a mid-range jumper. The once underdog has been able to make a decade-long career, making his impact in the league. TJ is the defensive energy needed for the Pacers this season. TJ was an x-factor for Indiana this year. The Pacers are a deep team who can rely on contribution from its bench.

The Indiana Pacers are a deep team with a ton of players who could shine. Ben Sheppard is someone whom the coaching staff believes in. He can play on and off the ball, making him a viable option off the bench. Bennedict Mathurin hasn't played much in this run. But with OKC's defense, the Pacers might need some scoring from the bench. Jarace Walker, the former Cougar, is going to be missed if he remains out for the rest of the postseason. Dealing with a nasty ankle turn, the hope is that he returns soon and brings the energy off the bench needed to win. The team will miss the young 21-year-old. His defense, rebounding, and ball-handling are key. Rick Carlisle has been incredible at getting the most out of his team

Rick Carlisle is one of the greatest coaches of all time. The former championship coach took the Mavericks to the finals in 2011. They won their first title. He could do the same for the Pacers. Rick is a talented offensive coach who knows how to make the most out of his players. When they fired him in 2021, a lot of people started a conversation about whether he was washed. Now, he has led Indiana to back-to-back ECF appearances and a finals run.

This is huge for the Indiana Pacers, who have been a consistent franchise. Since the Reggie Miller era, they have not touched the Finals since. The team had some stars like Paul George, Danny Granger, and Roy Hibbert. Then came the Victor Oladipo years, where he was able to win Most Improved but then dealt with injuries. And Sabonis was able to rise as a player and become a star. No one has matched Tyrese Haliburton's level. He is now one of the top guards in the league. Leading the organization to success alongside Pascal Siakam, who has experience winning. Plus, Myles Turner, who saw many changes but toughed it out and is now making it to the NBA finals. The Indiana Pacers are a hustle team who are now four games away from winning their first title.

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