The Indiana Pacers are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year after defeating the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game 5. This time, there won’t be a juggernaut Boston Celtics team waiting for them. Things are far more up in the air this time around. It begs the question — can the Pacers win the NBA Championship?
I don’t want to dismiss the Boston Celtics out of hand. But, as if a 3-1 series deficit wasn’t enough, Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear seems to be a finishing blow. Even if Boston somehow scraped things together and beat the Knicks, I have a hard time believing they can hang with the fastest team in the league.
Here are how the Finals winner odds stand as of Tuesday, May 13, before the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Denver Nuggets:
These Pacers aren’t traditional contenders. They’re led by Tyrese Haliburton, an excellent player in his own right but not the MVP-caliber player that often leads championship teams. They boast a great cast of supporting players, chiefly Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Myles Turner. Great all-around players, to be sure, but not the typical second and third options you’d expect from a contender.
Indiana is uniquely set up to beat other top teams. The Pacers ran 10 men deep in their closeout victory over the Cavaliers, and their depth is full of solid players. That enables them to run their high-energy system to perfection. On offense, the ball flows quickly, with tons of passing and transition movement. Head coach Rick Carlisle and his egalitarian offense are difficult to stop.
The strength of their system plays against all opponents. They can out-run the Knicks, who rely heavily on their starters. Should they advance, the same can be said for the Nuggets and Timberwolves. The problem in this equation becomes the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Oklahoma City makes it out of the West and the Pacers meet them in the finals, it’ll be a battle of two young, deep and supremely athletic teams. But I think the Pacers could win it for multiple reasons.
First and foremost, the defense. Indiana doesn’t love playing in rotation and chooses to cover one-on-one. Aaron Nesmith is a great defender for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City thrives on creating advantages with the help that Gilgeous-Alexander draws. The comfort in playing individual defense gives Indiana a good edge.
Their floor spacing may prove an issue as well. Indiana is comfortable playing five players behind the three-point line, with center Myles Turner most comfortable beyond the arc. That could prove to be a problem for a team reliant on Isaiah Hartenstein playing heavy minutes.
Of course, Oklahoma City would be a heavy favorite in this scenario, as it would be against any remaining team. However, I’m confident in these Pacers against anyone. Their energy and ability to generate momentum, along with an elite offensive system, can throw the best teams off their game. If they can take down these Cavaliers with such ease, I believe they can beat anyone in this league. It’s great value at +550 odds.
