Rick Carlisle has the impression that his players have had their minds elsewhere for a week. Not only do they defend little, but they also can't muster the strength to beat the Blazers who have been diminished and uninspired since the start of the season. Maybe there's a reason for that: the NBA tournament.
The Pacers finished the first round undefeated, and they were the first to earn the right to host in the quarterfinals. They've known it for a week, and it's as if they're playing with the handbrake, waiting for the final stages of the “In-Season Tournament”. In European football, we are used to seeing this, and it is not uncommon for teams to play at 70% in the league to save everything for the European Cups.
Experience for the future
“I’ve never been to a playoff game, so I take this very seriously,” confirms Tyrese Haliburton. “This is the first time that I have participated in an event with a title at the end, and that I have a chance to win something. »
Same feeling for Myles Turner who has already tasted the playoffs, even if the Pacers have not won a game since 2018!
“It’s obviously not the playoffs, but there is a feeling of the playoffs and games that look like the playoffs”believes Turner. “It's very important for us to get this experience early, since we are a very young group… You have to be faced with these types of battles very early in order to be ready for this physical basketball and this type of style of playing. end of season game. Its very important. »
Like Haliburton, Buddy Hield has never played in a playoff game, and like his teammate at the Kings and now at the Pacers, this is a taste of the playoffs for him. Especially for the public.
“It’s super important for us, for the fans and for the NBA. When we watch these matches, we see that there is great intensity. It's like playoff games. Everything is fair on the last possessions, and it’s fun to watch” judge Hield, who admits that he was on task during the last day to follow the end of the group stage. “I called the coaches, I called the stats specialists. I asked them who we were going to play if this team won by this margin… I was very focused, and that's pretty cool. It's exciting to follow. »
Monday evening, the Pacers will be the first to enter these quarterfinals, and it will be against the Celtics, the leaders of the NBA.
