2024 Playoffs: Around the League Round 3 (Conf Finals) News Thread

[TOO]

Al Horford can still hoop.

[TOO]

Are the Pacers better when McConnell is on the floor over Hali?

[Gladiator]

Watching the Pacers work their way back into the game towards the end of the first and their offence - quick passes, everyone moving - could not be more different from what we dished up. Great to watch.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Are the Pacers better when McConnell is on the floor over Hali?

Sometimes. Haliburton is approaching enigma territory.

[Flagrant Fowl]

New series, same Pacers.

[BKinSJC]

Jalen Brown, of all people, with the Raja Bell lookalike shot to get to OT.

Celtics in 5 has been good to me in the Playoff Predictions so far, but I think this series ends up being closer, and I think Boston better pray that Porzingis is healthy enough to go if they make it to the finals. I feel like both Minnesota and Dallas are too much for them if Horford is their only playable big guy. He got targeted over and over again in the fourth quarter of this game and just seemed to run out of energy, although he did get a big block in the overtime.

[Shabazz]

Are the Pacers better when McConnell is on the floor over Hali?

Sometimes. Haliburton is approaching enigma territory.

He never seems to pressure the defense with drives, plays like Lonzo Ball on offense. I don't like it.

I just don't think he's been right since he injured his hamstring.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Are the Pacers better when McConnell is on the floor over Hali?

Sometimes. Haliburton is approaching enigma territory.

He never seems to pressure the defense with drives, plays like Lonzo Ball on offense. I don't like it.

I just don't think he's been right since he injured his hamstring.

I thought that was reasonable to close the season when his shooting numbers dipped.

But I don't know how that injury is inhibiting his decision making recently, and he's looked physically fine for weeks now. I think it's a significant flaw in his game at this point. Overall, he's great, borderline All-NBA, but he's got a little Westbrook in him where he just makes really weird choices with the ball that inevitably hurt his team.

[Mori Chu]

Figured we should have a thread specifically to discuss the ECF (Celtics / Pacers) and the WCF (Wolves / Mavs).

[ShelC]

Still not a believer in the Cs, the Pacers gave away a win.

[Mori Chu]

Yeah, it's just one game. If Pacers can get a split in Boston they'll be in amazing shape. I think the Pacers should hold their heads high; they showed they absolutely can go toe-to-toe with the Celtics in Boston.

[Gladiator]

I actually am more glass half empty for the Pacers after that game. They controlled the game for large portions and had a handy lead late but still lost. I think they will rue that game, especially the missed opportunity to put Boston on the back foot in the series from the get-go. If I’m Boston, I’m thinking we took their best shot and it wasn’t enough for them.

[In2ition]

I actually am more glass half empty for the Pacers after that game. They controlled the game for large portions and had a handy lead late but still lost. I think they will rue that game, especially the missed opportunity to put Boston on the back foot in the series from the get-go. If I’m Boston, I’m thinking we took their best shot and it wasn’t enough for them.

I agree. The look on Haliburton's face with 10 seconds to go, he was pretty sure it was in the bag, and he had every reason to believe that as they also had the ball. Just don't screw it up, and you walk away with a win in Game 1.

[BKinSJC]

I actually am more glass half empty for the Pacers after that game. They controlled the game for large portions and had a handy lead late but still lost. I think they will rue that game, especially the missed opportunity to put Boston on the back foot in the series from the get-go. If I’m Boston, I’m thinking we took their best shot and it wasn’t enough for them.

Boston has spent stretches being weirdly passive during this playoff run. I think they haven't respected the teams they've played, and so far, they haven't had to so much, given the injured and somewhat discombobulated state of the Heat and Cavs. It really almost bit them last night, and they need to wake up and realize the Pacers are healthy and relatively strong compared to what they've had so far.

[Gladiator]

If I had to predict, I’d say Boston wins game 2 at home, they split the games in Indy and Boston wins in 5 back at home. Having written that out means it is 0.01% chance of happening like that now!

[Split T]

This is the easiest path to the finals I can remember. Boston played nobody good.

[SunsRIt]

This is the easiest path to the finals I can remember. Boston played nobody good.

You mean besides Phoeinx's last run when everyone had injured players?

[TOO]

Kyrie Irving, still incredible.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I was already pro-Wolves for these playoffs, but now I'm pro-Wolves fans as well.

[TOO]

I've seen the internet try to say Ant has surpassed Luka, no, no he hasn't.

Also watching these 2 teams with their stars, it's so painfully obvious that their stars trust their role players while ours obviously did not.