The Pacers Choked Away Game 1 And I Want To Puke My Guts Out

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jaylen Brown hits the equalizer right in front of the Pacers' bench. Mike Breen hit us with the DOUBLE BANG!!! We had it. We had it, and we let the win slip right through our fingers. I was ready to fire up the ol' blogging machine, and type up a descriptive 500 word composition explaining how the Pacers haters can suck my balls. BUT, here I am now, writing a few sad sentences about how we choked on a pair. 

Overall, I love how the Pacers played. Every Game 1 of the playoffs this young team has come out nervous due to not knowing what to expect, and tonight was no exception to the rule. But, I loved how they were able to calm down and right the ship. Turnovers at the start, and a few in the closing minutes screwed us. You can't blame a single play, but a veteran coach with a championship ring should be on top of calling a timeout for the biggest moment of these young player's careers. Stop the game, slow things down, and talk to them. That play was the final cut in a slow death by a thousand cuts. I do appreciate Haliburton and Carlisle both being the ones to step up and take accountability. Two things the leaders should be doing. 

And it sucks we blew the game, because the win would have made some of those Haliburton shots unforgettable Pacer playoff moments. Yes, Haliburton took some questionable shots down the stretch by playing hero ball, and I'm worried he was concerned with people saying he is afraid to take the big shot, but Tyrese was hitting shots like the Tyrese we all saw in the first half of the season. So, I guess you have to live with him taking those shots? 

This pull up shot was beautiful. People saying it was luck didn't watch pre-allstar break Haliburton.

This shot on the other hand, was pretty damn lucky, but you bet your sweet ass I'll take it. 

Haliburton was looking great, but Myles Turner needs his flowers. Not only has he been draining 3's but the allegedly fake tough guy has been cocking back the hammer and slamming down dunks all playoffs. I'd say his dunk highlight reel is the best off the postseason and he added two more tonight in Boston. 

Never thought a Myles Turner dunk highlight reel would get my juices going, but I here I am, in the dark, at full mast.

I felt hopeless when Indiana went down two games against the Knicks because we blew Game 1 in MSG. I thought that was the game we needed to steal on the road to win the series, and we threw it away with some help from the lamest moving screen call of all time. I feel like the stakes are higher with this loss to Boston, but I don't feel hopeless. I still believe the Pacers can win this series. I still believe the Pacers have the best home court advantage in the NBA. 8-0 in the playoffs at home. Yes the Celtics had a great home record in the regular season, but Boston is a much better team, the crowd is responsible in Indy carries the team to do more than they should be capable of doing. That's why Indiana can't give up. A lot of games left in the series, and still plenty in Indianapolis.