May 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) dribbles the ball during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pacers Can Beat Anybody in NBA For One Massive Reason

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated May 13, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers appear ready to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, given their 3-1 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Many NBA experts predicted that the top-seeded Cavs would win the series, given their dominance during the regular season and the superior depth of their roster.

The Pacers have successfully flipped the script, winning the first two games on the road and splitting the home set with one win each.

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There is still plenty of basketball left to be played, but the Pacers appear poised to reach a playoff stage that few expected them to arrive at before the postseason began.

Now that the team has demonstrated the strength of their offense and their capacity to adapt to various defensive strategies, people are beginning to view the Pacers as serious contenders.

Pacers vs. Cavs: Game 4

grabbing control of the series pic.twitter.com/1viYwhsMHY
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 12, 2025

One of those individuals is NBA senior analyst and reporter Brian Windhorst, who believes that Indiana is a legitimate threat to any team in the playoffs and that this postseason run is not a mere fluke.

"The thing about the Pacers, guys, they want you to play at a certain pace. I know it's a pun. If they get to play at their pace, they're going to be very hard to beat," Windhorst said on ESPN's First Take.

"This series has been about who gets to control the pace. The Pacers ran onto the court with their foot on the gas, and whether they closed the Cavs out in game five or whatever, the Pacers going forward, if they control the pace, I don't care who they're playing, they're going to have a chance."

Windy believes the Pacers are legit

"If [the Pacers] control the pace, I don't care who they're playing, they're gonna have a chance." pic.twitter.com/QJ432bGYpD
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 12, 2025

The Pacers are set to face either the Boston Celtics or the New York Knicks in the conference finals, and if they can continue to control games and play their style of up-tempo offense, they could reach the finals.

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The team has an offensive creator in Tyrese Haliburton and one of the best coaches in the league in Rick Carlisle. Those two, paired with a deep roster full of young, energetic contributors, could be a recipe for success in the next round.

The Pacers will have the chance to shut the door on Cleveland on Tuesday, which will be a challenge and will once again test Indiana to see if they can handle the pressure.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, head on over to Indiana Pacers on SI.

This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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