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The Indiana Pacers aren't your typical contender, headlined by a deferential point guard and staffed by a near-10 man rotation while representing a team with zero previous NBA Finals wins, and yet they completely belong in these upcoming Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers have carved through their formidable previous matchups as easily as any of the four teams remaining in these NBA playoffs, reaching their second consecutive conference finals appearance behind Tyrese Haliburton's conducting of Indiana's red-hot scoring attack. While the New York Knicks will own home court advantage against their historic rival, it's the Pacers who own the advantage as the last team to end a Knicks title run.
They look to do it again, as they're one of the only teams capable of challenging New York at their own cardio-based game. While the Knicks have built their identity behind their star-studded lineup full of iron men, forged over 82 long regular season games with minimal bench substitutions, the Pacers use the opposite strategy to prioritize fresh legs.
The Indiana rotation runs to nearly double digits on the regular, placing a minimal burden on their starters and regularly deploying bench units who can hold up just as well as any opposing playoff lineup. Aaron Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith might be annoying to deal with on both ends of the floor, but reserves like TJ McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin are all good at maintaining that pressure.
The Milwaukee Bucks found out just how tough the Pacers are to shake, blowing an unimaginable lead in seconds to fall to Haliburton for the second consecutive season. It was an unfortunate lesson the Cavaliers had to learn on their own, suffering their own humiliating loss in Cleveland when they, too, failed to land the kill shot en route to their upset series defeat.
HALIBURTON WITH THE GAME WINNING THREE AND BIG BALLS CELEBRATION!!!!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 7, 2025
Pacers were down 14 in the 4th pic.twitter.com/OYtKhRliym
The Cavaliers and the Bucks were two of the less impressive defenses the east had to offer, but the Pacers' effective field goal percentage of 58.3% leads all of the 16 teams who qualified for the playoffs. That's 10 games into their run, which they've won eight of behind their typically-blistering pace and postseason-leading splits of 50% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.
The Knicks could shrug off those numbers and credit them to slumping competition, but they themselves once fell to Indiana's token all-around attack.
They weren't at their healthiest during their previous second round bout against the Pacers, but the Knicks succumbed to an all-time heater in Game 7 when the Pacers shot 67.1% from the field, the most efficient single-game shooting performance in the history of the NBA playoffs.
These Pacers aren't one to be underestimated, having been just as tested at overcoming fourth quarter deficits as these Knicks. They sent the reigning champions packing in six, which is pretty impressive, but so is doing away with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 64-win Cavaliers in five games apiece.
They're hot and on more rest than these Knicks, who should be prepared for a classic conference finals showdown, the kind that no one expected, for the ages.
More must-reads:
- Dylan Harper injures calf, leaves arena in walking boot
- Cooper Flagg responds to his critics amid early career struggles
- The 'TDs from Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Three potential trade destinations for Grizzlies' Ja Morant
The Memphis Grizzlies' (3-3) 2025-26 season is just six games old, yet issues have already begun to arise with star point guard Ja Morant. Friday night’s loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers (4-2) saw the 2019 second overall pick struggle to the tune of just eight points, seven assists and one rebound on 3-of-14 shooting, which included going 0/6 from beyond the arc. While that performance was concerning enough for the Grizzlies, the way Morant handled himself during and after the game was even worse. Morant was seen avoiding the huddle during an in-game timeout, and in his postgame press conference, he quickly directed the blame for his off night onto the coaching staff. Those actions have since led to Morant being suspended one game by the Grizzlies for conduct detrimental to the team. It’s yet another ugly situation for Morant in Memphis, adding to a long list of issues that have emerged on and off the court. It couldn’t be more obvious that both the player and team need a breakup, so let’s take a look at the three best fits for Morant to get said change of scenery. Minnesota Timberwolves No team is in more desperate need of a point guard than the Timberwolves. Mike Conley, 38, has been starting at the position in recent games, and, as solid a career as he’s had, that is not a good thing at this point. Anthony Edwards feels like the only true offensive creator in Minnesota, so bringing in Morant would give both guys the freedom to feed off one another as a 1-2 punch. The T-Wolves will always be Edwards’ team, which could greatly benefit Morant by allowing him to focus on his game rather than deal with all that comes with being the face of a franchise. Toronto Raptors Something's got to give in Toronto. The time for patience has passed, and the excuses have to stop. This roster has more than enough talent to compete for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference, yet it’s still just not working. Immanuel Quickley has often been injured and, quite frankly, has not been cutting it even when on the court. The Raptors have lots of nice pieces, but they lack that true closer when the game gets into crunch time; enter Morant. At 26 years old, he fits right into the timeline to win with Scottie Barnes (24), Brandon Ingram (28) and RJ Barrett (25) as the core in Toronto. Time for another Kawhi Leonard-esque splash from Bobby Webster and company. Washington Wizards The third and final team that could be a sneaky good landing spot is the Wizards. Washington finally appears to have a direction and will eventually be able to start adding higher-end talent around the young nucleus they’re building. They may not be a contender anytime soon, but Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly have it feeling like the culture is shifting positively. Given that expectations are low, Morant could come in alongside all of this young talent, play his game and put the distractions aside. Not to mention the Wizards could probably make things work with Memphis thanks to their cap space and draft capital.
Eagles geared up for another Super Bowl run after Jaelan Phillips trade
The Philadelphia Eagles are already Super Bowl contenders, but that's not stopping general manager Howie Roseman from bolstering his roster before the trade deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. On Monday, the Miami Dolphins sent linebacker Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a 2026 third-round pick (via ESPN's Adam Schefter). It's the third defensive trade Roseman and company have made in the past week. They already improved their secondary by acquiring cornerback Jaire Alexander from the Baltimore Ravens and CB Michael Carter II from the New York Jets. How Jaelan Phillips trade benefits Eagles Trading for 26-year-old Phillips should help the Eagles (6-2) solve one of their bigger defensive problems: the ability to generate pressure consistently. Per Pro Football Reference, Philadelphia is tied for 19th in the NFL in pressure rate (19 percent). It also has 16 sacks, tied with the Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) for 23rd in the league. Phillips had just three sacks through his first nine games with Miami, but he's still a quality pass-rusher. Pro Football Reference has credited him with 18 pressures this season, tied with Denver Broncos LB Nik Bonitto and Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt for the 12th most in the league. That's great company for Phillips to be in. Both of those star defenders are Defensive Player of the Year candidates. As of Monday, DraftKings Sportsbook gives Bonitto +850 odds to win the award and Watt +3500 odds to capture it. Star Philadelphia LB Nolan Smith Jr. is expected to return from a triceps injury in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers. He last played in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. His return and the Phillips trade may now put the Eagles defense — which ranks 19th in the league in points allowed (23.1) — in a position to hit its stride. Even if their team is winning, top GMs, like two-time Super Bowl champion Roseman, continue to find ways to strengthen their clubs. He's likely done that again by landing Phillips.
Mike Vrabel responds to accusation that Patriots simulated Falcons' snap on key fourth-quarter play
Packers have two trade options to replace Tucker Kraft
The Green Bay Packers lost much more than a game on Sunday afternoon. Star tight end Tucker Kraft, who had blossomed as one of the biggest threats for their passing game, suffered a potential season-ending knee injury. Kraft's production was quite valuable for Matt LaFleur's team, hauling in 32 passes on 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns. Now, with Kraft potentially out of the picture and the trade deadline just hours away, the Packers have two candidates to consider as his replacement. Packers should trade for David Njoku or Chig Okonkwo Jordan Love is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in intermediate throws and using the middle of the field. The Packers need to exploit that with another playmaking tight end. With the Cleveland Browns sitting on a 2-6 record and David Njoku still waiting to get a contract extension, he'd be a solid and reliable addition at a reasonable price. He's up to 27 receptions for 260 yards and two scores this season. While he's been vocal about his desire to stay in Cleveland, Browns rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr. is already the No. 1 option. If the Browns are reluctant to give Njoku up, the Packers can always reach out to the Tennessee Titans, who, at 1-8, are already going through a panic sale of their own. Cam Ward hasn't developed much chemistry with Chigoziem Okonkwo. Given that Okonkwo is in the final year of his rookie contract, he's also a no-brainer trade candidate. Despite the limited opportunities and inconsistent playing time, Okonkwo has turned 29 catches into 281 yards. He may only need a change of scenery to break out.
Auburn makes massive decision regarding HC Hugh Freeze
The college football coaching carousel is alive and well. Just one week after Brian Kelly was fired from LSU, it's now the Auburn Tigers' turn to make a coaching move. Hugh Freeze fired According to multiple reports, Auburn has officially parted ways with head coach Hugh Freeze. The firing comes after Auburn managed just three points Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats, one of the SEC's worst defensive teams, in a 10-3 loss. Freeze's tenure Freeze will finish his tenure at Auburn with a 15-19 (44.1 percent) record, much worse than his career winning percentage of 61.3 percent. His return to the SEC after seven seasons away ultimately did not turn out the way he or the university had hoped. Expected buyout Freeze's expected buyout is set at $15.8 million, one of the largest across college football. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, that amount "is not subject to off-set and mitigation." Potential replacements The amount of top-notch coaching talent fired this season will give Auburn plenty of options to go after to fill its head-coaching vacancy. Those names include Billy Napier, Brian Kelly, James Franklin and others. A head-coaching job in the SEC is a dream job for many coaches, meaning there should be plenty of suitors to fill the vacated role for both next season and beyond.
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