HE'S CHOKING!
Pacers vs. Knicks is already for the ages.
PACERS 1, KNICKS 0
In the first Dune movie, the Harkonnen invade Arrakis in the middle of the night, hoping to catch the Atreides’ lacking for just long enough to decimate their entire colony. By the time everyone on the ground realized what was happening, the first bomb had already been dropped. The planet was ablaze.
I think Aaron Nesmith’s sixth three-pointer of the fourth quarter in the Eastern Conference Finals last night was like that first bomb detonating on Arrakis. By the time New York saw what was happening, by the time we all saw what was happening… nothing could be done. At that point — Nesmith’s shot cut the lead to two with 22.1 seconds left — we knew the Pacers were going to do what they’ve been doing all postseason: win a game they had positively no business winning.
Are they doing this on purpose? Is this, like, basketball edging?
There are so many moments that precede the moment in a game, and somehow, none of Nesmith’s fourth-quarter threes were the moment last night. That was Tyrese Haliburton breaking out the Reggie Miller “choke” celebration after he thought he had won the game at the buzzer.
On rare occasions, though, we get moments that succeed the moment, too. Sometimes those moments can ruin the moment, because it’s like, “Okay, the edging was cool, but now everyone finished and we’re kind of tired, let’s not overdo it.”
(Not sure how we got stuck on this metaphor, but you have to ride with me at this point.)
That wasn’t the case last night, though. Because Haliburton’s shot did not win the game for Indiana, instead giving us five more minutes that included a full-on redemption arc for former Knick Obi Toppin, who missed a dunk earlier in the game. It’s like all the series storylines played out in Game 1, and now we’re all looking around wondering what the hell the second act will be.
There’s been discourse recently about how the constant madness of the NBA somehow dilutes the individual instances of that madness. Sort of like a “If it’s always crazy, then it’s never crazy” outlook. I disagree with my whole being. This is the third time Indiana has pulled off this exact comeback in the playoffs, and it’s getting more fun every time they do it. I want more. I yearn for the mayhem.
I don’t know what the rest of this series will hold but Game 1 had me flying around my apartment on a broom, cackling with delight. So I’m already calling this series a W in a postseason full of thrillers. Hali ripping off the Reggie Miller choke in Game 1 is hilarious. No one is having more fun out there. No one embraces their job being “professional basketball player” as much as Tyrese Haliburton does, and that’s a pretty great trait for a great player to have.
Sorry, Paul.
Indiana Was Hiding in Plain Sight
The Indiana Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals last year, then won 50 games this year and were better in some pretty important metrics… and no one seemed to give a rip! This team making another postseason run shouldn’t be a surprise, and I’m going to make sure we all pledge right now to respect the Pacers next year when they win around 50 games again and ball out in the playoffs next year, too. Pledge with me. Are you pledging?
I used to think that Tyrese Haliburton was very good, but not exceptional, as the Pacers point guard. I was convinced his role could be mostly replicated by at least a dozen NBA point guards. I never would have picked the word “overrated,” to describe him, as has been chic to do in recent weeks, but “replaceable” may have been uttered.
I am no longer convinced of that. He’s got the juice. He’s 25 years old and perhaps en route to the NBA Finals as the clear leader of a team that plays basketball in Indiana. That’s the definition of having it. Whatever happens the rest of this series, the Pacers have a core that works both in the regular season and the postseason, and a star who makes sure the lights are brightest before providing his most spectacular moments.
Why not the Pacers?
What I’m Listening to: J Dilla
Just, like, sit back and enjoy it, man.