New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[Steve Williams]

The Pacers are absolutely on fire in the fourth period. Their defense is smothering the Next who have no answer. They’ve been several turnovers by the next and capitalized by the Pacers into 2 to 3 point baskets. With 4 1/2 minutes in the game. Pacers are up by 19 points (113-94). If Pacers win this series which it looks to be the case right now I would have to vote for Haliburton as the eastern conference MVP. He was absolutely spectacular in this fourth period. His little lob shots that always go in are so deceptive and can never be defended. The guy is a great player and it looks as if it’s going to be a Pacers Thunder final, which should prove to be one of the best in all of the past several years.

 

[Steve Williams]

The fat lady is singing with three minutes and 24 seconds left in the game paces her up by 116-99

Siakam also has had an all star game

 

[Steve Williams]

The Pacers speed and smothering defense in the second half have left the Knicks throwing in the gierlnb. Thibs admits defeat and removes Brunson with 2 minutes left in the game

 

[Steve Williams]

Final as the Fst Lady sings

Pacers 125-108

It’s official for sure. The NBA has officially seen the passing of the gusrf

The game now is youth, speed, finesse and a swarming defense topped off by 3 point accuracy.

For what it’s worth it’s been 25 years since the Pacers have gone to the finals. The playoffs now between the thunder and the Pacers I think will prove to be one of the best finals ever.

 

[JackD201]

Wow. I was a young buck the last time the Pacers made the finals. I believe they were swept but still....

I'm a happy guy but as Brunson has become one of my favorite players since his breakout year in Dallas, this is a little bittersweet.

While my brain tells me OKC is the strong favorite since they are the team that has shown all year that they are the best at dictating pace, Indiana has shown that as far as heart goes, they just might have the biggest of all.

Sorry, been quiet. Just got back from a week long trip where I unplugged and finally worked on my golf game.

 

[Steve Williams]

EC MVP is Siakam. He was great all 7 games.

Wow. I was a young buck the last time the Pacers made the finals. I believe they were swept but still....

I'm a happy guy but as Brunson has become one of my favorite players since his breakout year in Dallas, this is a little bittersweet.

While my brain tells me OKC is the strong favorite since they are the team that has shown all year that they are the best at dictating pace, Indiana has shown that as far as heart goes, they just might have the biggest of all.

Sorry, been quiet. Just got back from a week long trip where I unplugged and finally worked on my golf game.

Like you Jack, it seems OKC are the favorites as they are very deep and know run and gun. However I saw ther same in the Pacers in this series, but what I also saw was a smothering and swarming defense which I dont thingk the Thunder has. So even though I think this will be the Thunder's year, there is a part of me that is saying I believe the Pacers can play to the level of the Thunder and have the defense which can beat them

Im good with either team as they both are just so good. It will be a great series

 

[JackD201]

The only other notable swarm defense in the league this season was Golden State and they did match up very well against OKC this year so I do see your point Steve.

The Pacers have something GS didn't haven't had for a while now and that is lob threats/vertical spacing. With the swarming defense of Indiana, the ball handling of OKC may become suspect as it did with the Warriors. Dort, Caruso and Williams are fantastic perimeter defenders but they have never been very reliable at bringing the ball up the floor. The flip side is the force these three have on the defensive end which should wreak havok on the comparatively slighter Nembhard, Nesmith and Mathurin. Then there is OKC's twin towers. Can Indiana deal with Hartenstein and Holgrem like they did Mobley and Allen?

It will surely be an interesting finals and I believe ultimately that coaching will decide who wins it all.

 

[bodhifile]

Pacers fan for life here, it's been an incredible run so far! Maybe I'm reserving my excitement for the Finals, it hasn't hit me fully yet, or maybe I have a healthy fear and respect for the Thunder... or maybe I'm just a bit nervous after a lifetime of being let down or all the "so close" 's... but it's really "job not done yet!" over here. I must say that this has been a magic ride so far (- a few blunders). I've been on cloud 9 for days after the many miraculous finishes. When we are firing on all cylinders, we can beat ANY team. We are not perfect, but when we are aligned, it is a force of nature! It's amazing to witness a player get into a "flow state"... this WHOLE TEAM gets into flow states. Conducted by maestros (Carlisle and Haliburton). Every single player has a vital part to play in the orchestra. And, just to confirm... basketball really is life here in Indiana, it's not just a game. It's literally music to our ears! You know when you reach a synergy in your audio system, everything just flows, and you're in a state that can really take in the music? It's like an out-of-body experience. Very similar to "playing the right way", team-first basketball. For the love of the game, for the art of the game. Winning is the byproduct of playing the right way. The celebration of song after years and years of practice. At least to me. The reason I live, watch/listen or play, music or basketball. It's all the same. Such is life! ... OK, I need to get off my cloud here and get to sleep, ha.. Oh, and I'm glad Siakam won EC MVP, it sets the stage for Hali's Finals MVP. He plays better with a chip, a Chip to lift above his shoulder that is, ha

 

[DLS]

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers... unforced, forced, turnovers. As a diehard Knicks fanatic, my season is over. Thunder are formidable and Pacers adjusting to several injured players does not bode well for the EC Champs. Hats off to them though. I will watch a little but I'll be surprised if ratings are great.

 

[Zuman]

As a team not known for its defense over the last few years, the Pacers have really committed to changing that. Nembhard harassed Brunson mercilessly last night, and had a good case to be named game MVP. But MVP isn't really a thing with the Pacers. The Knicks are made up of more talented players, but the Pacers are a better team, and we also have Rick Carlisle.
It was fun being there; there was genuine joy among the players, and it was that kind of "we're a family" joy that you see when a Little League team wins a tournament.
We really need a big-time seven-footer to move up to the "next" level, but the primary goal has to be to make sure that the team chemistry isn't diminished.

 

[Steve Williams]

As a team not known for its defense over the last few years, the Pacers have really committed to changing that. Nembhard harassed Brunson mercilessly last night, and had a good case to be named game MVP. But MVP isn't really a thing with the Pacers. The Knicks are made up of more talented players, but the Pacers are a better team, and we also have Rick Carlisle.
It was fun being there; there was genuine joy among the players, and it was that kind of "we're a family" joy that you see when a Little League team wins a tournament.
We really need a big-time seven-footer to move up to the "next" level, but the primary goal has to be to make sure that the team chemistry isn't diminished.

I agree about Rick Carlisle. I felt he outcoached Thibs

 

[Steve Williams]

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers... unforced, forced, turnovers. As a diehard Knicks fanatic, my season is over. Thunder are formidable and Pacers adjusting to several injured players does not bode well for the EC Champs. Hats off to them though. I will watch a little but I'll be surprised if ratings are great.

I feel your pain. Same happens to me every year. The year in the bubble was a streak of luck

 

[Steve Williams]

I. called it. IMO the Knicks did the right thing. Thibs played his team into mental and physical exhaustion and was badly outcoached by Rick Carlisle

Huge game at Indianapolis where a much better pacer team outplayed outclassed and out scored tge Knocjs who looked tired and sluggish

Pacers 130-121 to take a 3-1 lead in this series


If Knicks lose this I feel the team needs to have a hard look at Thibs and his style of coaching. IMHO Knicks have been out coached by Rick Carlisle. Thibs runs his team into mental and physical exhaustion. The Knicks looked lifeless tonight. This playoffs were the Knicks to lose and they likely will lose. If so I would consider a coaching change in NY. Bottom line to me is the Pacers have emerged with great confidence and beat some very good teams. Knicks are a great team but they had nothing left physically or emotionally in their tanks tonight. The Pacers deserve to win the EC . They have beaten some very good teams. On paper this was Knicks year. It ain’t over yet but the fat lady might be singing soon if Knicks win the next 3 they should win the NBA. This is looking like OKC-Pacers final.

Knicks IMO need a fresh look at coaches.

Tom Thibodeau out as coach of Knicks

The Knicks are moving on from Tom Thibodeau, who led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024-25.

www.nba.com

 

[Steve Williams]

a good game at OKC. Both teams playing well but SGA is so good that for me he has been the difference in the half where OKC leads 57-45

The game is far from over but TBH OKC is making this look really easy

 

[Steve Williams]

Exciting 3rd period but in reality they were just trading baskets

End of 3rd

OKC leads 85-76

 

[JackD201]

OKC with suffocating D as expected.

 

[Steve Williams]

I have to admit that the white Mamba at age 31 and oldest player for OKC is still exciting to watch

 

[JackD201]

head is still above water. oooooooohhhhhhhh.

 

[JackD201]

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Steve Williams]

A very exciting 4th period as Pacers close to within three with 1:40 left in game.

Siakam brings them to within one with 40 seconds left in the game

With 27 seconds OKC has the ball and SGA misses the layup. With 5 seconds lHaliburgon takes the ball and drills a 3 with .3 seconds left in game

First lead of game for Pacers 111-110

Okc on final play with .3 seconds left inbounds ball tand no dhot

FINAL PACERS steal this game with .3 seconds left

Haliburton does this for 3rd time in the pksyoffs

Pacers did not lead in this game until the last 0.3 seconds of the game Haliburton snd SGA were both amazing but Haliburton has ice in his veins