No one thought it would be possible. Outside of the diehard fans and Indiana residents, the Indiana Pacers’ playoff push this year has blind-sighted nearly every NBA analyst and reporter, but not for the reason one might think.
In a 12-person ESPN panel of NBA analysts and experts, not one picked the Pacers to defeat the Cleavland Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference finals, let alone in five games out of a possible seven game series. The reason for their false predictions could be attributed to several things. It could be due to the Cavaliers being one of the greatest regular season teams ever, having the second-best start to a season ever with a starting record of 15-0. However, another reason could be the analysts did not account for the physicality and depth of the Pacers roster.
“The duration of [the Pacers] intensity,” Cavaliers Head Coach, Kenny Atkinson said in an interview after Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. “They press fullcourt, and then they run consistently all game.”
This team hasn’t just highlighted their organization, but they have done the same for the state and the people within it. Seeing their team find success on the national level seems to strike a sense of pride among the Hoosier population.
“To see local teams succeed after going through all the adversity that they go through,” junior and varsity basketball player Landon Osswald said, “us Hoosiers become really proud of them.”
That pride and connection seems to trickle down into the school as well. Similar to March Madness season, the Pacers playoff run has given every student something in common.
“It doesn’t matter if you play basketball,” Osswald said “soccer, wrestling, lacrosse, track, even no sport at all, the Pacers have given everyone something to root for and be excited about, and something to talk and engage about.”
That bond can even connect those who may not have otherwise interacted. Junior Kahaan Modi shares an account of how he has conversed with those who share a passion for the Pacers.
“I’ve worn my Tyrese Haliburton jersey to school a few days,” Modi said “and some people have noticed, and we’ve talked about the Pacers just from that. It’s been really cool to have some conversations that I don’t think I would have had otherwise.”
Being able to interact with various students around the school helps create a sense of unity within the school and make it feel smaller for every student. Because of this, the Pacers have ignited the school’s spirit, and it has even given some motivation to those in athletics who want to have a similar impact with their performance.
“I want to give the students at HSE something to care about in the winter,” Osswald said “and give the same excitement and hysteria throughout the school that the Pacers are giving to the state of Indiana right now.”
