Coming into this year's conference finals in the NBA, there was a feeling that there wasn't much excitement or enough marquee superstars at that point in the postseason.
Three of the four teams still alive are small-market teams, and many felt the Oklahoma City Thunder, one of those small-market teams, were simply head and shoulders above the other three squads.
But through three games, the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers have been riveting and full of suspense.
The Pacers lead the series two games to one after the Knicks took Game 3 on Sunday, and all three games have been decided by six points or fewer. It's the first time this has happened through three games of a conference championship series since 2009.
This series has been billed as a battle between the speed and fluidity of the Pacers and the grit and toughness of the men from New York.
In Game 1, New York got out to a big lead and was still ahead by double digits with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. But led by Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana stole the contest in overtime and sent fans at Madison Square Garden into shock and dismay.
Those same fans experienced blood pressure spikes after the Pacers took Game 2, 114-109, and took a 2-0 series lead back home.
Tyrese Haliburton
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) and guard Cameron Payne (1) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
On Sunday, the Pacers went up by 20 in the second quarter and looked ready to run away with the contest. But the Knicks imposed their will in the second half, allowing them to claw their way back and earn a 106-100 victory, and as a result, the pressure will shift to Indiana for Game 4.
Out west, the Minnesota Timberwolves obliterated the Thunder 143-101 in Game 3 on Saturday after losing the first two games. Perhaps fans will watch both series in greater numbers from here on out.