The Indiana Pacers are in the NBA Finals battling for their first title in franchise history, but that hasn't kept the team's accomplishments from getting overlooked during their postseason run.
The Pacers overcame some early season inconsistencies and emerged as one of the hottest teams in the league heading into postseason play. They finished fourth in the Eastern Conference over the regular season and went on to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks to reach the Fi,nals.
Indiana partially advanced to this point thanks to some wild comeback wins, including four game-winning or game-tying baskets from point guard Tyrese Haliburton this postseason. Heading into the playoffs, the Cavaliers and Boston Celtics were viewed as the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and the Celtics were seen as strong contenders to repeat as champions. The Pacers were not widely predicted to advance to the Finals.
In comparison, the Oklahoma City Thunder finished with the best record in the NBA this season, so it wasn't particularly surprising to see them reach the Finals. Though the Pacers did reach the Finals and even surprised with their comeback to win Game 1, they haven't been taken as seriously as other teams throughout the postseason.
Ahead of Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Haliburton shared his thoughts on how the Pacers have been overlooked at points, and weighed in on the general state of NBA discourse.
"I think when you're successful people will always find a reason to discredit you. That's really how it goes," Haliburton told ESPN's Malika Andrews. "The way that our sport is talked about sometimes—even by the people who are put in the most major positions to talk about it—is not always beneficial, really for anybody. I think that's just how things go sometimes. For us, it's about controlling what we can. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what people have to say about our road to get here, where we are right now, how we're playing. We're three games away from being NBA champions. That's the biggest thing."
"I think when you're successful people will always find a reason to discredit you."
Tyrese Haliburton tells @malika_andrews about the pressure that comes with success. pic.twitter.com/mdrDAUHTrQ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 10, 2025
Along with the discourse revolving the team, there has also been plenty of talk about Haliburton as a player throughout the season. He was voted the league's most overrated player in a poll by The Athletic, and amid his postseason success, there has been debate over whether or not he's a superstar.
While Haliburton told Andrews they are focusing on what they can control, he has acknowledged that he and the team have used their doubters as motivation. He and the Pacers will have to channel that doubt as fuel as they look to rebound from a tough Game 2 loss to Oklahoma City.
Game 3 of the NBA Finals takes place on Wednesday.
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