25 years to reach the finals, and then how can you not expect drama? The Indiana Pacers have pushed it to game 7, staring straight into OKC’s eyes. The series now sits at 3-3, a plot twist everybody hoped but never really expected. After getting dismantled in Games 4 and 5, this felt like a lost cause. But Indiana knows how to claw back and how to summon the legends from the past when it matters most. In Game 6, the Indiana legends couldn’t stomach watching from home. So they showed up, because this wasn’t just about the roster. It was to witness Rick Carlisle getting one step closer to that elusive prize that they couldn’t help him with.
Universally, all the odds were against the Pacers in Game 6. They have lost 2 consecutive matches before this. Their defense was getting hammered by Shai and Jalen Williams on the court. To make matters worse, Tyrese Haliburton’s calf gave out in Game 5, leaving him sidelined when they needed him most. And with elimination staring them down, game 6 felt like the final. That’s why the Pacers’ old veterans couldn’t stay away. The legends who once bled for this team under Carlisle’s watch needed to be there. Game 6 turned into a reunion wrapped in desperation.
Standing courtside before tipoff, Stephen Jackson put his mind on mic. “I’m ready. I feel like I want to put my uniform on right now,” he admitted. When asked why so many Pacers legends packed the arena while other teams rarely draw their old guard like this, Stephen didn’t hesitate. He said, “Well, I can’t speak for most guys, but I can speak for me. I am here. I want to see Rick do this.” Makes sense. Because it’s the same coach who once pulled the strings during Stephen’s Pacers run. But then he peeled back the curtain and laid out the truth.
Stephen didn’t dance around it. “I think Ron (Artest), Jermaine O’Neal, Al (Harrington), we all have the same feeling,” he said. “We had an opportunity to do it for him, and it didn’t work out because of some actions of all of us. So we just want to support him (Rick Carlisle) and hope he’ll be able to get it.” The truth is, if the infamous Malice at the Palace never detonated their careers, that 2004-05 Pacers squad would’ve been a legitimate title threat. But what’s done is done. The past is a scar, and tonight belongs to the present.
A post shared by Rachel Nichols | Sports Reporter & Host | NBA, NFL, NHL (@rachel_nichols)
The Pacers have tied the series 3-3 with the OKC Thunder, and the mission those legends showed up for is halfway complete. But without Tyrese, the engine of this Pacers team, that 108-91 win might’ve stayed a fantasy. His lingering calf injury had cast a heavy shadow over Indiana’s chances. Yet, before a single ball was tipped, Rick Carlisle made his stance crystal clear.
Rick Carlisle gets real on why Tyrese Haliburton was non-negotiable for Game 6
The Pacers had done everything right at home. And for those still questioning Carlisle’s coaching instincts, well, they got their answer. Now, only one game stands between Indiana and finally scrubbing off the ‘underdog’ label they’ve dragged for years. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t his typical electric self, but OKC felt his presence every trip down the floor.
That nagging calf injury from Game 5 could’ve sidelined him. The risk of aggravating it and wrecking his offseason was real. But Carlisle had already drawn his line in the sand. “What’s the point?” Carlisle told reporters.
May 30, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle reacts during the third quarter against the LA Clippers in game four in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
“I mean, this time of year, playing games isn’t going to get you anywhere. We got a job to do tonight. We’ve got to get ready to battle a team that has been the best team in the league all year long. It’s a tough game. It’s an elimination game.” That was it.
Rick knew this moment was too big to play it safe, and Tyrese matched that energy. He made his stance clear earlier: “If I can walk, I’ll play.” And so he did. Now, with Game 7 looming, the Indiana Pacers’ fate still leans on the guy they simply refuse to fight without.
The post Rick Carlisle’s Title Run Triggers Powerful Reunion After Ex-Pacer Drops Truth Bomb on Arena Buzz appeared first on EssentiallySports.
