The Indiana Pacers now sit on the brink of elimination. Here’s what went wrong in Game 5 and what they need to do to extend the series to a deciding Game 7.
There are losses, and then there are losses.
This was a loss.
For the second time in a series they are now trailing for the first time, the Indiana Pacers were on the cusp of stealing a game they probably shouldn’t have even been in.
Down by six to the Cleveland Cavaliers with under two and a half minutes to go, the Pacers’ MVP had the ball in his hands at the top of the key with time running down. Victor Oladipo drove on the best player in the world, thinking that LeBron James had lost just enough off his fastball to be susceptible.
He thought wrong.
Oladipo at least could be forgiven. The Pacers’ decision not to foul James before he could ever get into his shooting motion at the other end, however, cannot.
It’s entirely possible that Indiana would have lost Game 5 in overtime, but they still should have gotten there. One of the five greatest shots from of one of the greatest players of all time never should have happened.
But it did, and now the Pacers are on the brink of elimination. Here are three takeaways from the game that got them there.