Pacers Break Records and Embrace Fast-Paced Playoff Style

Tyreese Halliburton approached the podium at Madison Square Garden about 40 minutes after his team, the Indiana Pacers, set several playoff records. They secured a decisive 130-109 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 7, marking the end of the 2024 Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Halliburton had plenty to be happy about. His team was advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, flanked by two key teammates, Pascal Siakam and Miles Turner. Siakam sported a sweatshirt featuring a picture of Reggie Miller performing his iconic chalk gesture toward Knicks superfan Spike Lee, while Turner casually held sunglasses despite being indoors.

Yet, amidst the excitement, Halliburton’s expression shifted when he was asked about the team’s style of play throughout the postseason. He commented on how the game tends to slow down in the playoffs and what that means for Indiana’s strategy.

“Do you think we’ve been playing at a slower pace?” Halliburton mused, tapping the podium as he spoke. “There’s this old-school notion that you can’t maintain speed in the playoffs.”

The Pacers outperformed the Knicks both that night and throughout the series. In Game 7, the Pacers averaged 15.55 seconds per offensive possession, which is about half a second faster than the Knicks. Over the course of the series, Indiana maintained an offensive pace of 14.7, while New York was at 16.7. This pace difference was noticeable during the win and throughout the series. Last year, Indiana also swept through the first round against Milwaukee, displaying a similar speed advantage.

Heading into the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers maintained a faster pace against the Boston Celtics but ultimately fell in a 4-0 sweep. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla remarked that the Pacers posed a more significant challenge than any other team during their championship run, even though his team emerged victorious. “That Indiana series was much tougher,” Mazzulla noted. Opponents were often surprised by how quickly the Pacers played.

Common wisdom suggests that games slow down during the playoffs, yet the Pacers seem to defy that trend.

This idea of a slower postseason game isn’t new. Legendary coach Phil Jackson famously said: “It puts them in the grinder.” Once two teams really get to know each other, naturally, the pace tends to slow down. There’s more time and effort required to overcome a well-prepared opponent, especially with specific defensive strategies designed to counteract a single team’s strengths.

There are numerous factors that cause teams to adopt a slower tempo during critical playoff moments. Some prefer a more deliberate pace, running rehearsed plays slowly. The Pacers, however, reject this notion of slowing down. Halliburton expressed his disdain for the idea after last year’s postseason, and even with their current playoff victories, the team remains focused on maintaining speed.

“We want to play faster; that’s who we are,” Halliburton said after a win against the Bucks in the first round. Despite the victory, he felt they could elevate their pace. “I believe we might be the toughest team to defend in the NBA regarding offensive transitions.”

Thomas Bryant, the backup center, echoed this sentiment after a recent series win. The Pacers consistently aim to adjust their tempo, making racing up the court a priority for achieving their best chances of winning.

Bryant backs Miles Turner, who has spent his entire decade-long career in Indiana. Turner, who played for a slower team previously, has adjusted well to this new, faster approach. He believes that a quicker tempo is crucial during the postseason. “Our depth is significant; we can rotate 10-12 players in a playoff series, which is quite rare,” Turner said about their up-tempo style. “We have a roster built for this; it’s about training and clear roles.”

Halliburton added that he’s not entirely convinced that the conventional wisdom of slowing down during playoffs holds any truth. “Playoffs require more scouting and physical play—it’s human nature,” he noted. “All these games feel quite close. Yet, our identity is our speed. We thrive on controlled chaos from transition plays to quick half-court attacks. It might seem a bit exaggerated, but I see where it comes from.”

Now in the conference finals, the Pacers hold the second-fastest pace among remaining playoff teams, just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The other top seven teams have all been eliminated, indicating that faster teams often struggle in the postseason.

Interestingly, the Pacers finished the regular season ranked seventh in pace, but in the playoffs, they’ve emerged as the second fastest. Many of the teams ranked above them have already been ousted, with only OKC progressing past the first round. This highlights how winning fast in the playoffs is not typical.

For the Pacers, running an uptempo system is their hallmark for success. They outlast their opponents over the course of a series. Their offensive setup is quick, resulting in an exhausting challenge for any team facing them.

When the ball goes out of bounds during a play, the Pacers quickly retrieve it to kickstart their next possession. They often ask for the ball from officials ahead of an inbound play, demonstrating an urgency that’s palpable. Whenever the opposing team fails to score or commits a mistake, the Pacers are quick to capitalize. They know that the opposing players are often out of position, which frequently leads to open opportunities.

Opponents are well aware of the fast-paced game the Pacers play but find it hard to counter. Cavs star Donovan Mitchell remarked on how challenging it was to simulate Indiana’s tempo in practice as the Cavaliers prepared for their playoff series. The Pacers managed to defeat Cleveland in five games.

Coaches acknowledge the problems posed by the Pacers’ style. Mazzulla spoke to these challenges, while others have detailed exactly what makes it tough to slow down the Pacers in playoffs.

Doc Rivers, coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, questioned the conventional wisdom surrounding playoff pace. “Did anyone watch Magic Johnson’s Lakers? I don’t recall them walking the ball up the floor.” He added that playoff basketball might slow down a bit, but not enough to hinder a team’s dynamic play. Rivers’ team attempted to slow the game down during their first-round rematch, but that strategy backfired, resulting in a five-game loss to the Pacers.

Kenny Atkinson, coach of the Cavaliers, also viewed the idea of slowing down the game as potentially misleading. “They’re all about going faster,” he said of the Pacers. “We have solid half-court defense, but their goal is to push the pace.” Mitchell affirmed the difficulties of preparing for Indiana’s speed.

The Pacers’ approach may not suit every team’s roster, but their fast-paced game has led to significant playoff success. With an 8-2 record in the postseason, they managed to knock out a 64-win team, becoming just the fourth squad in NBA history to do so before reaching the conference finals.

This fast and physical style is a growing trademark for the Pacers. Coaches have remarked on the rugged nature of the Pacers against their opponents during the playoffs, with Rick Carlisle noting his team’s physical attributes. It’s a relatively rare combination for a team known for their speed.

At the heart of this approach is Halliburton, a player who deftly combines individual and team play. Atkinson has likened Halliburton’s skill set to that of Steph Curry during his prime with the Warriors. If the Pacers had different stars, their style might not be as fast.

Halliburton’s arrival in Indiana coincided with a shift toward a more uptempo game. Nearly all recent acquisitions have been players who excel in fast-paced play. Indiana’s roster is now built around this philosophy, as players like Obi Toppin and Siakam were brought in to enhance that style, while others have extended their contracts or been retained for their fit.

While a few players might enjoy a slower pace, the Pacers perform better when all five players on the court are quick and connected. Benedict Mathurin and Siakam can both score in isolation, but the team’s overall efficiency hinges on maintaining that fast tempo.

As many in the NBA lean toward a slower style in the playoffs, the Pacers intentionally optimize their pace. They have learned to leverage their speed after making it past previous challengers, reaching the conference finals again. If they can continue to harness this fast-paced approach, the Pacers may just find themselves on the NBA’s biggest stage once more.