I meant to post this before the playoffs started but simply didn't have time until now. This is basically my first free weekend since November of last year and I haven't been able to post as often as I'd like.
I wanna talk about the world these Pacers exist in right now. Our team happens to be on the ascension at a time when one of the most prolific trios in basketball history are hitting their primes down in Miami. For several years to come now, Miami (barring injury) will probably be considered the favorite to come out of the East every year and in many cases be considered the favorite to win the championship. I think everyone can agree that their roster last year was not as good as it is this year. Despite that they still almost won the championship. The scary thing is their team will only continue to improve. With each passing year they get more money to spend towards valuable veterans that will help to make them a more well rounded team (their are rumors abound that Ray Allen has his sights set on Miami for his last contract). By the time Lebron, Wade, and Bosh reach the final years of their deals that team could be stacked with nothing but players that are or have been significant starters at one point in time in this league. This doesn't bode well for anyone in the East or the entire NBA for that matter. With each piece the Heat add you could argue that they will have one of the most talented teams in NBA history. Without a doubt, the road to the finals for the Pacers and every other team in the East will lead through Miami.
So what does this mean for the Pacers? I see it as a chance to solidify our place in NBA lore. Imagine being the team that stops Miami from ever winning a championship. The team that, despite a less talented roster, is able to come together and combine the passion and efforts of all its parts to overcome the heavy favorite. It would be something people would talk about forever. The distinction as the team that prevented 3 of the top players in the entire league from ever winning a championship together. Its a chance to achieve greatness. I suspect if we succeeded it would bring an end to the ever increasing trend of superstars joining forces on a single team. We would have the "mega" team antidote (and it happens to be in Frank Vogel's medicine cabinet right next to the tough guy pills).
Now I know as well as anyone that this is not only extremely hard to do but very likely impossible. If this were to happen it must start this year or it may never happen. The reason being is a victory over Miami this year immediately thrusts us in the circle of the top 3 or 4 teams in the entire NBA. Whats important about this is it puts us on the map of destinations impactful free agents might like to come to. I believe had we of been swept miserably by Chicago last year David West would be in Boston right now. Without 3 down to the wire games and one victory in that series I see no reason why David would have considered us worth his time. If you build it, they will come. If you beat the Heat, even more will come. Next years free agent class is littered with guys that could take us from fringe contenders to frontrunners. Being able to list "beating the Heat" on our resume would certainly make us an attractive candidate to the likes of Steve Nash or Deron Williams; guys that only want to go somewhere that they feel gives them a legitimate shot at the title.
If we fail this year, it becomes twice as hard to do it next year. Miami's roster will be stronger and we will likely miss the opportunity to add important pieces to our roster this summer. This could be the start of the most successful era of Pacers basketball in franchise history. Or it could be a repeat of the 90's. Good enough to flirt with contention but never quite strong enough to break through. We have the makings to do something special. Something that's not just exclusive to the NBA but transcendent amongst sports in general. Can we become one of the greatest sports stories in modern history? The team that rose from the darkest depths of the brawl to achieving success at the highest level with players that have a collective work ethic that epitomizes TEAM sports in a league full of "Me First" attitudes.
Greatness is there for the taking... and I'm excited to see what our guys do.
I wanna talk about the world these Pacers exist in right now. Our team happens to be on the ascension at a time when one of the most prolific trios in basketball history are hitting their primes down in Miami. For several years to come now, Miami (barring injury) will probably be considered the favorite to come out of the East every year and in many cases be considered the favorite to win the championship. I think everyone can agree that their roster last year was not as good as it is this year. Despite that they still almost won the championship. The scary thing is their team will only continue to improve. With each passing year they get more money to spend towards valuable veterans that will help to make them a more well rounded team (their are rumors abound that Ray Allen has his sights set on Miami for his last contract). By the time Lebron, Wade, and Bosh reach the final years of their deals that team could be stacked with nothing but players that are or have been significant starters at one point in time in this league. This doesn't bode well for anyone in the East or the entire NBA for that matter. With each piece the Heat add you could argue that they will have one of the most talented teams in NBA history. Without a doubt, the road to the finals for the Pacers and every other team in the East will lead through Miami.
So what does this mean for the Pacers? I see it as a chance to solidify our place in NBA lore. Imagine being the team that stops Miami from ever winning a championship. The team that, despite a less talented roster, is able to come together and combine the passion and efforts of all its parts to overcome the heavy favorite. It would be something people would talk about forever. The distinction as the team that prevented 3 of the top players in the entire league from ever winning a championship together. Its a chance to achieve greatness. I suspect if we succeeded it would bring an end to the ever increasing trend of superstars joining forces on a single team. We would have the "mega" team antidote (and it happens to be in Frank Vogel's medicine cabinet right next to the tough guy pills).
Now I know as well as anyone that this is not only extremely hard to do but very likely impossible. If this were to happen it must start this year or it may never happen. The reason being is a victory over Miami this year immediately thrusts us in the circle of the top 3 or 4 teams in the entire NBA. Whats important about this is it puts us on the map of destinations impactful free agents might like to come to. I believe had we of been swept miserably by Chicago last year David West would be in Boston right now. Without 3 down to the wire games and one victory in that series I see no reason why David would have considered us worth his time. If you build it, they will come. If you beat the Heat, even more will come. Next years free agent class is littered with guys that could take us from fringe contenders to frontrunners. Being able to list "beating the Heat" on our resume would certainly make us an attractive candidate to the likes of Steve Nash or Deron Williams; guys that only want to go somewhere that they feel gives them a legitimate shot at the title.
If we fail this year, it becomes twice as hard to do it next year. Miami's roster will be stronger and we will likely miss the opportunity to add important pieces to our roster this summer. This could be the start of the most successful era of Pacers basketball in franchise history. Or it could be a repeat of the 90's. Good enough to flirt with contention but never quite strong enough to break through. We have the makings to do something special. Something that's not just exclusive to the NBA but transcendent amongst sports in general. Can we become one of the greatest sports stories in modern history? The team that rose from the darkest depths of the brawl to achieving success at the highest level with players that have a collective work ethic that epitomizes TEAM sports in a league full of "Me First" attitudes.
Greatness is there for the taking... and I'm excited to see what our guys do.
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