Pacers on the Brink

Pacers Facing Must-Win Game 6

The Indiana Pacers headed home to Indianapolis last weekend down 2-0 in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series with the New York Knicks. They needed to hold serve at home by winning both games 3 and 4. And they did!

In fact, they put an historic Mother's Day Massacre beat down on the Knicks in Game 4, 121-89. The New York starters, who have been playing excessive minutes, looked tired and the Indiana starters looked young and spry. The Pacers looked capable of stealing a win in Game 5 in New York but looks can be deceiving. 

In Game 5 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks absolutely destroyed the Pacers 121-91. New York dominated in every way. The Knicks even found new sources of offense on their bench to further degrade the Pacers already slim hopes for success in the series. 

Inexcusably, the Pacers didn't mentally show up for Game 5. What went wrong? Oh, I have a list for you: 

• The Pacers got out-hustled to every loose ball.
• The Knicks dominated the boards - a 53-29 rebound advantage.
• Indiana was incredibly careless with the ball, turning it over 18 times to New York's 9.
• Indiana, again, had no answer for New York G Jalen Brunson as he continued the most impressive playoff run I can remember with 44 points and 7 assists. 
• And Pacer G Tyrese Haliburton had a mediocre game with another one of his late-game disappearing acts.

Even scarier than the above Pacer deficiencies, the Knicks found efficiencies that they hadn't been able to muster, previously. New York coach Tom Thibodeau inserted G Miles "Deuce" McBride into the starting lineup and called on G Alec Burks for heavy minutes off the bench, which allowed the overused Knicks starters additional rest. McBride totaled 17 points and 4 assists and Burks poured in 18 points with 5 rebounds, 

The Pacers are in big trouble now as they stare down elimination when they play in Indianapolis tonight. New York was calm and determined as they responded to their embarrassing Game 4 loss. Indiana will have to respond similarly in Game 6, but there are questions that they have the mentality and talent to do so. 

Indiana in the playoffs throws me into a nihilistic mindset. Nihilism is "often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence," according to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Precisely, Pacer fans are likely condemning their own existence as fans about now. 

I am just hoping the Pacers show up tonight and give the home crowd a good effort. 

The Month of May in Indianapolis

No matter what is happening with the Pacers, the month of May in Indianapolis is packed with events surrounding the Indianapolis 500 that are anything but nihilistic. 

Alli Donovan of Life in Indy compiled a list of all the happenings this month that range from road races to parades to concerts, as well as the activities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Being a Hoosier ex-pat for more than 30 years, I have admittedly spent very little time following the NTT IndyCar Series or the Indy 500. The one and only time I attended the race was in 1993. My social media feed of recent years has been piling up with posts of loyal HOTPO readers enjoying the 500, however, and has prompted an editorial commitment to covering "the greatest spectacle in racing" in-person this year.

The HOTPO staff has a lot to learn prior to covering the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. Nate Ryan of NBC Sports recently highlighted five drivers to watch this year including: Josef Newgarden, 2003 winner; Alex Palou, 2023 pole winner; and Kyle Larson, a NASCAR driver attempting to become the fifth driver to run the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 in the same day. Palou won the Sonsio Gran Prix last weekend at IMS and has a head of steam coming into the 500. 

There is so much more than the drivers to learn about since the Indy 500 is as much an event as it is a race.

• What time are we leaving the house for the motor speedway to begin tailgating?
• Should I wear a boonie hat to protect against sunburn?
• What type of t-shirt is more appropriate: USA-themed, driver-oriented or a Metallica muscle-T?
• What is the over/under for "old friends I will see" for the weekend - 5, 10, 15?
• Is there a post-race event we are going to hit that I need to pace for?

So much to learn to facilitate quality coverage, but trust in the HOTPO staff - we are doing the necessary research.

HOTPO senior writer and some loyal readers at the 1993 Indy 500 infield. All HOTPO personnel will be keeping shirts on this year.

Municipal Course Masher Course Review

Members of the HOTPO staff played a 9-hole round at Pinecrest Golf Course in Annadale, Va. recently. It is a par 35, 9-hole executive course measuring 2,462 yards. You can't see the green from the tee boxes on this rolling course with narrow fairways squeezed into a reverse C-shape area off of Little River Turnpike and Braddock Road, but you are rarely challenged by water hazards (thankfully). 

The HOTPO staff loved the experience. We hit the fairways more often than normal, so we had that going for us. The ninth tee box was under construction and the temporary tee left something to be desired, but the friendly staff and 3-beer discount more than made up for that small deficiency. 

HOTPO staff at the Pinecrest Golf Course in Annadale, Va. Check out that ninth tee box. And, no, those are NOT our White Claws.

The Close Out: the PGA Championship is already underway at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. and Blake Schuster of the USA Today has short preview that can get you up to speed quickly. There is still plenty of competitive action remaining in the NBA and NHL conference semifinals, as well. The Reds and Nats are doing a lot of losing lately, so you can put baseball on hold for the weekend.