It doesn’t matter how ugly the loss is. It doesn’t matter who’s favored, or how loud the noise gets. The Indiana Pacers don’t spiral — they respond.
It’s what they’ve done all season. It’s what they did in the first round. And after getting punched in the mouth by Cleveland in Game 3, they did it again on Sunday — with a historic 129-109 Game 4 win that tied an NBA playoff record for halftime margin and put them one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers don’t flinch. They adjust. They trust. And more than anything, they come back better.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” Rick Carlisle said after the win. But the numbers say otherwise: Indiana is 3-0 this postseason in games following 20-point losses. They haven’t lost back-to-back games since March 10. This team doesn’t just bounce back — it hits back harder.
Ugly Film, Clean Results
Tyrese Haliburton called Saturday’s film session “ugly.” That’s where it starts for Indiana — accountability.
“Our film sessions are always pretty ugly after a loss,” Haliburton said. “Coach [Carlisle] is a savant when it comes to adjustments and getting the best out of guys. His intensity during the playoffs is easy to follow. You can always count on us to respond the right way.”
That wasn’t just talk.
Indiana scored 80 points in the first half — a franchise playoff record and the most by any team in a half this postseason. They shot 60 percent from the floor, dished out 25 assists, and turned Cleveland over 14 times before the break.
The same Cavs team that dictated Game 3 with a 3-2 zone? They got torched in Game 4. Carlisle found the holes. His players executed. It wasn’t just a counter — it was a statement.
“We just had a better attitude about attacking the zone tonight,” Carlisle said. “The biggest adjustments were in attitude and aggression.”
From Haliburton to Toppin, It’s a Team-Wide Identity
Haliburton’s slam to open Game 4 wasn’t about stats — it was about tone. And his teammates followed. However, for the star guard, it was a needed bounce-back with 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Pascal Siakam finally broke out, scoring 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Obi Toppin brought a jolt off the bench with 20 points, electrifying the Fieldhouse with a reverse layup that turned into a crowd chant.
“When Obi’s active, athletic, and running, he’s unstoppable,” Siakam said. “He’s unstoppable out there because of just how gifted he is.”
Indiana finished with seven players in double figures. Every rotation player contributed. And even after Bennedict Mathurin was ejected early for a flagrant foul, the Pacers didn’t lose their edge — they doubled down on it.
That’s what this team does. They course-correct — quickly.
“We have guys that care at the end of the day,” Siakam said. “When we watch film or we look at things that we didn’t do well, it’s not emotional. It’s all about correcting it, it’s all about getting better. The guys know it and we just have that same understanding that at the end of the day, we all care about winning and that’s all it is.”
This Is the Culture Carlisle Built
Carlisle doesn’t let his players get too high or too low. Game 3? Ugly. Game 4? Historic. His tone stayed the same.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” Carlisle said. “We’re going to keep approaching this like we have everything to prove. We know people don’t believe in us, and so we’re going to just stay in the fight and keep fighting…This game is now history. We need to stay in the present moment as much as we can.
The Pacers have played every game in this series as the betting underdog. They’ve lost momentum more than once. They’ve had frustrating injuries, inefficient stretches, and cold shooting nights.
And still — they’ve never let it carry over.
Myles Turner said it best. This isn’t the loudest team in the playoffs. It’s not the flashiest. But it might be the one most comfortable in chaos. Because Indiana doesn’t chase validation. It responds to challenge.
“You’ve got to be able to go into hostile territory and stay focused,” Turner said. “We’re going to keep our heads down, keep our blinders on and just keep rolling. Ignore the noise and keep playing our brand of basketball.”
That’s a dangerous formula for Cleveland — and for anyone left in the East. The result? One more win will put Indiana back in the Eastern Conference Finals for a second consecutive season.
