INDIANAPOLIS — As the Indiana Pacers prepare for a decisive Game 7 that could lead them to a world championship, both players and fans alike are embracing the moment with a mix of excitement and anticipation.
With a history of resilience displayed throughout the playoffs, the team’s journey has been as much about mental strength as it has been about skill on the court. Some have been calling them the Comeback Kings.
“The dog catching the car,” is how one fan described the moment. “We are so close to catching that car.”
Dr. Elaine Gilbert, a sports psychologist with IU Health, attributes the Pacers’ playoff success to their remarkable mental toughness.
“So much of sport is how we think, but also how we behave and how we feel,” she said.
Gilbert believes that confidence plays a vital role in the team’s ability to fight back from adversity.
“When we've studied confidence, we think about it as a cycle or like a circle. So, thinking, trying, and succeeding,” Gilbert noted.
“The two most important parts are thinking about it and then succeeding, and how we define that success matters. Resiliency is one of those things that comes through in those ways.”
Dustin Dopirak, a reporter for IndyStar, emphasized the team's clutch playmaking as the key reasoning for the newfound playoff success.
“They’ve got a lot of muscle memory here and just a lot of belief that the game isn't over. They’ve won a Game 7 before,” he said.
Gilbert urges fans and players to resist the pressure typically associated with such high-stakes games.
“The cool thing about pressure is that it’s actually invisible and fundamentally made up. It doesn’t matter,” she said.
For the Pacers, a world title is closer than ever, but Gilbert encouarges fans and players to just enjoy the moment.
“They fought so hard to be in this moment. Cherish it, enjoy it as best as you can,” Gilbert advised.
Game 7 tips off at 8 p.m. on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
