The Indiana Pacers, who entered the postseason with a respectable 50-32 record, had one goal: to bring home their first NBA title. They started strong, knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks in a convincing 4-1 series win. Then came the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, both taken down by the Pacers in similarly convincing fashion.
This earned Indiana its first NBA Finals berth in more than two decades. However, an NBA analyst believes that behind the numbers lies a far less impressive story.
Craig Carton’s Not Satisfied With How the Indiana Pacers Got Their Finals Berth
During the recent episode of the “Breakfast Ball” show, analyst Craig Carton didn’t hold back, claiming the Pacers reached the biggest stage in basketball by taking what he called the easiest path an Eastern Conference team has ever had.
“You earned your way here,” Carton said. “But you got here based on going through the easiest path an Eastern Conference Finals team has ever had.”
“You beat a hurt Cavs team. You did not play the Celtics. And you played a FLAWED Knicks team. You earned your way here… But you got here going through the easiest path an Eastern Conference Finals team has ever had.”
— @craigcartonlive on the Pacers reaching the Finals pic.twitter.com/UvSeI0eO5I
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) June 5, 2025
It should be acknowledged that while the Cavaliers were an elite regular-season team, finishing 64-18 and sweeping the Miami Heat in the first round, they entered the series against Indiana severely depleted.
Star guard Darius Garland missed four games due to a left big toe injury. De’Andre Hunter (right thumb) and Evan Mobley (left ankle) were also sidelined for Game 2, both suffering injuries in Game 1. The Pacers capitalized on the short-handed Cavaliers and cruised to a 4-1 series win.
Carton believes Cleveland’s misfortune, rather than Indiana’s dominance, led to that result.
“You beat a hurt Cavs team,” Carton added. “Major injuries across the board. Two domestic players didn’t play essentially in that series.”
Carton didn’t stop there, too. He pointed to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks as another example of Indiana’s lucky break.
“You did not play the Boston Celtics, and you played a flawed Knicks team,” said Carton.
The Knicks practically shot themselves in the foot by dropping their first two home games, which was a critical misstep. Note that New York held a 14-point lead with only 2:51 left in the fourth quarter before their infamous collapse.
More surprisingly, former head coach Tom Thibodeau stuck with the same starting lineup after the initial loss. It wasn’t until Game 3 that he made a much-needed adjustment. Still, the shift came too late. The Knicks couldn’t build momentum, and Indiana took the series 4-2.
Now, as the Pacers prepare to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals, the pressure shifts to proving whether their playoff run was a product of fortunate circumstances or a sign of true championship potential.
Carton’s criticism may fuel Indiana’s motivation, but once the series tips off June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Paycom Center, only their performance on the court will provide the final answer.
