So many elements are involved in finding NBA postseason success, but perhaps nothing plays a bigger role than mental stability.
On the surface, that appears to be more curse than blessing for the bipolar Indiana Pacers. After three straight trips to the NBA Finals and back-to-back world titles, the Miami Heat aren't playing the same mind games as their bitter rivals.
The simple strategy is identical on both sides of the coin: controlling variance. There's a reason the one-game-at-a-time cliche exists in the sports lexicon. Amid the roller-coaster runs that define this league, teams try to stay as close to the midpoint as humanly possible.
For the Pacers, this common ground is akin to the mythical Fountain of Youth. They've heard tales of its existence but have never seen it during their life on the margins.
A Rocky Road to the Conference Finals
Indy is a team of extremes, equal parts dominant and disastrous.
Its pattern of Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde performances during the regular season (46-13 through March 2, 10-13 after that point) has carried over into the playoffs. ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
Indiana Pacers’ Confidence Will Make or Break Series Versus Miami Heat
May 24th, 2014 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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