Numerous analysts and enthusiasts claim that the Eastern Conference Finals would’ve been slightly more competitive had the Indiana Pacers not been injury-riddled. Even Tyrese Haliburton made certain remarks, almost disregarding the Boston Celtics’ victory by stating that the “healthier team wins”. Hence, Chandler Parsons decided to clap back at Haliburton, blatantly suggesting that the Pacers made it to the ECF due to other teams being injured.
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Chandler Parsons had a bold reaction to Tyrese Haliburton’s comments after the Pacers were humiliated by Jayson Tatum and co. 4-0 in the Conference Finals. While talking to his co-panel member Lou Williams, Parsons suggested that the Pacers making a deep run in the postseason was only possible due to the injuries sustained by teams such as the New York Knicks, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Miami Heat, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Right now, fully healthy Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks? Indiana Pacers or Milwaukee Bucks? The list goes on. 76ers, I’m taking the 76ers. Miami Heat, I’m taking the Miami Heat. Cleveland Cavaliers fully healthy, I’m probably taking them,” Parsons claimed.
After Williams also reiterated the same, Chandler Parsons proceeded to dub the Pacers as the 6th or 7th best team in the East despite them finishing 2nd during the In-Season Tournament and making their way to the Conference Finals.
“They are even a product of teams being a little banged up,” Lou said.
“That’s where I am going with this. Their whole run to the Eastern Conference Finals was because teams were banged up… Your team, fully healthy, is probably the 6th or 7th best team in the Eastern Conference if everyone is fully healthy,” Parsons concluded.
“[The Pacers] whole run to the Eastern Conference Finals was because teams were banged up… Your team, fully healthy, is probably the 6th or 7th best team in the Eastern Conference” 👀@ChandlerParsons responds to Tyrese Haliburton’s comments of ‘healthy teams win NBA… pic.twitter.com/lRjez4aGcF
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 30, 2024
It may seem as though the Run It Back panel members despise Rick Carlisle’s boys. But they aren’t saying anything inaccurate. The Indiana Pacers first played against the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round. While Damian Lillard wasn’t on the lineup for 2 out of 6 games, Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined for the entirety of the series.
Further, against the New York Knicks, the Pacers were fortunate that their opponents had Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Bojan Bogdanovic injured and the former Villanova Wildcats trio of Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart exhausted from the prolonged minutes.
Tyrese Haliburton being frustrated due to the two games he sat out is justified. But he cannot disregard the Boston Celtics’ success by claiming that the Pacers were shorthanded.
Tyrese Haliburton expressed being frustrated after being unable to participate in Games 3 & 4 of the ECF
The Boston Celtics were the clear favorites to win the Eastern Conference Finals battle against the Indiana Pacers. After trailing 0-2, the Pacers received another blow once Tyrese Haliburton sustained a hamstring injury.
The franchise believed that it was in Hali’s and their best interest to keep the star guard sidelined for Games 3 & 4. Even though Andrew Nembhard did a great job in stepping up to the occasion, the Celtics were too much for the Indiana side to handle.
It almost seemed as though Tyrese Haliburton pinned the blame for the Pacers’ loss to injuries. Not giving his opponents the entire credit that they deserved, Haliburton ignorantly said (per Bleacher Report):
“It’s been really frustrating. It’s been trash, honestly. You work so hard to get somewhere and something happens that’s out of your control. Obviously that’s frustrating for me. But what I’ve understood more than anything is that usually in the playoffs, the healthier team wins. They’re a hell of a team. Boston’s a great team. But obviously very frustrating for me and how I was playing at the time and how we were playing as a group.”
With Haliburton sidelined, the Pacers played significantly better against the #1 team in the East. After losing by an average points differential of 10.5 points in Games 1 & 2, the Pacers only lost by 3 points in Games 3 & 4 each. Even if Haliburton was fully fit, the Celtics would’ve more than likely been the team to emerge victorious.
