By Saturday afternoon, all appeared normal on the Pacers' practice court. Players were smiling and talking freely as they went through shooting drills as if it was a routine practice.
They aren't in the midst of a routine challenge, however. Down 3-0 to Boston in their first-round playoff series following Friday's 104-96 loss, the Pacers face the season's ultimate must-win game on Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Lose, and the season is over. And for a team stocked with seven veteran players with expiring contracts, "over" takes on added meaning.
No NBA has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, although it's happened in the NHL and Major League Baseball.