Ready for the challenge

Pacers return to conference finals with something to prove

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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton started this season intent on quieting anyone who considered last year's Eastern Conference finals run a fluke.

Now that the Pacers are back, Haliburton and his teammates have a new goal: Proving to themselves they were right all along about how good these Pacers could be.

"You heard (Boston coach) Joe Mazzulla this year say Indiana was our toughest opponent," Haliburton said after Friday's practice. "That kind of became like a meme, like a participation award in a sense. But I think that's the most respect you could get from who you're ultimately competing against."

Indiana should have had everyone's attention long before this postseason began.

Sure, the Celtics swept the Pacers out of last year's playoffs with a hobbled Haliburton out the final two games, as they won the NBA title. But there was nothing easy about it.