The Indiana Pacers officially move on to the Eastern Conference Finals after eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game 5. This makes it back-to-back years in which Indiana has made it this far in the NBA Playoffs. On Wednesday, superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton shared what's inspiring his team in this epic postseason run.

During a guest appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Haliburton was asked how the Pacers handle the “disrespect” and outside noise despite advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. The 25-year-old guard revealed that nearly every player on the roster has a chip on their shoulder from being overlooked in one way or another.

“We have a lot of guys who have been overlooked at some point in their career.”

Article Continues Below

Tyrese Haliburton may have a point there. He himself was voted as the most overrated player in an anonymous poll that players across the league voted on via The Athletic. But Haliburton has done nothing but prove otherwise. Due to his heroics in the NBA Playoffs, the Pacers point guard even had LeBron James defend him on social media.

The two-time All-Star proved to be a major problem for the Cavaliers throughout the series. Game 5 was no different. Haliburton led the way for the Pacers, recording 31 points, six rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and a block while shooting 66.6% from the field and 60.0% from the three-point line.

Considering how well Haliburton and the Pacers have played in the playoffs these past two years, now might be the time to take this team seriously. The Eastern Conference is a wide-open race right now, and Indiana is seemingly in prime position for a possible trip to the NBA Finals.

The Pacers await the outcome of the New York Knicks-Boston Celtics series, as they'll face the winner of that matchup. New York owns a 3-1 series lead, and after Boston forward Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tear, many believe the Knicks will advance to the next round. If that's the case, the Pacers-Knicks rivalry will be on full display in due time.