On the night of May 23, Conseco Fieldhouse was packed with roaring fans, the atmosphere electric.
The massive screen clearly displayed the score: 109–97!
The third game of the Eastern Conference Finals had just ended, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Indiana Pacers by 12 points on the road.
For the Indiana Pacers, returning home should have given them a formidable home-court advantage.
And that was indeed the case. In this game, they performed far better than in the first two games of the series, both offensively and defensively.
Yet even so, they still could not withstand the ferocious offensive onslaught led by Goodwin and the Boston Celtics.
Even more concerning was that the Indiana Pacers' core player, Paul George, had been out of form through the first three games, to the point where "sluggish" would have been an apt description.
Faced with this situation, Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel decisively took action, redesigning the team's tactics in an effort to unleash Paul George's abilities.
By cleverly employing screens, pick-and-rolls, and double screens, he successfully helped Paul George shake off Goodwin's tight coverage.
Finally, in Game 4 of the series, Paul George erupted.
Without question, this was Paul George's best and most exhilarating performance of the entire series—there was no other game that came close.
He went 12-for-20 from the field, 3-for-6 from three-point range, and 7-for-8 at the free-throw line, pouring in a wild 34 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Thanks to his brilliant performance, the Indiana Pacers successfully pulled one back, tying the series at 2–2.
With that, the two sides were about to face the pivotal Game 5. Whoever emerged victorious might seize control of the entire series.
After the game, Goodwin, Coach Jack, and the others hurried into the video room, preparing