Why Celtics fans need to prepare for a much tougher series against the Pacers

Indiana can shoot the lights out, an improving defense, and a future Hall of Famer in head coach Rick Carlisle. Getting to the NBA Finals won't be easy for Boston.

Former Celtic Aaron Nesmith (center), draped by Indiana teammate Myles Turner, celebrate the Pacers’ Game 7 win at New York. Their reward? The top-seeded Boston Celtics. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

BOSTON — It was established well before the upstart Indiana Pacers upset the injury-riddled New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, that the Boston Celtics’ path toward the NBA Finals, had an EZ pass feel about it.

Boston opened against a banged-up/talent-challenged Miami Heat team and buried them in five games. The next foe was Cleveland which was nothing more than a mere speed bump that once again, only took five games to roll over.

But this Pacers team, which shot a Game 7-record 67.1% from the field in advancing past New York, does the one thing that Boston has failed to do consistently in the playoffs which is to play hard all the time.

Will that change now?