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Pacers hope to bounce back against Toronto

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It was ugly. Toronto took advantage of a Pacer team that showed little fight, losing by double digits in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Expect a better effort in Game 4. Adversity has been the engine that’s made this team run all season long.

“Nothing this year has come easy for this team all year long,” said coach Frank Vogel.” We’ve shown resiliency, we’ve shown character, we’ve responded and this point in time is no different for us.”

Paul George knows it’s now or never.

“We let one get away and could’ve done something special being up 2-1 with a chance to be up 3-1, now our backs are up against the wall, now we got to show that grit and toughness I’ve been looking for all season long,” George said.

The starting five, or even the 10-man rotation may also have a new look to kickstart the Pacers, but Vogel isn’t saying.

“I’m not going to give up any adjustments I have for Game 4. We always make adjustments, sometimes small, sometimes big, and we’ve got to do some things that’ll improve what we’re doing on the court,” Vogel said.

The bench needs to bring it too. Myles Turner and company don’t expect to roll over in the most critical game of the series.

“We’re a real confident group,” added Myles Turner. “I feel like we’ve had that all season. We’ve had some lapses, but I feel like we’re going to come out in this next game ahead show our confidence.”

Do you sense this team has a chip after what happened yesterday?

“If we don’t, then we have a problem,” said a struggling C.J. Miles. “I think it’s a whole bag of chips.”

Whether it’s playing with a chip on your shoulder, or responding to pressure or adversity, whatever it takes, the Pacers have to bring it in game four, or else their stay in the playoffs with the Raptors will be a short one.