When the game picks up in the NBA playoffs, the Indiana Pacers’ fast-paced style of play usually doesn’t translate well.

However, the Pacers vehemently disagree, particularly in light of the fact that they have advanced to the Eastern Conference finals and will now take on the Boston Celtics after defeating the New York Knicks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

According to league-provided footage, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the 130-109 victory, “Well, we’re the uninvited guest.” “And so, here we are.”

It is improbable that the sixth-seeded Pacers will attempt to reduce their intensity when facing the formidable Celtics. During the regular season, Indiana scored a league-high 123.3 points per game, and the Pacers are the highest scoring team in the postseason with an average of 114.2 points. During the regular season, they were second in the NBA in pace, only behind the Washington Wizards (the Celtics were placed 19th).

Even with their strong defense, the Knicks struggled to contain the Pacers, particularly in Game 7. According to ESPN, Indiana’s scorching 67.1% field goal percentage in the winner-take-all game was the best field goal percentage in an NBA playoff game.

To create offense, the Pacers don’t depend on one player, or even two. With Tyrese Haliburton producing 18.3 points and Pascal Siakam getting 21.2 points per game, they have six players who are scoring in double digits throughout the postseason. Aaron Nesmith, a former forward with the Celtics who averages 9.8 points per game, is not included in that group.

“I really am proud of this crew, man. According to footage released by the league, Myles Turner, who leads the team in scoring in the playoffs with 17.6 points per contest, told reporters, “This is one of the most special groups I’ve been around — it is the most special group I’ve been around since I’ve been here.” Everybody plays for everyone else. No ego exists. And when you have seven or eight guys who can score fifteen, twenty, or more points every single night, there may be a lot of ego involved. And this season, we were able to stop that much early.

The challenge for the Celtics will be to contain Indiana’s offensive, something Boston is capable of doing even without Kristaps Porzingis for the first few games of the series. This season, the Celtics had the second-best defensive rating in the whole league.

The Pacers don’t have that kind of versatile talent. During the regular season, they allowed the fourth-highest points per game in the league. The first time the two teams faced off this season, the Celtics hammered the Pacers for 155 points, the highest Boston had scored in a regular-season game since Red Auerbach was roving the sidelines in 1958–59.

The Celtics’ lowest point total this season against the Pacers was 112, which they scored when Indiana eliminated Boston from the first-ever in-season tournament. The offensive possibilities that Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and the rest of the Celtics will have during this series must have them drooling.

When playing the Pacers, the Celtics are unquestionably going to be the strong favorite. But right now, the Pacers are gambling with house money. And with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line, that may be extremely risky and something the Celtics cannot afford to take lightly.