An hour ahead of Game 4, hundreds of visiting Toronto fans had the run of Indiana's arena.
They gathered noisily at court level, chanting and taking photos. Security had sporadically confiscated their signs, but many waved 'We The North' and Canadian flags. Eventually, they had to be shooed back to their seats, so as not to upset local sensibilities.
I hope that was a fun hour, because everything that followed was disastrous.
The Toronto Raptors lost the game 100-83. Despite the gap, that score does not adequately capture how one-sided it was for long stretches.
If you missed it and don't have time to sit through a highlight pack, imagine one man slapping another in the back of the head repeatedly for two-and-a-half hours. That was essentially the experience.
"We didn't come out with the right disposition," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. It was rather an understatement.
At the half, with Indiana up by 15 and cruising, an arena guard sparred jokingly with a group of Raptors fans on the concourse.
Turning away, she said, "Has Toronto ever had a really good team? Let them have their fun."
She meant it kindly, but still … oof.
Playing at a pace that suggested they'd all taken muscle relaxants before the anthems, the Raptors were completely undone by the speed of the Pacers.
Once again, Toronto's stars did not play like stars. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for only 20 points. The pair had more turnovers – nine – than field goals. For the second time in three games, DeRozan did not shoot a single free throw. He hadn't done that even once during the regular season.
And once again, they were trying hard to seem blasé about their troubles.
"Can't cry over it. Can't whine about it. I'm gonna figure it out," DeRozan said.
"I'm positive. I'm confident. We're staying level," Lowry said.
Tacitly acknowledging that his backcourt is having more than a couple of bad nights, Casey tried to put the blame on himself saying he had to make an adjustment to get his stars easier looks. There have already been plenty of those and they are still shooting a combined 31 per cent.
It wasn't any better throughout the rest of the line-up. Nobody bothered to defend. They all shot like they were playing horseshoes. For much of the third quarter, Indiana stooped to Toronto's level, producing the sort of basketball you will be forced to watch in hell.
With five minutes left, DeMarre Carroll and Paul George had to be separated by teammates after going nose-to-nose under the basket. It is now fair to say that this thing is on.
The only good thing to take from Saturday from a Toronto perspective? They probably couldn't play this badly again if they tried.
Nevertheless, commence your panic. It'll make your Monday more exciting.
The series is now knotted at 2-2. Game 5 goes Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre.
Cathal Kelly