Pacers coach Nate McMillan warns of losing fans' respect before Game 4

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan wants to see his team play with heart and effort in Game 4 Sunday afternoon, no matter what the result is.

And if the Pacers don’t show that heart and effort, McMillan suggested major changes could be coming.

“You can lose a lot more than just this game if we don’t approach this game the right way,” McMillan said.

Asked to further explain his comment, McMillan said, “You don’t want to lay down and give them the game, and I don’t expect that. But you lose respect, and there could be a lot of major changes. There’s a lot that you can lose.”

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McMillan didn’t mention All-Star forward Paul George by name, but he didn’t need to do so. George’s future with the team is a constant topic.

George has one year remaining on his contract and has said he wants to win the Pacers. But the Pacers also know George could depart in free agency in 2018.

He could also sign another deal with Indiana at the time.

It leaves the Pacers with a decision: should they trade George in the offseason and get players and/or draft picks in return or try to build a better roster around George and convince him to stay.

The Pacers trail the Cavs 3-0 in their best-of-7 first-round Eastern Conference series after losing Game 1 by a point and blowing a 26-point lead in Game 3.

“We felt like this series could be 2-1 in our favor. We’ve got to believe that if we put a 48-minute game, we can win this game,” McMillan said.