But this year they come in with experience and also with an understanding they aren’t going to be sneaking up on anybody this time. They are now an established member of the NBA’s playoff class. They carry the burden of having to prove last year’s Eastern Conference finals run wasn’t a fluke and also of knowing they could be entering their championship window and their timeframe to pursue a title isn’t infinite. “I think even last year we were just satisfied with being in the playoffs,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “Everything from there was kinda playing with house money to be honest with you. This year I think we have real expectations to do something special as a group and when I say something special, I mean a championship. That’s definitely an expectation we’ve had since the start of the year. That doesn’t change.”