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Desperate times as Pacers unveil #WeTheGold riposte for Raptors

Chris Young

If you can't beat 'em, copy 'em.

That would seem to be the m.o. of the Indiana Pacers' marketing department, whose "Gold Out" playoff campaign added a little extra for the official T-shirt for Friday's Game 6, and it looks familiar -- for Raptors fans, perhaps too familiar.

Note that "tickets available" tag. The Indy Star's Gregg Doyel has a pretty good idea who's going to be coming in for those:

Canada is coming, Pacers fans. They're coming with their black shirts and white towels. They want to buy your tickets and watch the Raptors end your season and then parade back to Toronto to present Drake with a love offering: the Pacers' season on a stick.

This is not going down too well with the Raptors, or at least, Patrick Patterson, whose love for The 6 is well documented.

Finally, here's something to chew on other than Frank Vogel's substitutions, DeMar DeRozan's shooting, Drake's Instagramming. Truth be told, though, Raptors v Pacers needs it, at least south of the border where this potential series-ending game is being broadcast on -- drum roll -- ESPNNews. Oh, and NBA TV as well.

Last time the teams exited the floor after Game 4 at the Pacers' home court, Raptors fans were the only voices being heard. The biggest subplot here might well be how just how many of Toronto's rolling fanbase show up, how loud they get -- and what they use that #WeTheGold T-shirt giveaway for. An entire nation, and ESPNNews, will be watching.