Next Stop: Destiny – Pacers Prepare for Thunder Showdown in Long-Awaited NBA Finals Return

For the first time in 25 years, the Indiana Pacers are heading back to the NBA Finals—and this time, they believe the ending will be different.

After dispatching the New York Knicks in six games in a physically grueling Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers now stand four wins away from a moment they’ve been chasing since the Reggie Miller era. Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder tips off Thursday night, and the basketball world is taking notice.

This matchup has all the makings of a classic: a battle between two first-time title hopefuls, each boasting elite young talent, deep benches, and radically different styles. For Indiana, it’s pace, ball movement, and transition offense. For Oklahoma City, it’s defense, discipline, and depth. And yet, both squads have embraced the underdog mentality throughout the playoffs—making this a Finals clash worthy of prime time.

The Pacers arrive with a full head of steam. Tyrese Haliburton has blossomed into one of the league’s premier pass-first point guards, but he’s also shown he can hit big shots and carry his team in crunch time. Pascal Siakam, acquired midseason last year  in a bold trade with Toronto, has been the team’s steady hand—earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors for his consistency and leadership. Add in Obi Toppin’s energy, Myles Turner’s rim protection, and Andrew Nembhard’s emergence as a playoff X-factor, and you’ve got a well-rounded, battle-tested unit.

But make no mistake—this series will test Indiana in new ways. The Thunder swept the Pacers during the regular season, winning 120-114 in Indy and 132-111 in OKC. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been sensational all season long and leads an OKC squad that’s deeper than just about anyone. Chet Holmgren is growing into a two-way force in real time, and Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein make the Thunder the most suffocating defense Indiana has faced yet.

The rebounding battle looms large. OKC boasts the better frontcourt in terms of glass work, and Indiana will have to gang rebound to compete. Siakam, Toppin, and Nembhard have all pitched in on the boards this postseason, but without a bruising big man to match Holmgren, it’ll take collective effort every possession.

What favors Indiana is the pace of play. The Pacers lead all playoff teams in fast break points and transition efficiency. Their ability to turn live-ball turnovers into easy points has overwhelmed slower, plodding teams like Milwaukee and New York. But OKC doesn’t plod—they push, and they score off mistakes, too.

So it comes down to execution. Can Haliburton control tempo? Can Siakam win his matchup in the mid-post? Can Indiana’s bench—led by TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard, and Obi Toppin—hold up against one of the deepest rotations in basketball?

Pacers fans already know this team has exceeded expectations. But they’re not here for participation trophies. They’re here for the banner. And after a quarter-century of waiting, they have a chance to etch their name into NBA history.

One thing’s for certain—Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be rocking, the gold will be flying, and Hoosiers everywhere will be watching.