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Indiana Pacers advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years

It’s a great time to be a Pacers fan — the Blue + Gold have advanced to the NBA Finals for only the second time in franchise history.

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You’ve probably seen these yellow shirts around town as the Pacers hosted “Gold Out” games in the playoffs.

Photo by INDYtoday team

History repeats itself. In 2000, the Pacers were led by Reggie Miller to defeat the New York Knicks in six games, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time — and 25 years later, the Blue and Gold did it again, defeating the Knicks in six.

Last time the Pacers were in the Finals, the team fell to the Los Angeles Lakers (4-2), led by Shaquille O’Neal + Kobe Bryant — who proved to be too strong for the Pacers. But this time, we have the chance to rewrite history.

The Pacers know the job’s not done. There are still four more games to win, and this series against the Oklahoma City Thunder will be an exciting matchup. See how our players stack up to OKC.

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“WTHELLY” by ROB49 has become the song of the season for the Pacers, with the artist showing up courtside at a couple games during the Playoffs.

Photo by INDYtoday team

Schedule + how to watch

  • Game 1 | Away | Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m.
  • Game 2 | Away | Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m.
  • Game 3 | Home | Wednesday, June 11 at 8:30 p.m.
  • Game 4 | Home | Friday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m.
  • Game 5 | Away | Monday, June 16 at 8:30 p.m. (if necessary)
  • Game 6 | Home | Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 p.m. (if necessary)
  • Game 7 | Away | Sunday, June 22 at 8 p.m. (if necessary)

Tickets for the NBA Finals are going to be hard to come by, especially if you’re not rich or a celebrity. Tickets for the games in Oklahoma City went on sale shortly after the Thunder clinched their spot in the series + were gone within a matter of hours. As of Monday afternoon, tickets for the first home game were listed on Ticketmaster from $765 in section 215 to $52,000 for floor seats along one of the court’s baselines. Tickets for home Games 3, 4, and 6 go on sale Thursday, June 5 at 2 p.m.

All games will be aired on ABC. The 2025 NBA Finals can also be accessed on ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, and the ESPN App.

Instead of watching from the comfort of home, you may want to be surrounded by other screaming fans. Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be hosting watch parties for away Games 1 + 2. Tickets for the watch party are $5 with proceeds benefiting the Pacers Foundation. Game 1 goes on sale Wednesday, June 4 at 10 a.m. + Game 2 goes on sale Friday, June 6 at 10 a.m.

World Famous Hotboys’ Carmel and Fountain Square locations will be hosting watch parties for each game of the NBA Finals with food and drink specials. We also recommend Dugout Bar in Fountain Square + Tom’s Watch Bar downtown.

If you rushed to the store to grab Finals merch after Saturday night’s win and went home empty-handed, you’re not alone. You can try the Pacers Teamstore online or check out The Shop’s collection.

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