Heartbreak for Indiana — but they should be proud
- Jasper Cormick
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 26
The Indiana Pacers have always been synonymous with grit, grind and toughness.
The Pacers battling the giant markets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), as one of the smallest franchises embodies this.
This 2025 Playoff campaign saw the Pacers fall agonisingly short of their first NBA Championship.
It was heartbreaking scenes in Oklahoma, as Pacer’s superstar Tyrese Haliburton who had battled the entire series with a calf injury.
However, it was an Achilles injury that brought silence to the Paycom Center. Haliburton was seen visibly upset, smacking the court in anguish.
The Indiana Pacers players, staff and fans should be proud of the incredible efforts they have given. It is important to not let this loss sour the miracle run they have taken the world on this postseason.
All throughout Pacer’s history since their inauguration to the NBA in 1967, success hasn’t been as simple as winning the championship.
It is the rollercoaster that all players, staff and fans enjoyed together. The comradery that one city could form around fifteen men, that is when the magic truly happened. That is what defined success for Indiana.
However, the franchise while having never reaching the pinnacle, had enjoyed deep play off runs over their history.
Whether that be the era of Reggie Miller and the hard-nosed Pacer outfits famous for some of the NBA’s grittiest moments.
Or through the early 2010s with the blue collar, but gold swaggered squad consisting of a young Paul George and veteran all-stars Roy Hibbett and David West.
These eras shaped Indy Basketball in the modern day and strengthened the city’s bond with the team as legends came and went.
Whilst this run by the Pacers was nothing short of a miracle, it had been brewing for some time.
The recipe begun with Myles Turner, drafted in 2015 with the 11th overall pick, Turner in 2025 being the longest tenured player for the Pacers.
He became a cornerstone, providing a significant paint presence at both ends of the floor. Further adopting the three-ball to enhance his role for this rapid Pacers offence.
Inherently, The Pacers needed more of a core, especially after the injury riddled seasons of Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis that faded into Pacer’s folklore.
And on February 8th, 2022, a vital piece was secured, Tyrese Haliburton, an unconventional but efficient guard from Sacramento.
However, this was only the early phases for Indiana, and success would be defined by hard work, perseverance and dedication.
On the 17th of January 2024, the Pacers explored the trade period, and secured another pillar, Pascal Siakam. Siakam had a proven track record of all-star performances and was an NBA Champion in 2019 himself.
It was this squad, despite its serious doubters that won 97 regular season games across 2023-24 season and the 2024-25 season.
They entered the 2025 playoffs as the 4th seed, and still entered the first round as underdogs against the Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee Bucks.
The bucks had won three of the four games they played this season with an average deficit of nine points. The odds were stacked against them.
Indiana however, rose to the occasion and took care of business, gentlemanly sweeping the Bucks 4-1.
Their next opponent did not get any easier, as the number 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers met the Pacers in the second round.
The Cavs boasted the second-best record in the NBA (64-18) and were again seen as too much for the small market Pacers.
The Pacers again stood victorious with a 4-1 series win, despite a historic play-off series from Donovan Mitchell with four 30-point games, two of which were 43 - and 48-point performances.
It was the equally valuable team efforts from the Pacers squad that proved too much, as Tyrese Haliburton was the only Pacer to notch a 30-point game. It was the contribution of many that blasted them into the Eastern Conference Finals.
It was there, one of the biggest markets in the NBA: the New York Knicks awaited, as a stark battle was on their hands.
As the Pacers clinched a finals berth in Game 6 with a 125-108 win, the Pacers saw many different heroes in that series, as Aaron Nesmith stole the show in Game 1, Siakam in Game 2 and Game 6, and Haliburton in Game 4.
But the contribution of Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard also proved pivotal.
As you look across the league, it’s hard to argue any other team deserves this finals appearance more than this Pacers outfit. They were representing and instilling the values and beliefs of past eras and making it their own.
The NBA Finals fittingly was their toughest task yet, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team all season, recording 68 wins in the regular season, and enjoying the 2025 Kia Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
But it was again the ridiculous and unprecedented contribution of 9-10 different players every night that was paramount, as the Pacers fought tooth and nail with their backs against the wall.
It was one man down, the next man up ideology, particularly with Haliburton suffering a worrying calf setback for most of the finals. And his eventual devastating Game 7 Achilles injury.
Even when the largest deficit of the game occurred early in the 4th quarter, the Pacers cut the deficit from 22 down to as low as 10, showing incredible resilience until the very last second.
Monday June 23rd (Sunday June 22nd in the USA) will forever be a downhearted memory for Indiana, but also the entire NBA community, who have enjoyed an onslaught of different memorable performances from Haliburton game winners to memorable bench performances from TJ McConnell.
For Indiana, it is going to hurt before it can be admired, but this franchise has only gained fans on this remarkable run.
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