If you feel the Pacers are going to beat the Thunder...

[mdonnelly1989]

Unbelievable

[cgf]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

Why? Did you not realize that the pacers could win? Some of us did

[cgf]

People want a storyline and a close series, the reality is the teams with thunder like metrics almost never lose in the finals and 69/79 champions have been a top 3 seed. Anything can happen but thunder have the best player, the best team, and homecourt so this is way more likely thunder in 5 or less than pacers win the series.

People just don’t want to accept what has been obvious to anyone that looked at the calendar to realize it’s 2025. OKC beat up on a mid western conference and now they’re facing a real test.

[cgf]

There’s really no way to pick IND and it be rooted in any logic. It’s kind of like last year before with BOS/DAL or DEN/MIA where one team is so far ahead of the other. At least with BOS/DAL last year you could lie to yourself and say the gap was close enough that Luka being the best player could matter.

Series should be a sweep or done in 5 like the last 2.

And yet some of will have predicted the pacers win with logic…

[MrGoat]

If I had to make an argument the Luka trade and then ensuing draft lottery made me even a fair bit more cynical about the league. OKC's defense is largely predicated on getting away with fouls which actually makes them a pretty easy team for the referees to pull the rug out under them if they wanted to. If Vegas can make money on Indiana winning that just might happen.

Also it has been 10 seasons since the NBA MVP also ended up winning the championship. Curry in 2015. The MVP is a curse

[cgf]

For all the advantages OKC has over Indy, they are at a deficit in two areas for the first time this playoffs-

1. coaching
2. depth

.

Depth??????

Yes, Indy has the better closer, the better coach, and the better depth

[jowglenn]

I've already witnessed three utter miracle comebacks by the Pacers in these playoffs. Why would I doubt them? They've clearly got divine providence on their side.

WHAT DID I SAY

[soxfan2003]

I'm fairly neutral between these teams since I wanted OKC out west and Indiana in the east once the Celtics were eliminated.

Indiana deserved to win this game by more than 1 point. OKC got away with quite a few more uncalled fouls in the game compared to what Indiana got away with. Not bone crushing hacks but enough to force turnovers or make turnovers more likely or just disrupt offensive possessions. Indiana overcame it with their 3 pointing shooting and OKC missing shots.

[jkvonny]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

I think this series goes 6 games.

[Lalouie]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

I think this series goes 6 games.

i didnt think so before but now i do

[jkvonny]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

I think this series goes 6 games.

i didnt think so before but now i do

Game 1 was the deal breaker. OKC long rested. Had a feeling Indiana steals that 1 lol. Had they lost, then ya. Probably a 4-1 OKC series win.

I think Pacers probably win a game at home (game 3 or 4).

OKC talent will eventually pull away tho. Win in 6 is my guess.

Pacers are tuff tho. Upset series win is possible

[Edrees]

People want a storyline and a close series, the reality is the teams with thunder like metrics almost never lose in the finals and 69/79 champions have been a top 3 seed. Anything can happen but thunder have the best player, the best team, and homecourt so this is way more likely thunder in 5 or less than pacers win the series.

People just don’t want to accept what has been obvious to anyone that looked at the calendar to realize it’s 2025. OKC beat up on a mid western conference and now they’re facing a real test.

Lol indiana only lost 4 games to that so called eastern conference. so i'm not sure how you arrive at this conclusion that the rest of the east is on the Pacers level

[jkvonny]

The Pacers grab a 1-0 series lead. First time ever that they have a lead in the NBA Finals.

2000 NBA Finals, lost to Lakers 4-2. Never led in the series.

[benhillboy]

Shout out to Obi hitting big threes and the apparent fear they have of Carlisle chewing them up and spitting them out if they don’t box out. Just relentless on the glass as a team, guards especially.

[cgf]

People want a storyline and a close series, the reality is the teams with thunder like metrics almost never lose in the finals and 69/79 champions have been a top 3 seed. Anything can happen but thunder have the best player, the best team, and homecourt so this is way more likely thunder in 5 or less than pacers win the series.

People just don’t want to accept what has been obvious to anyone that looked at the calendar to realize it’s 2025. OKC beat up on a mid western conference and now they’re facing a real test.

Lol indiana only lost 4 games to that so called eastern conference. so i'm not sure how you arrive at this conclusion that the rest of the east is on the Pacers level

Que? Indiana did way better against the mid-ass western conference this year.

29-22 against the east (57%)
21-10 against the west (68%)

If you're talking about the playoffs, we need to see how many games they lose to the western conference before we can compare...but the Cavs getting crippled by injuries in round two didn't help. That should've been a 6-7 game series that left them a little less fresh for us *sigh*

EDIT:
But what does this have to do with my comment? Even if the East was crap outside of Indiana, how does that make the rest of the west any less weak? Or change the fact that they haven't faced a challenge like Indiana.

[Optms]

The Pacers grab a 1-0 series lead. First time ever that they have a lead in the NBA Finals.

2000 NBA Finals, lost to Lakers 4-2. Never led in the series.

Good news for the Pacers is there is no Shaq and Kobe on OKC

[Pattycakes]

If you truly believe the Pacers are going to defeat the Thunder....What do you think the masses are missing..

The masses are brain dead. Don’t follow them, generally speaking. Anyone who listens to me is a little closer to being free.

- some random online dude that probably owns aluminum foil but doesn’t wear it on his head

[Pattycakes]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

Why? Did you not realize that the pacers could win? Some of us did

They don’t get how reality works, they still think real life is a video game. They don’t realize how men work in professional sports at the peak of competition. These are little boys talking, not experienced individuals.

[cgf]

if posters directly answered the question "if you believe the pacers will win,,,,"

i would've expected almost zero replies to the thread

Why? Did you not realize that the pacers could win? Some of us did

They don’t get how reality works, they still think real life is a video game. They don’t realize how men work in professional sports at the peak of competition. These are little boys talking, not experienced individuals.

I can understand why you draw that conclusion, but I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt. People who don't watch the east, but only look at analytics and talking heads saying everyone but Cleveland & Boston is trash, don't have to be ignorant children. Just people without the time to watch all the basketball; who put too much stock in the metrics/NBA press.

But as someone who happened to watch a lot of Knicks / Wolves / Pacers basketball this year, and saw them hitting the playoffs while rounding into their best shape; I'm not the least bit surprised that those 3 all made the conference finals. You could see how good these teams could be if they had all of their pieces clicking...especially with the late game execution that both eastern conference finalists displayed since the regular season.

[nbafan38]

People want a storyline and a close series, the reality is the teams with thunder like metrics almost never lose in the finals and 69/79 champions have been a top 3 seed. Anything can happen but thunder have the best player, the best team, and homecourt so this is way more likely thunder in 5 or less than pacers win the series.

People just don’t want to accept what has been obvious to anyone that looked at the calendar to realize it’s 2025. OKC beat up on a mid western conference and now they’re facing a real test.

I'll admit the pacers winning game 1 especially in the fashion they did surprised me. There is just no quit in that team. Still I think OKC wins the series but they'll really have to earn it.