The Pacers started the season 10-15, but now they're two wins away from their first NBA championship. They've earned our respect.

Ahead of Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle came to the defense of referee Scott Foster.

At this point, we're beyond there being no historical precedent for what the Indiana Pacers are doing. We're into full-on fantasy land. And yet the prospect of the Pacers winning what would not only be their first championship as an NBA franchise,

With a 68-14 record, the Oklahoma City Thunder put together one of the most dominant regular-season campaigns in NBA history and are on the verge of capping it all off with a long-awaited Larry O'Brien trophy.

Oklahoma City was led by star forward Jalen Williams, who put up an incredible 40 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 14-of-25 shooting from the field. He knocked three of five three-pointers, being a catalyst for the offense and scoring a third of the Thunder's points.

The all-time record is held by the 1995 Houston Rockets, who won nine road games on their way to an NBA championship. Indiana has to navigate the Thunder’s switching better and prevent their offense from stalling. That means quicker ball movement, slipping screens, and keeping Siakam involved late.