Unseen NBA Finals: Thunder vs. Pacers for the First Ring
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will face off in an unprecedented NBA Finals, with both teams seeking their first championship in their second attempt.
The Pacers return to the Finals after 25 years. In the year 2000, with Reggie Miller and Larry Bird, they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers.“What happened 25 years ago… I wasn’t even 6 months old. So, you know, I think this is a very special moment for our organization and for our fans.”
Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers star
The Thunder are also playing in their second Finals, after the 2012 Finals, where they had Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. They lost against the Miami Heat.
Although the Thunder haven’t won the championship, the NBA recognizes the 1979 title of the Seattle SuperSonics, the franchise they inherited.
In 2008, the SuperSonics became the Thunder, but in Oklahoma City they established a new identity, leaving behind Seattle’s past.
The 1979 championship is not displayed at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, and objects such as the trophy remain in Seattle, as part of the relocation agreement.
These Finals are unprecedented, as the Thunder and Pacers have never faced each other in the playoffs, only twice during the regular season.
Both Indianapolis and Oklahoma City are small NBA markets, which makes these Finals unexpected.
The audiences are uncertain; the Western Finals recorded a 17% decrease compared to the previous year.
According to Forbes, the Thunder are the 21st franchise in valuation, with $3.65 billion, and the Pacers are 22nd, with $3.6 billion.
