Pacers Have Forced Public to See Them as Title Favorites

The Pacers have forced the public to change how they are perceived.

Jun 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers were not given much of a chance to win the NBA Finals when the games started. They were seen as the inferior team compared to Oklahoma City Thunder.

Yet, they are the ones that hold a 2-1 lead heading into Friday night's critical Game 4 in Indianapolis. They control home-court advantage for the rest of the series.

While NBA pundits continue to back the Thunder, the Pacers have been able to turn the tide in public sentiment. It seems the majority of the public wants the Pacers to win the title.

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The Indiana Pacers have forced the public to take them more seriously

Now that the Pacers have a 2-1 lead in their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, they have forced the public to see them as the favorites to win the championship.

Even if they don't end up winning the title, the Pacers should no longer be seen as plucky underdogs. They should be seen as basketball giants, because they have proven that's what they are.

Indiana is clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference and has proven they are one of the best teams in the NBA. They have everything needed to win a title, thanks to their total team approach.

Even though they have a couple of star players in Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, they don't absolutely rely on them to win every game. They have other guys who are more than capable.

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Indiana has used the doubt as fuel throughout their entire postseason run. They will keep using it in these final games of the NBA Finals, despite having the series lead.

The Pacers have now forced the Thunder to win three of their next four games in order to win the title. Defeating the Pacers that often is not going to be easy.

Indiana has a chance to widen that gap on Friday night. If they win that game, they will be just a single game away frm winning the first NBA title in franchise history.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.