2025 NBA Finals: Pacers Shock the World with Underdog Journey

One year ago, the Indiana Pacers were swept out of the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual champion Boston Celtics. It wasn’t close. It wasn’t pretty. But it was a turning point.

Now, 53 weeks later, the Pacers are back — older, tougher, and far better — and they’re in the NBA Finals.

Last Year’s Lesson, This Year’s Leap

That 2024 sweep wasn’t just a loss; it was a hard reset. The Pacers, then a plucky 6-seed with a top-tier offense and bottom-tier defense, had outpaced expectations — but ran headfirst into a Celtics buzzsaw.

They weren’t ready. This year, they are.

“Last year, all anyone said was we couldn’t guard,” said Tyrese Haliburton, the All-Star point guard and face of the franchise. “We worked like crazy to change that.”

The transformation shows. Indiana cut more than five points per game from their defensive average. In efficiency terms, they dropped from 2nd to 9th offensively — but climbed from 24th to 14th defensively.

Defense, Depth & Siakam

Coach Rick Carlisle credits buy-in across the board, plus the addition of Pascal Siakam via a midseason trade.

“Our defense is something we’ve been working on steadfastly for over a year and a half,” Carlisle said. “We’ve gotten better defenders. We’ve gotten bigger.”

Now they’ve got size, athleticism, and toughness:

• Siakam, a long, mobile 6’9” forward

• Myles Turner, a shot-blocking center anchoring the paint

• Aaron Nesmith, the go-to wing stopper

• Andrew Nembhard, evolving into a lockdown perimeter defender

Nembhard, in particular, stood tall in Game 6 vs. the Knicks, when he hounded Jalen Brunson and chipped in 14 points, 8 assists, and 6 steals to help clinch the East.

Not Just Haliburton’s Show

The Pacers aren’t built around one superstar — they win by committee. Seven players average double figures. They’re 25-3 when Haliburton scores 20+, 26-16 when Siakam does, and still lethal when guys like Nembhard or Nesmith have big nights.

“We’re different from every other team,” Haliburton said. “We move the ball, find the open man, and we win together.”

A Midseason Turnaround

Back on December 7, Indiana was 10-15 and fading. By New Year’s Eve, still just 16-18. But since Jan. 1? A blistering 46-18, second only to Oklahoma City’s 53-13.

That includes a 12-4 playoff run — and upset wins over Cleveland, New York, and now a date with the Thunder in the Finals.

Ready for the Biggest Stage

The Pacers are underdogs. The Thunder were the West’s best team all year. But Indiana has embraced the role. They’re battle-tested, hungry, and versatile.

“People look at triple-doubles and scoring,” said Carlisle. “But the plays that define a series? Loose-ball efforts. Team defense. Commitment.”

And that’s Indiana’s identity now — not a surprise team, but a legit contender built from the scars of last spring.

The Finals await. And the Pacers have one more twist to write in this remarkable story.