Thunder cruise to commanding Game 2 win over Pacers to even NBA Finals
OKLAHOMA CITY — This has been Oklahoma City's formula all season: Lose one game, respond in the next.
That's exactly what the Thunder did in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on Sunday night to tie these finals at one game apiece.
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5 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attempts a shot during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 8.
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5 Tyrese Haliburton looks to pass during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 8.
NBAE via Getty Images
Jalen Williams scored 19, Aaron Wiggins had 18 and Chet Holmgren finished with 15 for the Thunder. It was the franchise's first finals game win since the opener of the 2012 series against Miami.
'We did some things good tonight. We did some things bad,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We've got to be able to get better and be ready for Game 3.'
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Tyrese Haliburton scored 17 for Indiana, which erased a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 but never made a push on Sunday. Myles Turner scored 16 and Pascal Siakam added 15 for the Pacers, the first team since Miami in 2013 to not have a 20-point scorer in the first two games of the finals.
5 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives with the ball during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 8.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Game 3 is Wednesday at Indianapolis, in what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years.
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Gilgeous-Alexander's first basket of the night was a history-maker: It gave him 3,000 points on the season, including the regular season and playoffs. And later in Game 2, he passed New York's Jalen Brunson (514) as the leading overall scorer in these playoffs.
But the real milestone for the MVP came a couple hours later, when he and most everybody else on the Thunder got a finals win for the first time.
A 19-2 run in the second quarter turned what was a six-point game into a 23-point Thunder lead. It might have seemed wobbly a couple of times — an immediate 10-0 rebuttal by the Pacers made it 52-39, and Indiana was within 13 again after Andrew Nembhard's layup with 7:09 left in the third — but the Thunder lead was never in serious doubt.
5 Alex Caruso looks to shoot during the Thunder's Game 2 win June 8.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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5 Andrew Nembhard tumbles to the court with the ball during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 8.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the noise level in the building often topping 100 decibels — a chainsaw is 110 dB, for comparison purposes — the Thunder did what they've done pretty much all season. They came off a loss, this time a 111-110 defeat in Game 1, and blew somebody out as their response.
Including the NBA Cup title game, which doesn't count in any standings, the Thunder are now 18-2 this season when coming off a loss. Of those 18 wins, 12 have been by double digits.
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Indianapolis Star
36 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Emotional week: Mourning Jim Irsay, honoring Herb Simon, tracking Tyrese Haliburton
Here comes a peek behind the curtain, as I call these occasional notes – these glimpses into the way I do my job – I share with my text message group here for IndyStar readers Colts owner Jim Irsay died a few weeks ago, as you know, and his funeral was last week. It was closed to the public, but I was invited. An honor? Put it like this: The Pacers won the Eastern Conference Finals in six games, but had there been a Game 7 in New York, it would have conflicted with the funeral – and my bosses and I agreed: Go to the funeral, not to NYC. What I wrote showed sides of Mr. Irsay most people didn't know about, or went deeper into areas most people knew about only on the surface. And I include myself among 'most people.' Ten people spoke at the funeral – including one former Colt, all three of his daughters, a childhood friend, and a local man Mr. Irsay met at a 12-step meeting – and I learned so much more than I thought I knew. In the here and now, I realize the Pacers are in the 2025 NBA Finals and the funeral was last week, but again – I was prioritizing the funeral over Game7 in New York City. I'm definitely prioritizing it, here, as the most important part of this week's Mailbagg. From: Randy R. You made me feel as if I were at Jim's funeral. Along the way you told me words about the man I would have otherwise never known – a good man whose death I now grieve. You dove deep and returned with pearls. I also discovered that I love everything Jim Irsay loved. He was not your typical professional sports team owner, unless there are other stories out there yet to be told. My oh my, Randy. Talk about pearls. This is a beautiful note. Thank you. From: Jim L. Seems to me that, while Jim Irsay's contributions to our community were recognized, the breadth and depth of the void will be felt in the future. Maybe best summarized by Joni Mitchell: Don't it always seem to goThat you don't know what you got 'til it's gone? There will never be another Jim Irsay, not here or anywhere else, but I have faith that his daughters will carry his legacy. This is a family that cares about our state, our city, our marginalized. From: Tim B. I'm stunned and in tears. What a lovely tribute. Thank you Tim. Like the story I wrote after Tyler Trent died in 2018, I got through the writing of this story just fine. I compartmentalize when I write. But when I finish, I cry too. From: Jan C. Coming from an alcoholic home, it's hard for others to grasp how loving and fun that dad can also be. And our family secrets really weren't secrets. Thank you Gregg for putting the experience into words. Pointing out his love of everyone that crossed his path is such a good reminder to me how I can do better each day. Might start crying here, Jan. From: Leigh H. I happened to have a volunteer training at St Luke's after the ceremony. I took a moment in the parking lot to read your piece and wish him Godspeed. What a final kindness for his family to share part of today with all of us through you. I was thinking over the weekend how lucky we are for the Simon family's enduring contribution to our city's sports scene as well. We as a city should always be grateful for the commitments of both families, and for their generosity to the needy among us. Would that we each could reflect that spirit to our neighbors just a little in the coming week. Your first sentence suggested you have large heart. Every sentence that followed was confirmation. From: Jolene M. Thank you for weaving together the complex threads of Jim Irsay's life into a lovely tapestry. I know you weren't responsible for what was included in the private service, but you made it come of life for those of us who were not there. RIP, Jim Irsay, God Speed. Thank you Jolene. That room was a special place to be. John Mellencamp, Pete Ward, his daughters, Edgerrin James, the friend from a 12-step program … an incredible scene. I wanted to share it. Doyel on Jim Irsay's death: Jim Irsay died and we're less for it; Indianapolis, the Colts, all of us Doyel on the funeral: Irsay loved his daughters, his Colts, his music, his city Re-live the Pacers' unbelievable run to the NBA Finals with our commemorative book From: Chris B. Rick Carlisle is a class act, from any perspective. Your story finally clears up the muddy media trolling I'd been reading about. As usual, your writing, as well as Carlisle's ethics, touch a positive emotional chord in my heart. I'm an expert on trolling, or at least, on trolls. Immersed in them. Surrounded by them. Praying for them, if you can believe it. From: Rick W. "That cesspool of malice and misogyny." Well written, Gregg! That was a reference to Twitter. And anywhere else the trolls, incels and losers congregate. I say prayerfully. From: Kathy M. I didn't know all that and you really told it well. Thank you so much for all this IN ADDITION to your other article. Not planned. I was walking to the locker room and walked past Doris. We met eyes and she nodded – we've known each other for 20 years, because of our shared college basketball experience – and I walked past. Then I thought: Dummy, THAT'S the story. Go back! So glad I did. From: Rick P. Just finished your heartfelt column on Carlisle/Burke. I'm not crying, you are! So very glad I did. Doyel: The story behind the story of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defending ESPN Doris Burke On Game 1, where Tyrese Haliburton hit his fourth last-second shot of these playoffs… From: David M. Can we Pacers faithful send a group thank you to all the NBA players who voted Tyrese as "Most Overrated" and who are now lying on a beach somewhere with an umbrella drink watching the Finals on TV for their obvious motivation for what he's accomplished in these playoffs? Absolutely. From: Larry J. Can we just officially proclaim him "Houdini Haliburton? Now that's interesting, Larry. You wrote this after Game 1. But it was Game 2 where my lede was: 'This is the Tyrese Haliburton experience: Sometimes, most of the time, he pulls a rabbit out of a hat. But sometimes, other times, he makes himself disappear. Don't try to understand it, because he doesn't. If he did, you think this would happen? Those first three-plus quarters of the Indiana Pacers' 123-107 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals?' And my kicker was … well you'll see. Chef's kiss! Not printing this. More from readers on Game 2… From: Tom S. Oh my goodness. What a lede! Spot-on & dad-joke!! Wait. How can it be great AND a dad-joke? And who says what I wrote about the rabbit, etc., was a dad-joke? And why are we hyphenating dad-joke? From: Craig E. You gotta like Carlisle. What other NBA coach calls his team an 'ecosystem'? Between he and Kevin Pritchard, there's a lot of IQ there. I wonder if they'd hyphenate dad-joke? From: Paul J. If any loss was a team loss, it was last night. To choose one player to blame is easy journalism, in my opinion. I agree with you 75% of the time, but not this time I hear you Paul. Not sure I was BLAMING Haliburton. Just pointing out the vast difference between his impact on Game 1 and Game 2. And when you're the only Olympian on the team, frankly, what I pointed out was fair. And listen to me: If you think it's 'easy' to criticize Tyrese Haliburton in this market – or frankly, any pro athlete in this market – I'd ask you to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Not mine, of course. I'm a rock! Not printing this either. Doyel on Game 1: Pacers never give up, have a star who doesn't miss in clutch time Doyel on Houdini Haliburton: This one-man NBA playoff run has been borderline impossible Doyel on Game 2: After pulling rabbit from Game 1 hat, Haliburton disappeared much of Game 2 From: Robert J. Yep, Haliburton can be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Maddening at times how extreme the differences in his play are at times. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we expect more from others and demand consistent high performance from our surgeons, chefs, teachers, pilots, linemen, engineers, etcetera, and especially our sports columnists. Thankfully, you consistently meet and exceed expectations and high performance, and at a salary that is a fraction of what the sport stars make. I love this ecosystem! Did I use that write? Not printing this. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
Indianapolis Star
36 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers keen on re-signing Myles Turner. What it may cost, what it could mean for rest of roster
INDIANAPOLIS – Whether the Pacers' magical postseason run ends in either victory or defeat in the NBA Finals, they'll immediately find themselves on the clock as soon as it ends with a window to negotiate with their starting center and longest-tenured player. The day after the Finals, teams can begin negotiating with players who finished the season on their roster that are entering free agency. They can't begin negotiating with free agents who began the season on other teams until 6 p.m., June 30 when the NBA calendar flips over. In the Pacers' case this season, that means they'll have a window with which they'll be the only team that can negotiate with Myles Turner. Reportedly, they intend to finalize a deal so he doesn't go anywhere else. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on NBA Countdown before ABC's broadcast of Game 2 of the NBA Finals "the Pacers know they cannot afford to lose" Turner in free agency, and the franchise is willing to go into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years to re-sign Turner and there is mutual interest in getting a deal done. That reporting is consistent with other reports throughout the season including from Jake Fischer of the Stein Line that rival executives do not expect Turner to be "gettable" in free agency by anyone who isn't Indiana. NBA Finals Game 2 winners, losers: Thunder go big, Tyrese Haliburton waits too long Obviously, the Pacers still have a Finals to finish and Turner, the Pacers and his agent would still have details to iron out. But if the Pacers do intend to do what it takes to keep Turner, here's what that might mean for him, and for other Pacers players as the franchise looks into its future. Turner signed a re-negotiate-and-extend deal in January of 2023 that paid him a total of about $58 million over 2 1/2 seasons. The Pacers were under the salary cap so they were able to throw on about $17.1 million on to the $20 million per year he was making under the four-year contract he signed in 2019. He's made approximately $41 million combined over the past two seasons — a little over $20 million in 2023-24 and a little under $20 million this season — and in that time he's helped the Pacers to two deep playoff runs after a three-year playoff absence, which gives the 29-year-old a case for a raise after 10 seasons with the franchise. Turner's past three seasons have been among the most efficient offensive seasons of his career as playing with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has unlocked and enhanced much of his offensive game. He can score at all three levels — at the rim, in the mid-range and from beyond the arc — which makes him a perfect ball screen partner for Haliburton, and he can also space the floor and run to the corner when Haliburton runs ball screen actions with power forward Pascal Siakam or others. Turner's scoring went down a little this season to 15.6 points per game from 17.1 per game last year and 18.0 per game in 2022-23, but he made 156 3-pointers this season — by far a career-high — at a career-best 39.6% clip. Turner isn't quite the overwhelming rim protector he was in his early 20s when he twice led the NBA in blocked shots for a season. However, he is the Pacers' career all-time leading shot-blocker and his 2.0 blocks per game in the regular season were fifth among all NBA players and first among players who appeared in at least 65 games. His 144 total blocks in 72 games put him behind only San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama — who had 176 blocks in just 46 games — and Milwaukee's Brook Lopez, who had 148 blocks in 80 games. In the playoffs so far, his 39 blocks lead all playoff performers and his 2.2 blocks per game put him second only to Zach Edey, who had 2.5 per game before Memphis was defeated in the first round. All of that suggests Turner is worthy of a significant pay bump. Haliburton and Siakam — who have each been named to two All-NBA teams — are each due $45.5 million per year as max contract players and the Pacers can't afford to pay Turner that much, but an increase to approximately $30 million per year seems reasonable and doable if the Pacers are willing to go over the luxury tax as reported. The NBA won't finalize its salary cap, luxury tax, and first- and second-tax-apron barriers until June 30, but the sports business website projects the salary cap to be at about $154.6 million, the luxury tax threshold to be about $189 million, the first-apron threshold to be about $195.9 million and the second-apron threshold to be about $207.8 million. Spending over the first and second apron not only requires teams spend more money in luxury tax but each apron also contains restrictions on trades and other player movement that make it more difficult for teams to shape their rosters. The Pacers head into free agency with about $168 million already spoken which puts them well above the salary cap but with about $20 million under the luxury tax and about $27 million under the first apron. The Pacers might be able to shave enough salary with some small moves or by backloading Turner's contract to stay under the first apron which allows more roster flexibility. The cap figures will continue to go up by approximately 10% each year thanks to the NBA's new media contracts so there will be more space to fit Turner in later. The Pacers do have to be smart about that part because Turner will likely get big offers if he hits the open market. Not many teams are under the cap with the ability to put out big-money contracts, but the Detroit Pistons are and after a thrilling loss to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, they appear to be interested in adding big men to their roster. Turner seems set on returning to Indiana, but the Pacers still can't risk giving him a low-ball offer because he's aware there could be better out there. If the Pacers opt to keep Turner for about $30 million per year for 4-5 years, they will have their whole starting five locked up through at least the 2026-27 season and two of their most reliable bench players under contract through at 2027-28. After this season, Haliburton will still be under contract for four more seasons, Siakam and guard Andrew Nembhard are under contract for three more seasons and forward Aaron Nesmith is under contract for two more years. Veteran point guard T.J. McConnell is under contract for four more seasons, though not all of that is guaranteed, and forward Obi Toppin is under contract for four more seasons. Because keeping all of them and signing Turner to a $30 million-per-year deal would not only put the Pacers over the luxury tax but near the first apron, they could look to move one of those players in something of a consolidation deal. Toppin in particularly seems to be something of a luxury item as a bench player who will make $14 million next season, $15 million the year after and $16 million the year after that. McConnell's salary will increase from $10.2 million to $11.8 million over the life of his deal which isn't cheap for a 33-year-old backup point guard either. However, the Pacers do seem intent on keeping as much of this core together as possible and this run has given them reason to try, and if they're willing to spend over the luxury tax they might not have to move anyone from that core of seven players. Re-signing Turner would tighten things up for future decisions, particular with recent lottery picks Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker. Mathurin is extension eligible this summer and Walker will be extension eligible next summer. Deciding what to offer Mathurin isn't easy even in a vacuum as he's averaging 15.9 points per game over his first three seasons and posted the third highest scoring season for a rookie in Pacers history and continues to prove to be one of the team's most dynamic 1-on-1 scorers, but his fit within the Pacers' hyperkinetic style of play has been uneasy and his defensive progress has been real but uneven. He's averaging 10.3 points per game off the bench in the playoffs and his numbers have generally fallen since Nesmith took his place in the starting lineup. The Pacers 2026-27 cap figure is currently about $44.8 million short of the first tax apron and $57.9 million short of the second apron according to but if Turner takes up $30 million that would mean the Pacers would likely have to keep Mathurin's extension under $15 million per year to stay under the first apron and under $18 million per year to stay under the second. It's easy to imagine him getting more than that from another team if he hits free agency in the summer of 2026. The Pacers also have to decide what to do with Walker, who has had a hard time breaking into the starting lineup since being taken No. 8 in the 2023 draft. With a loaded roster last year he played in just 33 games as a rookie. This year he played in 75 in the regular season, but played just 117 playoff minutes in 12 games before an ankle sprain in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which held him out for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals. Walker still has a season to make a case for an extension, but the Pacers are clearly in their championship window now so they might want to move him for a more veteran piece. The Pacers have a few other things to keep in mind as well. They have two picks in the upcoming draft including a first rounder who would have a guaranteed contract at No. 23. Plus they have to decide what to do at center beyond Turner. Isaiah Jackson, who has spent all season rehabbing from an Achilles tendon tear suffered on Nov. 1, will be a restricted free agent. Thomas Bryant is an unrestricted free agent and Tony Bradley has a club option on the two-year deal he signed in March after multiple 10-day deals. The Pacers can't keep all of those players, but they probably need to keep two of them to maintain a functional bench. Still, keeping an anchor at center is critical to keeping the Pacers at a championship level and it's hard to imagine them finding a better one than Turner. It's impossible to imagine them getting one more emotionally invested in the franchise. Keeping a championship caliber roster together isn't cheap, so the Pacers will likely have to figure out how to navigate the collective bargaining agreement landscape as a luxury tax payer.
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Herb Simon, 'a reluctant receiver of attention,' is on a HOF and NBA Finals roll
Pacers owner Herb Simon is quiet, unassuming to the point of shyness, a charismatic personality trait in anyone, much less one of the richest men in America. But when he does talk, he tends to veer toward a topic that makes him comfortable. He talks about time: How long he's owned the Indiana Pacers (more than 42 years), and how much time he and his brother Mel needed to purchase the franchise back in 1983 (less than an hour). How many years Reggie Miller played for the Pacers (18), and Tamika Catchings played for the Indiana Fever (16). How long Donnie Walsh (22 years), Larry Bird (21) and Rick Fuson (40) worked at his side. And now, in the present tense, the tenures of his two presidents, Kevin Pritchard of the Pacers (14 years with the franchise) and Mel Raines of Pacers Sports & Entertainment (11 years). How old he is becoming. How many years he has waited for this trip to the 2025 NBA Finals. Re-live the Pacers incredible postseason run with our commemorative book It's a wonderful time to be Herb Simon, a victorious run that began 18 months ago when the Pacers reached the final of the In-Season Tournament on Dec. 9, 2023, and continued the next day when the Indiana Fever, the WNBA franchise he'd been urged to shutter over the years, won the 2024 WNBA Draft lottery and the right to select Iowa's Caitlin Clark. The Fever made it official on April 16, which was 10 days after Simon was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame's class of 2024 – and five days before the Pacers embarked on their unexpected postseason run to the 2024 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. In October, joined on stage in Springfield, Mass., by Bird, Miller and Catchings, Simon was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ten days later he presided over the start of the 2024-25 NBA season. That was Oct. 23, 2024. Also his 90th birthday. Catch Simon at an emotionally vulnerable time – and he doesn't show much, this guy – and he'll note that time isn't necessarily working in his favor these days. His brother, Mel, died in 2009 at age 82. The other landscape-changing professional sports owner our city has been blessed to have, Jim Irsay, died last month at age 65, though Simon didn't know that when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Oct. 13. What he did know that day, what he did say on Oct. 13, was this – and this was at the beginning of his acceptance speech: 'One of the things I realize is I'm still excited for the start of the season,' Simon told the Naismith crowd, then looked up from his prepared notes to wave his hands, trying to make people understand. 'After 41 years I'm still as excited as ever,' he said. 'In fact in just 10 days from now, our 42nd Pacers season will open – and on that day I turn 90.' Simon pauses. Here it comes. 'I'm glad you didn't wait longer to give me this award,' he said 'I mean…' Now everyone's laughing, and on Oct. 13 it was a cute start to an emotional speech where he appreciated Reggie and Tamika for their loyalty – "You honor me," he told them – and showered love on his city and state, and remembered his brother Mel Simon. People giggled, but there was truth behind that jest. I'm glad you didn't wait longer to give me this award. I mean… Think about the honesty behind that comment, and you will understand why people around this franchise, and around this town, are so thrilled about the Indiana Pacers' magical run to the 2025 NBA Finals. They are happy for the Pacers, yes. For the city, yes. Most of all, though, you get the feeling they are happiest for Herb Simon. Herb is 90 and still going strong. Herb is 90, and here to see it. Herb doesn't show much, he rarely does, but this is what joy looks like. Doyel last year: Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon quietly goes in Naismith Hall of Fame They had to talk Herb Simon into going onto the Gainbridge Fieldhouse floor after the Pacers beat the Knicks to win the Eastern Conference finals. Who's they? Oh, everyone. Front office, family, Reggie Miller, the NBA. People who know Herb Simon – and know he's humble, wanting nothing to do with the limelight. 'A reluctant receiver of attention,' says his son, Stephen Simon, who is next in line to run the family's basketball business. But there was Herb on the floor with his wife, his children, his two presidents and all those players. And he was out there with Reggie Miller, working the game for TNT and chosen as the one to hand Herb the Bob Cousy Trophy as Eastern Conference champions. Simon remarked that it was heavy, then passed it off to veteran center Myles Turner. Was it heavy? Yeah, but that wasn't it. 'He didn't want to get out there and accept that trophy from Reggie,' Stephen says, 'but his joy in lifting that thing up and basking in it – he gives us these moments of his glee. He hugged Reggie, brought the whole family over and gave everybody a hug. That spoke to his joy in the moment.' He doesn't show much, Herb Simon, and he doesn't show his face much either. We've had a visible sports owner in this city – rest in peace, Jim Irsay – and we've had Simon, who doesn't know from social media and makes public appearances only to watch games from his seat in the corner, several rows from the floor. You've seen Mark Cuban and Steve Balmer courtside? That's not Herb's way. Put it like this: He's never stepped foot in the Pacers' locker room. Not in 42 years as owner of the Indiana Pacers. Not as far as Stephen or anyone associated with the team can recall. And understand, this isn't Herb being aloof. This is Herb getting out of the way, leading from behind, conducting the Pacers as he and his brother conducted the real estate business that made them wealthy. 'I would say Herb is super-proud of the longevity of his leadership,' says Raines, now Chief Operating Officer of PS&E. 'Herb places an incredible amount of trust in his leaders to do their jobs, and does not micromanage.' Says Stephen Simon: 'There are different ways to do it, obviously, and there are owners who are embedded with the team,' Stephen says. 'And there are people like Herb who want to let the players have their environment.' I asked two Pacers this week for their thoughts on Herb getting this moment. 'I've never met him,' said one, smiling widely, meaning no disrespect. 'I saw him on the court (after the Knicks game),' said another. 'First time I'd seen him come around like that. He looked happy.' He doesn't show us much, Herb Simon. But he's given us his heart, and more. He's given us Downtown Indianapolis. It was 42 years ago. 'How we got involved with the Pacers in 1983 is a story that is hard to believe,' Simon said during his Naismith HOF acceptance speech, 'and probably couldn't happen today.' The Pacers, kings of the ABA, had become NBA peasants under the neglectful eye of California businessmen Sam Nassi and Frank Mariani. Average attendance had dropped from more than 10,000 in 1979 to 4,800 in April 1983 when owners announced the franchise was for sale. Nassi and Mariani were eyeing two potential ownership groups in California, one featuring Angels slugger Reggie Jackson, when Jim Morris – the quintessential connector of all things Indianapolis – set up a meeting between two groups: Mayor Bill Hudnut and civic leaders including Dave Frick and Ted Boehm … and Mel Simon, then 55, and his younger brother Herb, 48. By then, five other local ownership groups had turned down overtures from Hudnut and Co. The Simons didn't know that. They just knew what Hudnut told them, that a potential buyer was lined up to purchase the team and move it out of Indiana. 'It would be hard to imagine the state of Indiana, where basketball was perfected, for (the Pacers) to be gone,' Herb says. 'It would be tragic. 'We were honored. The mayor and civic leaders came to see us about buying the team and keeping it in the city. The meeting was 20 or 30 minutes. At the end of it, we owned the team. It's incredible. I wouldn't recommend buying a team this way, or anything. I wouldn't recommend buying a stove this way.' All these years later, look at Downtown Indianapolis then and now. Since the Simons purchased the Pacers for the sole purpose of keeping the team in town – in those days, making a profit as an NBA owner, especially in a market of this size, was almost impossible – Downtown has added: The Colts. The NCAA. The Fever. The Indy Eleven. Ten more NCAA basketball Final Fours (seven men, three women). Two NBA All-Star Games. A Super Bowl. A handful of luxury hotels. The expanded Indiana Convention Center, from the modest facility it was in 1972 to the gigantic monolith it is today that attracts international conventions and the NFL scouting combine. 'Without Herb Simon,' says Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, 'I don't believe the Pacers would be in Indiana any longer. And then what else would we have missed? Think about it. The Colts, the NCAA … the list just goes on and on.' As Simon's tenure as owner grows longer – in an industry where NBA teams are now printing money, with owners in Dallas, Phoenix, Boston and Charlotte selling for billions since 2023 – he's the longest-running owner in the NBA. As Hogsett would say, think about that. 'I'm so thrilled Herb is here to watch this marvelous NBA Finals run,' says Nancy Leonard, widow of Hall of Famer and former ABA Pacers coach Bobby Leonard. 'He has been a dream owner, most respected amongst all the NBA team owners. Herb has turned the franchise over to our basketball people, and then stepped aside to give not only his financial support, but his moral support. And the team and coaches love him. 'Kudos for both Mel and Herb, plus Stevie for their faith and love of Indiana and our fan base. We are indebted to all three!' The Pacers have struggled along the way. Show me a small-market city like ours that doesn't struggle in the NBA. The deck is stacked against places like Indianapolis and Oklahoma City, cities that superstars leave on their way to Someplace Bigger. It requires skill (or luck) in the NBA Draft, and years of brilliant front office work to reach the NBA Finals. And in the Pacers' case, it meant refusing to tank. The 76ers tanked for years. The Wizards are doing it now. What have those teams learned how to do, along the way? Lose. Simon refused to tank. No idea if Bird or Pritchard ever broached the topic in the last 20 years, but I do know this: Simon would've said no. 'I don't want to see it,' Simon said a few years ago, when the Pacers were still trying to climb out of the hole created by Paul George's broken leg in 2014 and eventual departure in 2017. 'And if I don't want to see it, the fans don't want to see it. Why would we want to go through a rebuild when we can build on the go? That's the talent. Donnie did it all the time. Larry did it. Kevin (Pritchard) will do it. We can do it.' While insisting that Bird and Pritchard find a way to win – just do it – Simon's loyalty to the city has grown deeper. In 2019 Simon and the Pacers entered into an unprecedented 25-year commitment to the city. Did the city offer hundreds of millions in incentives to encourage the Pacers to stay? Of course. Having an NBA franchise is much bigger than sports. Did you miss that part about the Colts, NCAA, Fever, hotels, conventions, etc.? But the Pacers – Herb Simon – also committed more than $100 million in cash and the construction of the Ascension St. Vincent Center, the team's practice facility across the street from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And then Herb Simon signed a contract weighed down by penalties that make it almost impossible to break the lease early. Not that Herb has any plan for that. 'Herb's never seen the Pacers as an investment,' Stephen says. 'You have to have a return, and all that? He's never thought of it that way. He owns the team because he loves it. He knows how important it is to the city. It's been in the family forever, and the intention is to keep it in the family, and in the city.' And the goal, right now, is to get that NBA title. The Pacers won those three ABA titles in the early 1970s, but that was a decade before Herb and Mel Simon stepped into the breach to keep the team here. The Pacers reached the 2000 NBA Finals, but lost in six games to Shaq, Kobe and the Los Angeles Lakers. Pacers in 2000 NBA Finals: 25 years later, Pacers back in NBA Finals: 'It's almost a replay of the way it felt in 2000' Here we are, with the 2025 NBA Finals shifting Wednesday to Indianapolis for Game 3. The series is tied at 1-1 after the Pacers swiped home-court advantage from the Thunder by winning Game 1 in Oklahoma City. These are the times when Herb, who doesn't show much, lets his guard down. Says his COO, Mel Raines: 'I talk to him several times a day. He's a FaceTime person – he likes to look at you when he talks to you – and I see the smile on his face. To call him after a couple of those really special away games, to FaceTime him right after Game 1 in New York, you can see: This has been just pure joy for him.' Says his mayor, Joe Hogsett: 'Herb Simon loves Indianapolis. He loves his family first and foremost, but his second love is basketball and his third love is the city of Indianapolis. All three of those things coming together are the reason we're celebrating the NBA finals in Indianapolis. It's a love story. It really is a modern-day love story.' Says his son, Stephen: 'Everyone's thrilled for Herbie.' Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
