Indiana Fever, Purdue Boilermakers Prove Pacers' Rick Carlisle Right
Indiana Fever, Purdue Boilermakers Prove Pacers' Rick Carlisle Right originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Between Bobby Knight, Larry Bird, Hoosiers, and high school gyms across the state, Indiana is the basketball capital of America, and the Indiana Pacers, after 25 years, finally punched their ticket to the NBA Finals.
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On their home court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers celebrated after beating the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and head coach Rick Carlsile rose to the occasion, reminding his fans that they are the best in the world.
"In 49 states, it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!" proclaimed Carlisle on the court after the Pacers sent the Knicks home.
Between elite college programs like Indiana University and Purdue, and a culture of high school ball, Indiana is at the center of basketball at all levels, and their NBA superstars and WNBA phenom Caitlin Clark have kept Indiana on the map.
After the Pacers secured their Finals appearance, messages poured in from all over the Indiana sporting world.
Purdue, which hasn't boasted a Pacers player since Brad Miller in 2003, also took to social media to share a message of support.
While the Pacers have enjoyed their successes this season, amateur basketball remains at the center of the state's basketball culture, and Thomas Bryant, who helped lead the Hoosiers to the Sweet Sixteen in 2016, was seen soaking up the moment.
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Bryant, the only Pacers' player who played college hoops in the state, understands more than anyone what basketball means to the state.
In Game 6, with center Tony Bradley missing the contest with a hip injury, Bryant rose to the occasion after being benched earlier in the series, scoring 11 efficient points when the Pacers needed it most.
Indiana will look to finish the job against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals, with Game 1 tipping off on June 5 on ABC.
Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: ESPN Offers 'Very Average' Critique of New York Knicks, Snubs Indiana Pacers
Related: Key to Indiana Pacers Beating OKC Thunder in NBA Finals Revealed
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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