To Thunder fans — if you can, travel to attend possible championship clincher in Indiana
To Thunder fans — if you can, travel to attend possible championship clincher in Indiana
Something tells me productivity rates are at an all-time low in Oklahoma. On the cusp of an NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder have traveled to face the Indiana Pacers for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead in the 2025 NBA Finals.
This is the farthest the Thunder have gotten to the finish line. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has carried his MVP dominance over to the playoffs. Jalen Williams is fresh off the best game he's ever played with 40 points in Game 5. Chet Holmgren has shaken off any rust from his hip fracture.
Throw in the Tyrese Haliburton calf strain, and everything is lining up for the Thunder to win on the road. Not ideal for local fans. But doable. To win a championship at any level, you need a sprinkle of luck. Thunder fans have received some of that with this NBA Finals matchup.
Credit the Pacers. They got hot at the right time. They returned to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. But the talent disparity between the two teams has been front and center in OKC's last two wins. No such thing as an easy NBA Finals opponent, but there's a reason why most picked the Thunder to win in five games.
Thunder fans also received some luck with the proximity of the series. This is geographically the closest NBA Finals in league history. Only 744 miles separate Paycom Center and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That's only a 12-hour drive. Heck, for Oklahomans, that's nothing. There's even a Missouri Buc-ee's that served as the halfway mark.
If you're a Thunder fan and have the funds to do so, you must make the drive or flight to Indianapolis for Game 6. While they're best set up to have an extensive window, winning a championship can often be a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment. Sometimes, even never. Ask Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Neither has been back at this stage since 2012.
There's a decent chance the Thunder clinch at Indiana. You gotta make the trip. It'll be an all-time sports moment you'll cherish for the rest of your life. It's worth the risk of the Pacers forcing a Game 7. Even if it hurts your wallet, this is why you become a sports fan and let that consume most of your life.
The Thunder are on the doorstep of an NBA championship. Don't regret not being inside the arena for the coinflip chance that they celebrate a season-long achievement. You're never guaranteed to be back at this spot. It took 13 years to get this close again.
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