If the Indiana Pacers needed any more motivation for Game 7, they got it shortly before tipoff.
Hours ahead of Sunday’s NBA Finals Game 7 against Oklahoma City, video emerged of Thunder buses decked out for a championship celebration. It caught the attention of Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.
Here they are. Multiple buses in Thunder colors with the OKC logo and script reading “2025 Champions” are ready to roll. They appear to be in preparation for a Thunder championship parade.
There’s only one problem, of course. As of the time of this video, an NBA champion had yet to be crowned.
Rick Carlisle responds
There’s a decent possibility this is standard protocol. There’s certainly a chance the Pacers have their own buses ready to roll in preparation for a potential parade in Indianapolis. But they haven’t leaked. And Carlisle seized on the opportunity ahead of Game 7.
“I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral of some buses — open-top buses — presumably for their parade that are already painted for them as champions.
“That’s all I’m thinking about right now.”
Whatever it takes.
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
The Thunder wouldn’t be the first NBA team to have preemptive celebratory plans exposed. The Dallas Mavericks infamously had plans for their 2006 championship parade leaked after they took a 2-0 lead in the Finals over the Miami Heat.
There was just one problem. The Mavericks never had that parade. The Heat won four straight games for a 4-2 series win and the franchise’s first NBA title.
The heavily favored Thunder didn’t avoid the same fate as those Mavericks: They beat Indiana 103-91 in Game 7 to win the 2025 NBA championship.
Now, they can put those buses to use.
