Last Saturday, the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. This is the franchise’s first final since the 2000 playoffs.
Indiana is the road team for the 2025 NBA Finals. They are in Oklahoma City for games 1 and 2. Team owner Herbert Simon made a generous offer. He charters planes with all full-time pacer employees to participate in games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals. Herbert Simon and his brother Mel have owned the Pacers since 1983. They are the longest owners in NBA history.
Herbert Simon is chartering planes for all full-time employees to participate in games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals
The Pacers reportedly have all full-time employees charter planes to support their teams by participating in games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals. @ACWISHTV.
respect. ✊👏 pic.twitter.com/lafeiz4kw5
– Hoopcentral (@thehoopcentral) June 3, 2025
The Indiana Pacers have played in games 1 and 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals. This is the team’s first appearance in the NBA Finals over the past 25 years. Indiana sports anchor Anthony Calhoun reported that team owner Herbert Simon made an incredible gesture. He charters planes for all full-time employees to participate in games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said “multiple planes” were heading towards Oklahoma City. Herbert Simon allows “3-4” per employee on the trip. Incredible moves by longtime pacer owners. Rick Carlisle said the move highlights how much interest Pacers is in the organization’s members. He said Simon did the same in January when the Pacers played for France.
On Tuesday, Pacer’s team plane was decouped by a thunderstorm and forced to land in Tulsa. The plane refueled and waited for the storm until it was safe to fly again. This is just the second appearance in the NBA Finals in the Indiana Pacers team history. Their final match was in 2000 when the team lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the dominant 2025 playoff opponent, is the best in Indiana’s 2025 playoffs.