NBA Finals G7! Pacers return to the top 25 years later, Grassroots Legion strives for the first championship in history

When a low and excited voice sounded in the Indiana Pacers' locker room, no one thought that this team, which was regarded as a "miscellaneous army" by the outside world, was already standing in front of the threshold of NBA history. They made it to the finals for the first time in 25 years, and this time, they didn't want to be the Cinderella who needed magic to turn over.

Grassroots counterattack: From no one cares to the attention of everyone

Nismith sat in the locker room, his ankles were soaked in an ice bucket. The defender, who has been fighting with injuries, is tired of the outside world's praise for the Pacers' "Miracle Journey", and he and his teammates have long turned their attention to further goals. As the camera and microphone gradually dissipated, Turner, the longest player at the Pacers, pulled a chair and sat next to Nesmith.

Assistant coach Wenal handed over a glass of champagne, but it was the only bottle they opened. After a few high-fives, they are already discussing how to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Finals.

This is the style of a walker - pragmatic, focused, and never indulge in existing achievements. As forward Siakam said in the playoffs: "We are probably not given anything, in a situation where no one really cares whether we can win."

Attypical Championship: The fantasy journey of the two cores

The Pacers have the most unreasonable combination of players in NBA history. Siakam was once trained to become a Catholic priest and did not start to engage in organized basketball training until he was 17 years old. He started in the Development League and was not yet a full-time starter in the NBA until his third season. Now, the forward who won the Raptors in 2019 is moving towards the Hall of Fame.

Halliburton's story is also inspiring. The team's record was a bleak 25 wins and 57 losses when they traded from the Kings to the Pacers in January 2022. More than three years later, he has been selected into the All-Star twice and the All-Squad three teams twice. Halliburton didn’t even play in the gold medal battle for the US to beat France at the Paris Olympics last summer, but now he has the chance to be a Pacers legend alongside Reggie Miller.

"The NBA Finals Game 7, this is a unique experience," Halliburton said, "I have dreamed of such a moment all my life. "

Historical baggage: From life and death to returning to the top

Pacers' history is full of drama. In the 1970s, they were the champions in the ABA league for three times, but they have never tasted the taste of a championship since joining the NBA in the 1976-77 season. If it weren't for the "Save the Pacers" TV fundraiser planned by former assistant general manager Nancy Leonard, Indiana might have had no NBA team long ago.

On July 4, 1977, Nancy Leonard, 93, organized a 16-and-a-half-hour TV fundraising with her husband, late legendary coach Slick Leonard, with the goal of selling 8,000 season tickets to avoid team relocation or disbandment. In the end, they sold 8,028 pieces, and the Pacers have been able to continue to this day.

This history of surviving from desperate situations has shaped the Pacers' indomitable spiritual core. They shouldn't be here, but they don't care about outside doubts.

The regrets of the legend and the mission of the new generation

Even some superstars in NBA history have failed to reach the top. Iverson, Barkley, and Ewing don't have a championship ring, and even Miller, who has played for the Pacers for 18 years, failed to bring a championship to the team. This incompleteness has been bothering Miller, 59, as he said in the All the Smoke podcast: "I don't need to go back and re-watch those games, they are endlessly played in my mind. "

25 years ago, Miller lost to the Lakers led by O'Neal and Kobe in the Finals. Now, he sits on the sidelines to cheer for the former team. After the sixth game, Miller and Halliburton hugged each other affectionately on the court, as if they could see in the eyes of this successor that their unfinished dreams were resurrected.

Decisive Moment: "We only have each other "

In Game 7 on Sunday night, the Pacers will challenge the Thunder away. This is their closest time to the NBA championship, but it is not enough to get close. Halliburton has made three final shots in this playoff round, and he and his teammates are by no means satisfied with being a cute underdog or an admirable challenger.

"We must find a way," said Mathering. "We are going to play a great team and a fanatical audience away. We only have each other. "

This sentence perfectly interprets the spiritual core of the Pacers. They are a group of underrated players who write their own legends with unity and faith. From veterans like Turner to undrafts like McConnell, from role players like Bradley and Bryant to young geniuses like Mathering, everyone is fighting for the same goal.

If the Pacers can lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy, they will prove a simple and profound truth: the grassroots champion is still the champion. In this era of superstars gathering together, they interpret the essence of basketball in the simplest way - team, persistence and never giving up.

History is waiting for their answers, and the Pacers are ready to write their own legendary chapter.