{"id":134424,"date":"2025-06-29T16:14:51","date_gmt":"2025-06-29T16:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/134424\/"},"modified":"2025-06-29T16:14:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T16:14:51","slug":"live-indianapolis-watch-party-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/134424\/","title":{"rendered":"live Indianapolis watch party updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: IndyStar’s live coverage of the NBA Finals Game 7 watch party in Indianapolis has ended, as the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> defeated the Indiana Pacers<\/a> 103-91 to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship. Below is a recap of news updates and fan interviews compiled during the game.<\/p>\n

It’s title time, Indiana.<\/p>\n

The Indiana Pacers face the host Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> at 8 p.m. EDT in a winner-take-all NBA Finals Game 7 in Oklahoma City. Playing for their first NBA championship, the Pacers have once again stoked Indianapolis’ love of hoops, and IndyStar is here for it.<\/p>\n

Our journalists will report live from Oklahoma City and Indianapolis, where thousands of fans will gather at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and downtown to cheer on the Pacers. Refresh this story for the latest fan reaction, links to coverage from our authoritative IndyStar sports team, and much more as the Pacers look to hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.<\/p>\n

Are we ready? Yes’Cers!<\/p>\n

\"play\"<\/p>\n

Tyrese Haliburton injury draws reaction from Pacers fans<\/p>\n

“I wish it didn’t happen. I hope it doesn’t change the trajectory of the game.”<\/p>\n

Indianapolis metro police are beginning to close down streets near Gainbridge Fieldhouse in anticipation to the finish of the game. As the Oklahoma City Thunder pushed their fourth-quarter lead to 21 points, hopes of a celebration in downtown Indy started to diminish.<\/p>\n

Raj Jupal, 22, of Plainfield, lamented the Pacers’ shrinking chances as the game entered its last quarter: “We\u2019re down a decent bit. I was hoping that we would have a little more motivation to play for Haliburton\u2019s injury but we always do well in the fourth quarter, so I\u2019m hoping we can push through for the last one. I\u2019m a little bit annoyed that Siakam hasn\u2019t touched the ball much since the first quarter, so I\u2019m hoping we can dish it to him in the fourth. Siakam and TJ are the two guys I\u2019m hoping touch the ball a lot in the fourth.”<\/p>\n

Fans can be seen walking out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse as there are still 7 minutes left on the clock of NBA finals Pacers v OKC game 7.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a rough night for many Pacers fans.@indystar<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QZ0HpvxsRq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Noe Padilla (@1NoePadilla) June 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla and Ethan Hylton<\/p>\n

The energy in the Hanger, a downtown Indianapolis bar, was electric as dozens of Pacers fans were glued to screen. Whenever Pascal Siakam would touch the ball, the bar would erupt in cheers of \u201cMVP, MVP, MVP!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans tried their best to keep their heads up after Tyrese Haliburton was taken out of the NBA Finals game after suffering an Achilles injury in the first quarter.<\/p>\n

More: Pacers fans in disbelief as Tyrese Haliburton leaves NBA Finals Game 7 with injury<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all felt bad for him, especially with everything he\u2019s done this season, but we haven\u2019t lost hope,\u201d said Brian Hopson. \u201cWe have the depth to go far. We only have one more half and then it\u2019s ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Andrew Nembhard made a 3-pointer before the end of the half, the bar exploded in excitement. As the Pacers went into the half with the lead, fans could be seen hugging one another and cheering with hope in their eyes.<\/p>\n

But as the third quarter, that excitement turned into focus as everyone\u2019s eyes were glued to the screens.<\/p>\n

At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Luis Hernandez, 20, of Indianapolis, said: \u201cIt was a great first half despite the injury. That was pretty upsetting. The energy has been great here at the fieldhouse, it feels like we\u2019re playing a home game. I was at a watch party last week and the energy has been 10 times better tonight. My confidence is pretty high, guys like TJ McConnell have to step into the leadership role.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla and Ethan Hylton<\/p>\n

IndyStar visual journalist Madyson Crane was outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, taking in the sights and sounds. Check out her pregame recap here:<\/p>\n

\"play\"<\/p>\n

See thousands of Pacers fans at watch parties around Indianapolis<\/p>\n

Game 7 of the NBA Finals brought thousands of fans out in Indianapolis to root on the Pacers<\/p>\n

Here’s all Pacers fans are talking about as Game 7 heads to the second quarter: Tyrese Haliburton limping off the court.<\/p>\n

Terry Clayton, 25, of Indianapolis, said: \u201cOur superstar Tyrese Haliburton has carried us this whole playoffs with his miracle shots, so it\u2019s tough to see him down. But guess what, we have a bench that can lead us through. I\u2019m hoping to see if they can pick up the slack and I want to see what coach (Rick) Carlisle can do. We are cheering for you guys from home. We need 19-25 points from TJ McConnell.\u201d<\/p>\n

The moment Haliburton went down with a leg injury, fans around downtown Indianapolis could be making an audible gasp, questioning if this was the end of the Pacers’ run in the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

There was then a moment of silence as fans gazed at one another, looking for answers. Once Haliburton was helped off the court, some fans took that as a sign that the game was over and started leaving their spot in line or asking for the check.<\/p>\n

Other fans didn\u2019t let this moment kill their hope that this was still the Pacers’ game to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be OK, we got depth,\u201d Shaune Shelby said. “There’s been big games where Tyrese didn\u2019t show up, but we still won the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve done it before. We can do it again. Remember early this season, Tyrese was out. We were still hooping. There\u2019s still hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Ethan Hylton and Noe Padilla<\/p>\n

Championship safety: Win or lose, here’s why it’s a bad idea for Pacers fans to fire guns into the air<\/a><\/p>\n

Game 7 of the NBA Finals has started and hundreds of people are still waiting outside bars in downtown Indianapolis, hoping to find a seat to enjoy the game.The line outside Kilroy\u2019s Bar N\u2019 Grill wraps around the building and it\u2019s expected that fans may have to wait up to an hour to get a seat inside.But that wait hasn\u2019t killed their excitement for this historic moment as fans staring through the bar\u2019s restaurant could be seen cheering as the Pacers took the first lead of the game.Regardless of whether fans can find a way inside a bar, they will find a way to support their Pacers.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla<\/p>\n

One prominent Pacers fan won’t have a front-row seat for Game 7. Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark and her teammates are hoping for a smooth flight and a good signal to catch ABC’s feed.<\/p>\n

\"play\"<\/p>\n

Caitlin Clark excited for Pacers Game 7<\/p>\n

Caitlin Clark says she’s pumped for Game 7, proud of the Pacers’ season, and hoping to watch mid-flight.<\/p>\n

An hour and a half before Game 7, with hundreds of Pacers fans gathered outside the north entrance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Dillon Trumpy leaned against the railing in front of the team store. The 28-year-old, dressed in a cerulean T-shirt and navy shorts, was virtually the only fan without gold and blue Pacers gear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Immediately as the team store opened, Trumpy purchased a\u00a0Tyrese Haliburton\u00a0jersey.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRep the point guard, rep the entire team. That\u2019s how it goes,\u201d Trumpy said. \u201cI considered getting a Nesmith and McConnell, but we only have so much money in the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bulletin-board material: OKC already has its championship parade buses ready. That’s all Rick Carlisle is ‘thinking about right now’<\/a><\/p>\n

An Indiana native and lifelong Pacers fan, Trumpy was raised in the Reggie Miller era and never felt incentivized to buy a jersey when Paul George or Victor Oladipo played in Indiana.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy fandom never wavered when Paul and Victor played, but it never showed the promise that it\u2019s showing tonight,\u201d Trumpy said. \u201cNo disrespect to them, they work their a– to get to where they were, but after Paul George wanting to leave and Victor with his major injury, we could never hold on to what Indiana basketball really means, but these Pacers are.\u201d<\/p>\n

When describing what \u201cIndiana basketball\u201d means, Trumpy surveyed the hundreds of fans before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook around; it\u2019s all these people wearing yellow and blue just wanting to be here to watch a game in Indiana that\u2019s being played in Oklahoma City,\u201d Trumpy said. \u201cIt\u2019s something you can\u2019t really put into words. It\u2019s rooted in our genetics. You come out of the womb in Indiana, and the first thing you know is Indiana basketball. And now, with Game 7, what a time to be alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Joshua Heron<\/p>\n

Although the doors at Gainbridge Fieldhouse opened at 7 p.m. for the Game 7 watch party, hundreds of fans could still be seen funneling inside the building by 7:20 p.m.<\/p>\n

At one point lines of fans could be seen wrapped around the street and into the parking garage. There are thousands of Pacers fans roaming the streets of downtown, either waiting to get inside the fieldhouse or to find a seat in a local bar.<\/p>\n

LaCorah Smith, 47, from Gary, said, \u201cI\u2019m not nervous at all. I think we got this in the bag. We just need to start No. 9, TJ (McConnell), and we\u2019ll be all good.<\/p>\n

“We need to focus on pacing the floor tonight and our ball movement, that\u2019s all. We are not worried about OKC tonight. We got this in the bag. SGA is a good player, I\u2019ll give him his props, but they ain\u2019t got nothing on us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Moore, 42, of Merrillville, said: \u201cI\u2019m hoping the Pacers can pull it off. Tyrese Haliburton needs to have the biggest game of his career! The Pacers have surprised me \u2013 I didn\u2019t think we were going to be anything going into the season. So I\u2019m shocked to even be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla and Ethan Hylton<\/p>\n

Ontario Jones remembers sitting in front of the TV and watching Reggie Miller make his historic shot against the New York Knicks more than 20 years ago. That was a moment that was burned into his memory and started his lifelong love as a Pacers fan.<\/p>\n

Sunday evening, he stood in front of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with eyes of wonderment, sharing how this might be a \u201conce in a lifetime moment\u201d to his watch beloved Pacers bring home the NBA Championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means everything,\u201d Jones said. \u201cLook at the excitement in the city. It’s beautiful. We don\u2019t get this too often.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing atop the Morris Bicentennial Plaza, Mark Roberts watched as fans young and old attempted free throws and 3-pointers at the stadium’s outdoor courts. For Roberts, this was a moment any true-blooded Hoosier could appreciate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when I used to shoot a basketball at a hoop attached to my family\u2019s barn,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cTo see everyone out here is special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether the Pacers win or lose Sunday, Roberts felt a level of love and appreciation for what this team has done for the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a day of hope,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cToday\u2019s game will be hard fought. It won\u2019t be David and Goliath, like many make it out to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday will be a game against two warriors who will be putting everything on the court to see their team win it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla<\/p>\n

Hours before Gainbridge Fieldhouse opened its doors to the public, hundreds of Indiana Pacers fans swarmed downtown to celebrate their team\u2019s journey in this year\u2019s NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

Since 4 p.m., fans could be seen reserving some of the best seats in downtown bars. Others packed the Morris Bicentennial Plaza as they waited for the doors to open for the Pacers watch party.<\/p>\n

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Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Game 7 watch party timelapse video<\/p>\n

Watch as Pacers fans line Delaware Street ahead of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse watch party for the 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 between the Pacers and Thunder.<\/p>\n

Excitement for the Pacers’ chance of bringing home the Larry O\u2019Brien Trophy was apparent as fans driving past the stadium could be heard honking their horns while others chanted \u201cLet\u2019s go Pacers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Noe Padilla<\/p>\n

Pacers fans wanting a bit of extra juice before Game 7 needn’t look far. Franchise legend Reggie Miller narrated an epic hype video that the Pacers posted on social media ahead of the game. Want some chills? Click here<\/a> to check it out.<\/p>\n

Let it be known, we\u2019re not here to participate.
Tonight, we write the ending they never saw coming.<\/p>\n

A new champion will be crowned…let’s bring that hardware home.<\/p>\n

Narrated by Reggie Miller. pic.twitter.com\/m3XoFVtRDX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

ABC will broadcast Game 7 of the Finals, with the tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT. Read everything you need to know about the game, including our expert picks, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Order ‘Gold Rush!’ book to celebrate the Pacers’ historic season<\/p>\n

Pacers fans can also order IndyStar’s commemorative 144-page book, “Gold Rush!” to relive all their favorite moments from the championship season. Featuring exclusive stories and photos from IndyStar journalists, this keepsake will be a fan favorite for years to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cGold Rush!\u201d is available to pre-order now for just\u00a0$31.95\u00a0\u2014 a 20% discount off the $39.95 retail price (plus tax and shipping). Order now at\u00a0Pacers.PictorialBook.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss your chance to own a piece of Pacers history! \u201cGold Rush!\u201d is a must-have on every fan\u2019s coffee table or bookshelf.<\/p>\n

Order our Pacers collector’s book<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2013 Eric Larsen<\/p>\n