The Indiana Pacers were slated to travel to Oklahoma City on Tuesday in preparation for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. Mother Nature had other plans.
As inclement weather rippled across Oklahoma, the Pacers' plane had to be diverted from Oklahoma CIty to Tulsa due to tornado warnings, a team official told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix. The plane circled OKC for a bit before heading to Tulsa to refuel. Nearly two hours later, they were finally able to land.
Teams usually arrive a few days in advance of the opening NBA Finals game to acclimate to a new environment and participate in media days.
The Thunder are hosting their first NBA Finals game since 2012, when the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden core battled the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. The Pacers are appearing in the Finals for the first time since 2000.
Game 1 is set to tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pacers Forced to Land in Tulsa Due to Tornado Warnings in Oklahoma City .
