Last Saturday, the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. It’s the franchise’s first Finals appearance since the 2000 playoffs.
Indiana is the road team in the 2025 NBA Finals. They will be in Oklahoma City for Games 1 and 2. Team owner Herbert Simon has made a generous offer. He is chartering a plane for all full-time Pacers employees to attend Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals. Herbert Simon and his brother Mel have owned the Pacers since 1983. They’re the longest-tenured owners in NBA history.
Herbert Simon is chartering a plane for all full-time employees to attend Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals
The Pacers are reportedly chartering a plane for all full-time employees to attend Game 1 & Game 2 of the NBA Finals to support the team, per @ACwishtv.
Respect. ✊👏 pic.twitter.com/LaFEiz4kw5
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 3, 2025
The Indiana Pacers are on the road for Games 1 and 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It’s the team’s first appearance in the NBA Finals in the last 25 years. Indiana sports anchor Anthony Calhoun reported that the team owner, Herbert Simon, has made an incredible gesture. He is chartering a plane for all full-time employees to attend Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said “more than one plane” will be heading to Oklahoma City. Herbert Simon is allowing “three to four people” per employee on the trip. An incredible move by the long-time Pacers owner. Rick Carlisle said this move emphasizes how much the Pacers care about the members of their organization. He noted Simon did something similar in January when the Pacers played in France.
On Tuesday, the Pacers’ team plane was detoured by a thunderstorm and was forced to land in Tulsa. The plane refueled and waited out the storm until it was safe to fly again. This is just the second NBA Finals appearance in team history for the Indiana Pacers. Their last Finals appearance was in 2000 when the team lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Indiana’s opponent in 2025 is the #1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been dominant in the 2025 playoffs.
