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Indiana Pacers Game 7 Loss An Emotional Ending And Unwanted Beginning

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Indiana Pacers Game 7 Loss An Emotional Ending And Unwanted Beginning


OKLAHOMA CITY — In Tyrese Haliburton’s locker, a framed piece of wisdom from writer Carl Bard sits at about eye level. It’s impossible to miss but as plain as could be, with black text on white paper within a white frame. Haliburton sees it multiple times a day when the Indiana Pacers play at home.

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end,” the saying reads. And after losing in the NBA Finals, that expression is now more appropriate than ever to the Pacers.

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When it comes to star athletes, Haliburton is as grounded as they come. He’s present in each moment and conversation brought his way. He carries the right energy to every situation he must face. His day-to-day demeanor is endearing to everyone — his teammates, coaches, fans, and even most opponents. And during his solo moments at his locker before and after home games, Haliburton is reminded of beginnings and endings. It’s forceful reflection.

In 2022, Haliburton was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Pacers. It was a stunning move, and it changed everything for a franchise in Indiana that desperately needed a shakeup. They needed a new start.

Haliburton, however, did not. He was crushed to be traded from the Kings. Yet as he does, he quickly adjusted to his new reality with a contagious smile and unmatched presence. Instantly, the internal feeling within the Pacers shifted. Optimism crept in. A necessary rebuild started, though it didn’t feel as daunting with Haliburton around.

In his first game with his new team, the Pacers set a then-franchise record for points in a first quarter. Haliburton rocked the house in that frame, scoring 12 points and dishing out an assist. He buried two outside shots. It was a sign of what was coming.

“The potential is obvious and very encouraging,” Carlisle said after the outing. “The first quarter was spectacular. The energy, the pace, the ball movement, the shot making. It’s a high bar… you can see the possibilities.”

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The Pacers ascended rapidly with Haliburton as their central figure. Their high-paced style formed first, then an elite offense came right after. In the second full season with Haliburton in Indiana, they made the Eastern Conference Finals. He was so good that less than two years after being acquired, the Pacers were ready for another star and traded for Pascal Siakam. Off they went as a duo, leading a voyage that led the Pacers to a winner-takes-all title fight.

What happened to the Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals?

Sunday, led by that pairing, Indiana played in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It was unreached territory for the blue and gold, who fell in six games during their previous, and only, NBA Finals trip. Win or lose, a brand new ending was coming for the Pacers.

Haliburton, by virtue of his framed quote, thinks about new endings often. His new start with the Pacers was special. It was one epic quarter, followed by two fun, growth-filled seasons. The 2024-25 campaign was nothing short of magical, with the Pacers winning 50 games for the first time in 11 years. They raced through the Eastern Conference postseason field and were on the doorstep of immortality.

Win or lose, the result of Game 7 was going to be a conclusion Indiana hadn’t seen before. They knew it going into the game. Players admitted that their mind wandered leading up to the action as they thought about what could be on Sunday. Sleeping on Saturday night wasn’t a trivial task. Nerves, excitement, anticipation, and anxiety all combined in a way that few get to feel in the NBA.

Just after 7 p.m. local time, the game tipped off. Haliburton, battling a calf injury, was rolling. He hit a three 3.5 minutes into the action. One possession later, another. Before long, a third. He was nearly matching the Thunder on the scoreboard by himself when OKC took a timeout with 7:01 left in the first quarter.

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Then, tragedy. Haliburton received a pass from teammate Obi Toppin on the left wing and tried to drive toward the rim. He couldn’t. His right Achilles ruptured and he fell to the floor, launching the ball away with about five minutes remaining in the first period. His pain was immediately obvious as he smacked the court over and over, tears in his eyes. T.J. McConnell, who was waiting at the scorer’s table to check in, was the first Pacers player to reach Haliburton. Soon, the entire roster, as well as a few staffers and coaches, surrounded him on the floor.

His night was over, and the injury was confirmed midday on Monday. It was a crushing blow for the Pacers, who not only had to play without their star but had to carry a heavy emotional toll for the rest of the game. Tony Bradley admitted it took a bit out of him. Toppin blamed himself for the injury due to his involvement in the play.

“I felt like that was my fault, too. Passed the ball to him, and as soon as he went down, that sh— hurt. I ain’t gonna lie. I was thinking about that the whole game,” the bench forward said. Earlier, Toppin admitted he played poorly and took ownership for the loss. “It didn’t go the way we wanted it. I played terrible today,” he began. “Sh— felt like it was my fault.”

The Pacers lost their identity without Haliburton. They also lost their focus, and who could blame them? They all spent a lifetime preparing for this game and spent days thinking about the feelings coming their way. Now, their mentality was shaken, if not broken.

To Indiana’s credit, they battled and took a lead into halftime. But a dominant third quarter from the Thunder was the difference in the 103-91 game. Oklahoma City became champions. The Pacers faced a brand new ending, but one that felt familiar — a loss on the biggest stage. So close, yet not enough.

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It hurt more than everyone expected. The Pacers had one game in front of them to win a championship. They knew defeat would be draining. Even then, players freely admitted it was more painful than they foresaw.

“I wanted this one bad for our guys,” Pacers forward James Johnson said of his emotions and his teammates. “We work hard every day to compete every day. They play the game the right way.”

On the court after the game, the Thunder celebrated. Just feet away in the halls of Paycom Center, the Pacers either wept or did everything they could to avoid tears. Wing Aaron Nesmith had just finished crying. Assistant coach Jenny Boucek carried the same look as she hugged her daughter just outside the locker room. A group of team staffers embraced and wiped incoming tears off each other’s faces. The scene was devastating. This brand new ending felt horrible.

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As players made their way back to their personal spaces after the game, they were greeted by Haliburton, standing on crutches. They all embraced him individually. “He could have been in the locker room feeling sorry for himself after something like that happened, but he wasn’t. He was up greeting us,” McConnell shared. “A lot of us were hurting from the loss and he was up there consoling us. That’s who Tyrese Haliburton is.”

Inside the locker room, players sat motionless. Thomas Bryant, Johnny Furphy, and Andrew Nembhard were planted in the chairs at their locker and stared off into space. Reality had set in.

Toppin said he felt “Sh—y,” and couldn’t compare the emotion to any that he had felt in his life before. Coming from him, that was particularly revealing. He’s among the most fun-loving players on the Pacers roster, steady as can be with his attitude. Throughout the playoffs, that frequently led to impactful performances. But his gripping smile wasn’t there after Game 7. Nobody had one. Without their star, the Pacers came up short.

And now, the Pacers and Haliburton face the other part of that Bard quote. They have to start from now again. An Achilles tear will rob Haliburton of a significant portion, perhaps all, of his 2025-26 season. Indiana won’t be the same. They have to reset for the coming campaign, then again one year later. The roster will change. Players will be gone, others will be older. Fresh faces will arrive.

But this specific group saw the end in Game 7. So close to glory, they fell short. And it hurt even more after how magical their season was. In early December, they were 10-15, unable to beat some of the worst teams in the NBA. But they banded together, worked hard in practice, got healthy, and were among the league’s best rosters for the final five months of the season.

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In the postseason, they made history over and over. Haliburton hit one miraculous shot after another as the Pacers blasted the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he did it again. The Pacers felt on top of the World. Fate was on their side. Their style was working, and their star kept making heroic plays.

Yet in the ultimate game, that star went down with a franchise-altering injury. The magic was gone. It was as painful as possible, made more difficult by just how wonderful the last two months were for the team. Some of the best moments in the lives of many Pacers players happened in that span. At the end, agony was waiting.

The group will push on. Resilience was their superpower all postseason long, and it is needed now more than ever. Bouncing back from their low emotional state will be among the greatest challenges any of Indiana’s players have faced.

But they’ll keep going. Haliburton will return one day. And in the meantime, everyone involved will slowly start to realize just how incredible their 2025 playoff run was. It was nearly one of the great sports stories of all time. The ending was cruel, but the journey was incredible and unforgettable. They’ll bond over it forever.

So the Pacers are runner ups. They haven’t felt like this before. Haliburton and company can’t make a new start. But they can start from now and make a brand new ending once again.

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Indiana’s Curt Cignetti praises UCLA as ‘undefeated’ in wake of midseason surge

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Indiana’s Curt Cignetti praises UCLA as ‘undefeated’ in wake of midseason surge


As UCLA prepared to try to topple its highest-ranked opponent in nearly two decades, one coach talked about the challenges of beating an undefeated team, of stopping its vaunted rushing attack, of halting its quick starts.

The coach was Curt Cignetti.

His team just happened to be No. 2 Indiana, the pop-up juggernaut that the Bruins will try to take down on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

“We’re playing a 3-0 football team that’s undefeated, that’s 3-0 in the conference since they have retooled their staff,” Cignetti told reporters. “Very impressive football team.”

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So startling is the transformation that the Bruins have made since their winless start that they are the ones now being praised by the coach of one of the nation’s top teams.

Surging UCLA (3-4 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) is only the third Big Ten team to lose its first four games and win its next three, joining 1963 Indiana and 2001 Penn State.

Of course, the Bruins hope the parallels end there given that those Hoosiers went on to lose their final two games and those Nittany Lions finished with a losing record.

Cignetti made the 2025 Bruins sound like a team for the ages, pointing out that they were averaging 233 yards rushing per game over the last three games while dominating the time of possession battle and outscoring opponents 58-17 in the first half over that same span.

UCLA will head into a nationally televised “Big Noon” showdown against Indiana (7-0, 4-0) having already taken down a top-10 team this season, though their 42-37 victory over then-No. 7 Penn State earlier this month has lost considerable luster given the Nittany Lions’ ensuing free fall.

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Fortunately for the Bruins, interim coach Tim Skipper played for Pat Hill at Fresno State, meaning he embraces the “Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” mindset that made the scrappy Bulldogs a national phenomenon because of their fearlessness.

UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer catches a pass over Maryland defensive back Jamare Glasker during the Bruins’ win on Oct. 18.

(Harry How / Getty Images)

“That’s always part of me; I’ve been brainwashed that way, to be honest with you,” Skipper said. “But, yeah, I mean, to me, once the whistle blows, it’s just us against you. I mean, it’s time to go. Let’s see who had the better week of practice, let’s see who’s more prepared, let’s see who wants this thing. So that’s how I see it. We’re going to kick it off, we’re going to have to be ready to strain for every inch and let’s see what happens.”

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Asked to assess Indiana, Skipper heaped praise upon a team that is among the best in the nation in almost every major statistical category.

“I am still trying to identify weaknesses,” Skipper said. “Like, it is crazy how disciplined they are.”

UCLA last beat a team ranked as high as Indiana in a game that many Bruins fans will forever cherish — their 13-9 triumph over No. 2 USC in 2006 at the Rose Bowl.

A recruiting win

At a time of great uncertainty, when it would be easy for UCLA’s staff to worry more about their own futures than those of high school prospects who may never play for them, the Bruins have continued to recruit.

They landed another verbal commitment Monday from Travis Robertson, an offensive tackle from West Bloomfield, Mich., who was previously committed to Bowling Green.

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“They have shown me that no matter what situation they are in,” Robertson told The Times, “they will always get the job done with the coaching staff and players. And I’m rooting for this staff 100%.”

UCLA’s staff has also continued to pursue recruits who have backed out of their verbal commitments, including Cooper Javorsky, an offensive lineman from San Juan Hills High who spent time visiting with offensive line coach Andy Kwon before the Bruins’ game against Maryland last weekend.

“We’re grinding over here, we’re not letting anything go to waste or not giving effort in one area or another,” Skipper said of his staff’s recruiting efforts. “It’s full speed in everything that we’re doing.”

UCLA’s 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 78 nationally by 247Sports.com, with 12 players committed.

Injury updates

Skipper said he would wait to further assess quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running backs Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas before providing injury updates.

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Iamaleava returned from an apparent right knee injury sustained late in the game against Maryland to lead the Bruins on their winning drive. Woods and Thomas were sidelined after “both guys kind of got rolled up on,” Skipper said.



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This week’s Indiana high school football playoff matchups

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This week’s Indiana high school football playoff matchups


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) football postseason has arrived.

This week will be the first week of high school playoff football across the Hoosier State.

No teams in Class 6A will be playing this week. Instead, they all have a week off before beginning postseason play on Friday, Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, most of Class 5A has the week off as well, although there will be one matchup this Friday. Whiteland will travel to Seymour to take on the Owls this Friday night in a first-round sectional contest.

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The other classes across the state (4A, 3A, 2A and 1A) will all begin postseason play though this Friday with first-round sectional matchups.

Here is a look at the Class 4A playoff games this week:

  • Sectional 17 – Hanover Central at Lowell
  • Sectional 17 – Highland at East Chicago Central
  • Sectional 17 – Kankakee Valley at Gary West Side
  • Sectional 17 – New Prairie at Hobart
  • Sectional 18 – Plymouth at South Bend Washington
  • Sectional 18 – Mishawaka at NorthWood
  • Sectional 18 – Wawasee at Northridge
  • Sectional 18 – South Bend Riley at South Bend St. Joseph
  • Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Wayne at Fort Wayne South Side
  • Sectional 19 – New Haven at East Noble
  • Sectional 19 – Columbia City at DeKalb
  • Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger at Leo
  • Sectional 20 – Lebanon at Culver Academies
  • Sectional 20 – Muncie Central at Marion
  • Sectional 20 – Huntington North at Logansport
  • Sectional 21 – Beech Grove at Richmond
  • Sectional 21 – Pendleton Heights at Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
  • Sectional 21 – New Castle at Greenfield-Central
  • Sectional 22 – Shortridge at Danville
  • Sectional 22 – Roncalli at Northview
  • Sectional 22 – Bishop Chatard at Mooresville
  • Sectional 22 – Crispus Attucks at Brebeuf Jesuit
  • Sectional 23 – Bedford North Lawrence at Jennings County
  • Sectional 23 – Connersville at Shelbyville
  • Sectional 23 – Martinsville at Greenwood
  • Sectional 23 – Silver Creek at Charlestown
  • Sectional 24 – Evansville Central at Evansville Reitz
  • Sectional 24 – Heritage Hills at Washington
  • Sectional 24 – Jasper at Boonville
  • Sectional 24 – Evansville Bosse at Evansville Harrison

Here is a look at the Class 3A playoff games this week:

  • Sectional 25 – Glenn at Calumet
  • Sectional 25 – Mishawaka Marian at River Forest
  • Sectional 25 – Griffith at Hammond Bishop Noll
  • Sectional 25 – Knox at Jimtown
  • Sectional 26 – Garrett at Fairfield
  • Sectional 26 – Woodlan at Lakeland
  • Sectional 26 – Tippecanoe Valley at Angola
  • Sectional 26 – Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran at West Noble
  • Sectional 27 – Northwestern at Peru
  • Sectional 27 – Maconaquah at Twin Lakes
  • Sectional 27 – West Lafayette at Western
  • Sectional 27 – Frankton at Benton Central
  • Sectional 28 – Mississinewa at Oak Hill
  • Sectional 28 – Jay County at Bellmont
  • Sectional 28 – Norwell at Heritage
  • Sectional 28 – Fort Wayne Bishop Luers at Delta
  • Sectional 29 – Cascade at Indianapolis George Washington
  • Sectional 29 – Tri-West Hendricks at West Vigo
  • Sectional 29 – Speedway at Crawfordsville
  • Sectional 29 – Guerin Catholic at Hamilton Heights
  • Sectional 30 – Franklin County at Batesville
  • Sectional 30 – Greensburg at Purdue Polytechnic-Downtown
  • Sectional 30 – Rushville Consolidated at South Dearborn
  • Sectional 31 – Owen Valley at Madison Consolidated
  • Sectional 31 – Corydon Central at North Harrison
  • Sectional 31 – Edgewood at Scottsburg
  • Sectional 32 – Gibson Southern at Vincennes Lincoln
  • Sectional 32 – Mt. Vernon at Southridge
  • Sectional 32 – Evansville Mater Dei at Princeton Community

Here is a look at the Class 2A playoff games this week:

  • Sectional 33 – Wheeler at Lake Station Edison
  • Sectional 33 – Rensselaer Central at Boone Grove
  • Sectional 33 – Bremen at Whiting
  • Sectional 34 – Delphi Community at Southmont
  • Sectional 34 – North Putnam at Western Boone
  • Sectional 34 – Lafayette Central Catholic at Seeger
  • Sectional 34 – Lewis Cass at North Montgomery
  • Sectional 35 – Prairie Heights at Manchester
  • Sectional 35 – Whitko at Eastside
  • Sectional 35 – Central Noble at Adams Central
  • Sectional 35 – Bluffton at Churubusco
  • Sectional 36 – Eastbrook at Alexandria Monroe
  • Sectional 36 – Rochester Community at Elwood Community
  • Sectional 36 – Eastern (Greentown) at Blackford
  • Sectional 36 – Wabash at Tipton
  • Sectional 37 – Indianapolis Lutheran at Covenant Christian
  • Sectional 37 – Heritage Christian at Cardinal Ritter
  • Sectional 37 – Monrovia at Scecina
  • Sectional 38 – Northeastern at Shenandoah
  • Sectional 38 – Triton Central at Centerville
  • Sectional 38 – Lapel at Winchester Community
  • Sectional 38 – Eastern Hancock at Union County
  • Sectional 39 – Sullivan at South Vermillion
  • Sectional 39 – Pike Central at North Posey
  • Sectional 39 – Greencastle at Brown County
  • Sectional 39 – Mitchell at Linton-Stockton
  • Sectional 40 – Crawford County at Clarksville
  • Sectional 40 – Salem at Switzerland County
  • Sectional 40 – Brownstown Central at Tell City
  • Sectional 40 – Eastern (Pekin) at Paoli

Here is a look at the Class 1A playoff games this week:

  • Sectional 41 – LaVille at Culver Community
  • Sectional 41 – North Judson-San Pierre at South Central (Union Mills)
  • Sectional 41 – West Central at South Newton
  • Sectional 41 – North Newton at Bowman Academy
  • Sectional 42 – Frontier at Tri-County
  • Sectional 42 – Pioneer at Caston
  • Sectional 42 – Carroll (Flora) at Winamac Community
  • Sectional 42 – North White at Taylor
  • Sectional 43 – North Miami at Northfield
  • Sectional 43 – Southern Wells at Triton
  • Sectional 43 – Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian at Fremont
  • Sectional 44 – Union City at Hagerstown
  • Sectional 44 – Cambridge City Lincoln at Monroe Central
  • Sectional 44 – Madison-Grant at South Adams
  • Sectional 44 – Wes-Del at Tri
  • Sectional 45 – Attica at South Putnam
  • Sectional 45 – Parke Heritage at Fountain Central
  • Sectional 45 – Covington at North Central (Farmersburg)
  • Sectional 45 – Riverton Parke at North Vermillion
  • Sectional 46 – Clinton Central at Cloverdale
  • Sectional 47 – South Decatur at Eastern Greene
  • Sectional 47 – West Washington at Knightstown
  • Sectional 47 – Greenwood Christian at North Decatur
  • Sectional 48 – Forest Park at Springs Valley
  • Sectional 48 – Providence at North Knox
  • Sectional 48 – North Daviess at Perry Central
  • Sectional 48 – South Spencer at Tecumseh

Of course, as always, be sure to tune into The Zone on Friday night beginning at 11:08 on WISH-TV for highlights from the first week of the high school football postseason.



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Indiana football is up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25

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Indiana football is up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25


INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Hoosier football team moved up one spot to No. 2 in this week’s Associated Press college football poll.

The move comes after Indiana dominated Michigan State, 38-13, in the Old Brass Spittoon Game on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, while last week’s second-ranked team, Miami, was upset by unranked Louisville at home, 24-21, on Friday night.

The No. 2 spot breaks the record the Hoosiers set just last week for the highest ranking in program history. Indiana also received six first-place votes, the only No. 1 votes top-ranked Ohio State didn’t receive in this week’s poll.

The Hoosiers and Buckeyes are both 7-0 and the only two undefeated (4-0) teams left in the Big Ten. They are on track to meet in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 6.

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There are seven teams sitting at 3-1 in Big Ten play, including Indiana’s opponent on Saturday, UCLA. The matchup will be featured on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff. You can watch the game on FOX59.



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