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I consider myself very fortunate that I have been an Indiana Pacers fan ever since they started in the ABA (American Basketball Association) in 1967 and continued there until 1976 when merging in with the NBA which started in 1946. They were a very dominating team in the ABA winning three championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973 while also appearing in two finals in 1969 and 1975. I would often listen to them on the radio since television coverage was limited.

The ABA and NBA promoted the game in different ways. One way was the red, white and blue basketball in the ABA while the NBA stuck with the typical orange one. Of course, young people like me wanted the one with more colors. The ABA allowed dunking before the NBA, lots of interesting dunk history, with the invention of the breakaway rim by an Illinois farmer, Arthur Ehrat, in the mid- 1970s likely being a factor. The ABA also first introduced the three-point line which certainly has changed the game.

The NBA Pacers have never won a Championship even though they made it there in 2000 losing to the Los Angeles Lakers 2-4. However, they do have six NBA Division Titles: 1995, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2013, and 2014. Now, they can add making it to the 2025 Championship Final against the heavily favored Oklahoma Thunder while losing in a terrific seven-game series, the first in nine years.

And that gets me to the the primary reason for writing this article. I watched the 2024-2025 Pacers on television the entire season, and they were special. Special may be overused, but it is not when describing this team. When my seven-year-old grandson requested each person in our family fill out a bracket, I did not hesitate in selecting the Pacers to win it all. Even though they started the season 10- 15 due to several factors, one being injuries, they ended up 50-32. Throughout the season, they found ways to win games that appeared impossible and did the same in the playoffs. In most playoff games, they were considered the underdogs by many, 17 out of their 23 games, but defeated the Bucks, the Cavaliers, the Knicks, and came up just one game short against the Thunder. I can identify with such teams, like many, and some readers can recall the “Underdog” cartoon series which aired from 1964 -1967, with Underdog being a symbol of hope and bravery.

What made this team so special? Time after time in interviews after games, I heard:
“We play hard every second, every minute until the clock is at 0.0”
“We have a strong team chemistry and believe in one another.”
“We have multiple players who could lead us in scoring.”
“We have a great coach, staff, and fans.” (I will never forget watching the fan reaction after they won the Eastern Conference Championship at home against the New York Knicks. The fans expressed lots of appreciation and didn't want to leave Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and I didn't want to leave our television. My young grandsons were thrilled to hear the news the next morning from their parents as they eagerly filled out the master bracket on the wall.)

When working with fifth graders, “Determination” was our focus word, a word I thought about when watching this team. Game after game, they exhibited this characteristic from the beginning to the very end with no theatrics. They just played the game! I suspect many Indiana coaches will be talking about this team with their teams. And I know they have inspired my grandsons and many other young athletes. I don't know if that point can be stressed enough. There will be children pretending to be one of their favorite Pacers as they shoot one hoop after the other with the setting not mattering that much as long as there is a goal and a basketball.

As I was talking to my good friend, Michael Harding, about the Pacers, Mike mentioned a song he was inspired to compose while interestingly thinking about the Underdog show like me. I thought it would be a good way to end the article.

“Commentators talking smack
About the things the Pacers lack
But now they have to take it back
We're Underdogs, Underdogs

Chorus
Speed of lightning
Power of thunder
Playing hard
A thing of wonder
We're Underdogs, Underdogs

Indiana looking hot
With players hitting their shots
Their D holds when they do not
We're Underdogs, Underdogs”