The last thing any team needs heading into a Game 7 is extra motivation— and the Indiana Pacers just got some right before tip-off.
Speaking to the media ahead of tonight’s NBA Finals finale, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle shared that he saw a video going around social media of championship buses already painted in OKC’s colors and that it’s “all [he’s] thinking about right now.”
“I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral. Of some buses, open top buses, presumably for the parade that are already painted with them as champions. That’s all I’m thinking about right now,” Carlisle said, via The Athletic’s Shakeia Taylor.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle: “I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral. Of some busses, open top busses, presumably for the parade that are already painted with them as champions. That’s all I’m thinking about right now.” https://t.co/DpFIif8W2S
— shakeia (@curlyfro) June 22, 2025
The coach’s comments (and accompanying video) quickly began spreading across the internet.
“holy [expletive]😂” a fan laughed.
“I hope that the Pacers team was shown this before game 7,” another replied.
“Bro…. If OKC doesn’t win… they’ll never live this down,” a user posted.
“Yeah the Pacers are winning lol.”
“Ohh, nahhhh. [Expletive] that. Blow these mfs out again, this time on their home court in the biggest game of their lives,” an Indy fan commented. “#YesCers.”
“i got chills carlisle a demon,” another person responded.
“As if tonight needed any more intrigue. 🍿🍿🍿” Chase Hughes pointed out.
“Perfect extra little bit of motivation,” said Esfandiar Baraheni.
“Game 7s rule.”
They say the two words in all of sports are Game 7. We’ll see if Sunday night lives up to that when the Pacers and Thunder get started at 8 PM ET on ABC.
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