Even the Oklahoma City Thunder had a tough time dealing with the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
To be honest, the 111-110 win was more a testament to the Pacers‘ ability to make a comeback than the Thunder’s poor performance.
After all, the Thunder led for 46 minutes and 25 seconds. On the other hand, the Pacers led for a grand total of just 0.3 seconds.
Despite that, the Pacers registered a one-point win in Game 1 of the series, thanks to Tyrese Haliburton hitting a game-winner. Upon seeing the incredible performance, sports writer Bob Bryan compared the 2025 Pacers to the ‘Showtime’ era of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The LA Lakers are one of the most iconic NBA franchises of all time. Evidently, they have been incredibly successful in the playoffs, which is backed up by 17 NBA Championship banners hanging in the rafters.
However, even for a franchise as great as the Purple and Gold, the Showtime era is considered the best.
Yes, the same era when star guard Magic Johnson and center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the team to five NBA Championships during the 1980s. Ryan believes the Pacers are the current version of that incredible team.
“They are the 21st Century version of the Lakers’ Showtime. They scored basket after basket after you scored,” Ryan said, via NBA History & Storytellers on CLNS. “They will come at you.”
He added: “We haven’t seen that to this degree since the Showtime Lakers. That was one of their trademarks.”
The Showtime Lakers were known for their unparalleled swagger on the court, where flashy passes and highlight plays became the norm.
Ryan claims another trademark of the ’80s Lakers team was their relentless scoring despite going down in a game. He sees that in the Pacers’ 2025 team.
Players like Haliburton and Pascal Siakam certainly deserve a plethora of credit for the team’s success this postseason.
However, Ryan and many others believe it’s head coach Rick Carlisle who is the true orchestrator of this team.
“It’s a trademark of the Rick Carlisle Indiana Pacers. You score, you better get your a__ back on defense,” Ryan continued.
“Who would have thought? This is a tribute to Rick and his adaptability,” he concluded.
So far, Carlisle’s strategy has worked flawlessly as his Pacers have already eliminated the likes of the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
But can they hold out against the Thunder for three more games? Only time will tell. Moreover, to truly earn comparison to the Showtime Lakers, the Pacers need to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.
