Let’s get something out of the way: Game 7 of the NBA Finals wasn’t just a basketball game—it was a gut-wrenching emotional rollercoaster, and nobody felt that more than Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller.

And we’re not guessing—he literally said so. “I felt the gut punch to Pacer Nation, not only from the loss, but the loss of our fearless leader @tyresehaliburton,” Reggie posted, alongside a picture of Tyrese. “The man upstairs always has a master plan and ‘this too shall pass’… I’m very grateful of the @pacers TEAM for bringing so much pride, grit and togetherness back to Indiana basketball… #OGProudPacer.”

For a man who defined Pacers basketball in the ’90s, this wasn’t a throwaway Instagram moment. It was Reggie Miller in full heart-on-his-shooting-sleeve mode. And after what happened to Tyrese Haliburton? Who could blame him?

With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, Haliburton was cooking—three triples, nine points in seven minutes, and a look in his eye that said, “I’ve got one more masterpiece in me.”

Then came the slip.

No contact. No foul. Just one wrong plant of the foot and a collapse that felt like a balloon popping at a surprise party. You knew it was bad the moment he started pounding the hardwood. The man was in pain, both physical and emotional, and the Thunder—yes, even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took a second to acknowledge it.

Seconds later, he was helped off the court, not putting any weight on that leg, hoodie over his head, crutches by his side. Kevin Durant’s 2019 Finals flashbacks, anyone? The Pacers listed it as a “lower leg injury” at first, but Haliburton’s father confirmed the nightmare: Achilles. And just like that, Indiana’s heartbeat flatlined. Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Pacers’ offense without Tyrese Haliburton looked like a YMCA run with no team captain.

Their second-quarter numbers? They shot 38% from the floor and looked like they were trying to win a game of 21 instead of an NBA title. We’re talking Josh Smith, from three levels of chaos.

Pascal Siakam? He tried. Scored 16 on 5-of-13 shooting. Not terrible, but also not enough. Andrew Nembhard had 15 points and played like he was trying to cosplay as Malcolm Brogdon, but couldn’t quite keep the script. Obi Toppin? 0-for-4 with enough cardio to count as two Peloton sessions.

And then, of course, there was TJ McConnell—the wildcard no one expected to shine like a freshly waxed Larry Bird statue.

TJ McConnell’s Grit, Reggie’s Tears

McConnell had 16 points in Game 7, including 12 in the third quarter alone when it briefly looked like Indiana might make a run. The man was flying around like a prime Rajon Rondo crossed with a motivational speaker. In Game 6, he had 12-9-6-4 off the bench. Haliburton even called him “The Great White Hope.”

But what made the night hit even harder was what happened after the buzzer. As the Thunder celebrated their first title since relocating to OKC, cameras caught McConnell heading back to the tunnel. And there was Reggie Miller, waiting.

The two embraced.

The moment felt like two generations of Pacers pain colliding. One had seen the 2000 Finals slip away. The other had just seen his teammate fall and a championship dream evaporate. Reggie offered some words. McConnell nodded. No mic. No theatrics. Just two men feeling the same heartbreak 25 years apart.

Let’s not forget what Reggie Miller meant to Indiana. He was the franchise for over a decade. In the 2000 Finals, he averaged 24.3 points and nearly dragged the Pacers to a title against Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers.

And now, 25 years later, he was courtside watching a new core try to do what he never could—win it all. At halftime of Game 7, Indiana led by one. For a minute, the basketball gods looked like they were making things right.

Then came the third quarter. And the Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 29 points and 12 assists, did what elite teams do: they crushed hope with surgical precision. OKC outscored Indiana 34–20 in the third and never looked back.

It’s hard to overstate the devastation. Reggie Miller nailed it—this wasn’t just a loss, it was a gut punch to the entire state of Indiana. The kind of moment that silences group chats and makes fans question everything from their loyalty to their cable subscription.

But there’s also pride. The Pacers weren’t even supposed to be here. They knocked out title favorites, stunned the Celtics, and pushed the Thunder to seven games. And they did it while getting major contributions from players like Mathurin, Nembhard, and McConnell—guys who don’t usually get Finals shine.

Reggie Miller ended his post with a nod to the people behind the curtain—the front office, the staff, the unsung heroes. And maybe that’s what this Pacers run was all about: a reminder that greatness isn’t just in titles. Sometimes, it’s in how close you come—and how hard you fight to get there.

This time, the Thunder raised the trophy. But if you ask Reggie Miller, pride was raised in Indiana, too.

And that gut punch? It might linger. But if history’s taught us anything, it’s that Indiana always gets back up.