It’s all celebration for the Indiana Pacers. After years of near misses, the team has reignited the passion. Tyrese Haliburton and the squad are set to head to the Eastern Conference Finals—their first since Reggie Miller’s 2000 Finals run under Larry Bird. The excitement is palpable among fans as well as on social media. The former NBA player could hardly control his emotions, taking a dig at a famous Knicks fan as well as the owner, James Dolan.

Clad in all black, the Pacers arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, seemingly a jab at the Knicks, who did the same last year. Was it a funeral procession? You be the judge. The team shot 51.5% from 3-point range, clinching a 125–108 win over the Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Before gearing up for the Finals, social media is pouring love and support on the squad.”. How could their most vocal supporter stay silent?

Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller went all out as he congratulated the team on its success. “Dressed in all black like the OMEN!! Congratulations to my beloved @pacers for their 2nd trip to the @nba Finals. I also want to congratulate the @nyknicks for another hard fought series, have ZERO ill will towards that’s organization,” Miller wrote on IG along with sharing the highlights.

In the same post, he took a humorous dig at Knicks fan Spike Lee, “BUUUTTTTT, to all the fake ass NY fans and celebrities not named @officialspikelee and @tracymorgan, enjoy your nice Summer Cancun vacation 😋..” Fear not—Lee and Miller have both insisted there are no hard feelings. Well, the beef might be over, but the decades-old rivalry between the two clearly isn’t!

Reggie Miller also took a subtle jab at Dolan by adding the hashtag, “#CurseOfCharlesOakleyLives.” Now, former Knicks Charles Oakley said that he won’t step inside Madison Square Garden until Dolan apologizes. Back in February 2017, Oakley was ejected and arrested during a New York Knicks game at MSG after he allegedly made negative remarks toward Dolan, who was sitting just a few seats ahead of him. The feuding hasn’t seemingly ended yet. Is that what Reggie Miller was hinting at?

Jalen Rose, who was on the 2000 roster, couldn’t hide his excitement. Taking to Instagram, the former NBA player shared some warm words of appreciation for the players. “Proud to be part of a moment that still echoes through basketball history… 25 years later! Grateful for ALL of the love from my @pacers family tonight! Moments like these don’t fade… they 𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 the legacy. CONGRATS ON THE WIN!!!!!” he wrote.

Another long series of congratulatory posts and warm wishes poured in for the Pacers star who won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

Who won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP? 

The Indiana Pacers held a strong lead and showcased the most entertaining, energetic basketball throughout the series. Both head coach Rick Carlisle and the team received tremendous praise from the fans and veterans. One star who consistently stole the spotlight was Pascal Siakam.

The Indiana Pacers’ star dropped a powerful 31 points, leading the team to a series-clinching Game 6 win. His contributions in Games 2, 3, and 4 were crucial. Siakam averaged 24.8 points while shooting 52.4% from deep during the series.

For his extraordinary performance, Siakam was awarded the Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player honor. MVP voting was close—Siakam won five votes to Haliburton’s four. Tyrese Haliburton also delivered a standout performance, scoring 21 points and having 13 assists. 

With the Game 6 win, the Pacers now advance to the NBA Finals, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder. Everything about this matchup is historic. According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, these are the first non-luxury-taxpayer teams to face each other in Finals history. Both teams are still in pursuit of their first NBA title, giving them an extra edge and hunger to prove themselves. The tension is higher than ever!