What a coincidence, right? Caitlin Clark lands in Indy and suddenly, Indiana basketball is having a whole renaissance moment. It’s almost like the basketball gods hit copy-paste on greatness for the state. While CC-led Fever made it to the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016 and are title contenders this year, Pacers led by Tyrese Haliburton, reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2024 and are in the 2025 NBA Finals.

The Pacers and Fever may share the same arena, but their connection goes way deeper than just shared hardwood. They’ve become each other’s biggest cheerleaders, with players often popping up courtside to support one another. Even when Fever superstar Caitlin Clark first met Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the first time, she couldn’t stop raving about his game. They’re both elite passers, play the same position, and yes, once they got past their college rivalry (Haliburton’s an Iowa State guy, Clark’s all Hawkeyes) – a real friendship started to bloom.

Now they’re not just fans of each other. They’re legit close friends. Clark has forged a close relationship with Haliburton and his girlfriend Jade Jones. So when Haliburton turned Game 1 of the NBA Finals into his own personal mixtape, Clark lost it (like the rest of us). Because not only did they make it to the Finals, it’s the way they just stole Game 1.

The Pacers were down 15 in the fourth quarter to the Thunder. It looked grim. Like “close the tab” grim. But they pulled off one of the coldest comebacks you’ll ever see. Down by one with 11 seconds left, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a shot, Aaron Nesmith grabbed the board, and Haliburton sprinted up and sank a 21-foot dagger with just 0.3 seconds left. That was Indiana’s first lead of the entire game. And that one bucket flipped the whole script: 111-110, Game 1 to the Pacers.

Right after the game, their loudest hype woman in town hit the Twitter with the most relatable 5-word reaction, “YOU CANT MAKE IT UP 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.” That pretty much captures the hype, doesn’t it? Tyrese Haliburton keeps coming up clutch for the Pacers when it matters most.

This season, he’s 13-of-15 (an insane 86.7%) on shots in the final two minutes to tie or take the lead, including overtime. And now, he’s got three game-winners in this postseason alone. First, the dagger in Game 5 vs. Milwaukee. Then the silencer against Cleveland in Game 2. And now, the biggest one of all – his first NBA Finals game-winner. 

Oh, and don’t forget that cold-blooded triple to tie it against the Knicks, complete with the Reggie Miller choke pose. Haliburton’s playoff run? Straight legendary status. But, obviously, this wasn’t a solo act. Andrew Nembhard was massive in the fourth, his clutch three with 1:59 left pulled the Pacers within striking distance. Pascal Siakam, fresh off his Eastern Conference Finals MVP, slashed through the lane for a layup with 49 seconds to go to make it a one-point game. Then came a crucial stop by Nembhard that gave Indy the final shot. The result was Haliburton magic.

Now, Game 2 tips off Sunday night at 8 p.m. at OKC’s Paycom Center. And while the ballers will keep cheering for each other, Fever head coach Stephanie White pointed out one key reason this run might go all the way, and it’s not just the stars. 

Caitlin Clark’s Coach’s playbook wisdom hits home in the Pacers’ Finals push

Before she was drawing up plays for Caitlin Clark, Stephanie White was already decoding basketball puzzles. Now leading the Indiana Fever, White has long had a keen eye for the game’s hidden gears. So when she tuned into the Pacers’ postseason run this year, her coach’s brain didn’t lock in on the obvious names. Not Tyrese Haliburton. Not Pascal Siakam. Not even the dazzling blocks or deep threes. What caught her attention? The bench.

“I think it’s going to be so fun,” White grinned at a recent press conference, when asked to slip into her analyst shoes. “Two fast teams, both deep, both eager to run. It’s not just about what the stars give you… it’s about the production from those coming off the bench. That’s the secret sauce.” White would know, obviously. The Fever themselves are seeing the slow bloom of bench strength, with their Player Impact Estimate sitting fourth in the league. 

But for the Pacers, that depth isn’t just a statistic, it’s the backbone of their playoff identity. Haliburton said it best after their May 13 win over the Cavaliers, “We’re different than every other team in the NBA. We don’t just have one guy who scores all the points. We defeat teams in different ways.” In other words, the Pacers have found a way to win ugly with grit, ball movement, and the kind of second-unit hustle that doesn’t make highlight reels but flips games.

Names like Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin, T.J. McConnell, and Aaron Nesmith are not always the names on the marquee, but the ones tipping the scale when it matters. The stats back it up too as Indiana ranks 7th in bench scoring this season at 39.8 points per game. And as they gear up for the Finals, both teams know exactly what’s at stake. The stars will show up. They always do. Like in this one.

But going forward in the finals series, the winner might come down to the second unit. To end a forever title drought, the Pacers will need one last push from every man in the rotation. Can this be the summer for Indy hoops?