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  INDIANAPOLIS — Few would have predicted before the season that the Indiana Pacers would be just two wins away from their first NBA title. Yet this team, built without megastars and with one of the league's lowest payrolls, stands on the brink of historic success. In Wednesday's Game 3 of the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers showed exactly what they're known for: relentless energy, team spirit, and the ability to come alive in the most critical moments. Their 116-107 victory gave them a 2-1 series lead and brought them closer to the coveted championship. A Star with an Awkward Shot and a Big Heart Tyrese Haliburton may not have the most perfect shooting form in the NBA, but his determination and ability to decide games in clutch moments are undeniable. Critics can say what they want - the young point guard is approaching triple-double performances and leading his team where Indiana hasn't been for a quarter-century. "I don't care abou...

  After nineteen years, the basketball world witnessed a unique moment - an NBA Finals without a single large market. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, two teams that have never won a title in their current cities, will clash in a David versus Goliath battle. Paradoxically, however, the Thunder with their 68 regular season wins play the role of Goliath this time. The Thunder with sixty-eight wins recorded the third-best regular season in NBA history, making them massive favorites with -700 odds for overall victory. The Pacers, conversely, held a 9-14 record in January and their presence in the Finals borders on miraculous. The eighteen-win difference between teams is the largest since 1981. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a dominant season averaging 32.7 points per game, earning him regular season MVP. If the Thunder win the title, he would break Jordan's 1993 record as the player with the highest scoring average for a champion. Thunder's playoff domin...