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It’s a great time to be a sports fan in Indianapolis.
The Indiana Pacers are headed to the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year after eliminating the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
As IBJ went to press, the Pacers’ next opponent had not yet been decided, but the team’s win on Tuesday night guaranteed that Gainbridge Fieldhouse will host at least two more games this season.
And one of those—the series’ Game 3—will fall on May 25, the day of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Pacers and racers. That’s the moniker that has swept across social media—and we love it!
The Indiana Fever—a team that features not just Caitlin Clark but a roster of All-Stars—will play the day before, taking on the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Could there be a more exciting weekend of sports in any city across America?
We say no way.
The Pacers’ return to the Eastern Conference finals is just reward for a talented team whose strong playoff run last year prompted talk that the team was lucky. Add to that an anonymous survey of pro players by The Athletic that named Tyrese Haliburton the NBA’s most overrated player, and you have a ridiculous amount of motivation for a team that has shown in its first two series that it won’t be pushed around by anyone.
In fact, it’s Haliburton who’s had the last laugh on the fans who’ve chanted “overrated” as he and his teammates have simply continued to win. All he’s done is average 17.5 points, 9.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 10 games in the playoffs—while wrenching victory from defeat more than once.
By the time you read this, the New York Knicks could have clinched a series win against the Celtics or might be about to play for one, which could revive a playoff matchup steeped in history.
Even if you’re not a sports fan, you should tune in this month. Sure, it’s not easy or cheap to get Pacers playoff tickets. But it’s not expensive to join fans at a local bar or host a party to watch one of the games.
Tickets for Fever games—though more than they used to be—are still affordable. And this year, nearly every Fever game will be streamed or broadcast, with 18 games available over the air for free on WTHR-TV Channel 13.
And while the Indianapolis 500 is reportedly nearing a sell-out, there are still a few tickets available. And there are so many others ways to participate in the Month of May at the Speedway.
You can go to a practice day or qualifying without spending much money at all. You can visit the recently renovated Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, attend the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard or head downtown for the 500 Festival Parade.
Don’t miss a chance to be part of the action in whatever way makes sense for you and your family. This will be too much fun to pass up.•
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