The Indiana Pacers needed all the good luck possible ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals. They received just that as a plethora of former players were present in the celebrity row at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It did make a difference as the Pacers took a 2-1 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a result left NBA analyst Skip Bayless in pure disgust.
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Like his former First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless also has an allegiance to a team—fortunately, it’s one of the last two remaining: the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Of course, he’s rooting for the Thunder to win their first championship since the franchise relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. They were — and still are, according to some — the favorites to win this series. But Indiana has proven to be a resilient team, with even supposedly ‘unbiased’ commentators like Reggie Miller showing loud and clear support for them.
Bayless’ frustrations as a fan boiled over in what he intended to be an analytical reaction to Game 3, which ended 116-107 in favor of Indiana. “I am disgusted by what I just saw in Game 3 of the NBA Finals,” Bayless said on The Skip Bayless Show.
“I’m sick at my stomach from having to watch the prohibitive favorites get run off the floor,” he added. And while Bayless couldn’t bear to watch the game, Pacers fans couldn’t be happier.
“Caitlin Clark, the big-O Oscar Robertson and Reggie freaking Miller in the front row,” Bayless added. “The building was brimming and spilling over with ex-star power and current star power.”
Miller sat courtside in his iconic Pacers jersey, proudly supporting his former team. Seated beside him was Oscar Robertson, a native of Indiana. And of course, Caitlin Clark—currently playing for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever—was also in attendance.
Together, they witnessed a historic moment: the Pacers’ first NBA Finals win at home since Game 3 of the 2000 Finals.
Though Bayless may be feeling the sting of defeat, hope isn’t lost. The Thunder have been here before. In their second-round clash with the Denver Nuggets, they trailed 2–1 but came back to win the series in seven games. A similar comeback against the Pacers isn’t out of reach.
Still, it’s one step at a time. The Thunder will be fighting to avoid the brink of elimination in Game 4, scheduled for Friday, June 13, at 8:30 PM ET.
