May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Reggie Miller and Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon are seen after game six of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pacers Owner Sends Strong Message to Fans Following NBA Finals Loss

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 1:25 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers could not have had a more painful way to end the season. They lost Game 7 to lose the NBA Finals, and lost Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles.

Not only were their chances of winning a title this year dashed, but they also likely have no shot at winning it next year without Haliburton. It was simply a devastating night.

Pacers owner Herb Simon has been through a lot since he bought the team, but this might be his most painful moment. He made sure the fans knew that they weren't alone in their passion and their pain.

Simon sent a very heartfelt message to Pacers fans, thanking them for their passion and their support throughout the entire season.

a message to the best fans in basketball from Herbert Simon pic.twitter.com/c8gMGiKLWU
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 23, 2025

The Pacers had one of the best home-court advantages in the league, rivaled only by Oklahoma City. That could be a reason why those were the two teams battling out for a championship.

It's going to take a long time for Pacers fans to move on from the pain of Game 7. There's a good shot that the pain never goes away, especially because of what happened in Game 4.

Indiana had that game. Had they closed out Game 4, they wouldn't have needed a Game 7 to win the title, and Haliburton never would have gotten hurt. Next year would be a shot for them to repeat as champions.

Those are the kinds of things that Pacers fans will be thinking about all offseason. It's hard to turn the attention to the offseason because they likely won't make many moves.

More Pacers news: Tyrese Haliburton Injury May Influence Pacers' Plan for Myles Turner

Re-signing Myles Turner and getting a competent backup center are really the only moves that the team is going to make this summer. It'd be surprising if they did anything else.

Simon is 90 years old now. He might have just seen his best chance to win an NBA title slip away. The one thing that is a positive for Pacers fans is that now he's going to be super-motivated to spend money.

Paying into the luxury tax to further improve the team gives the Pacers the best chance to get back to the Finals in the next couple of years.

More Indiana Pacers news: Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Breaks Silence Following Devastating Achilles Injury

Pacers Guard Emerges as Prime Trade Target This Offseason

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This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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