Pacers Won All Three Of Their ABA Titles On Road

The Indiana Pacers are still alive after pummeling the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118-101, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. That was the Pacers’ final home game of the season.

Now, if they want to win their first NBA title, it will have to come on the road. Game 7 is Sunday night at Oklahoma City.

But hey, it’s not like the Pacers have never won a road game in a championship series. They won three titles in the old ABA, and as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files pointed out, each of those three championships was won in someone else’s building.

Granted, it was a long time ago. Like, a really long time. And it was in the ABA, which used the 3-point shot long before the NBA — but was viewed as a renegade league. The NBA just recently started acknowledging ABA stats.

Anyway, back to the Pacers. Before the NBA-ABA merger in 1976, Indiana played in five championship series, winning three.

The Pacers beat the Los Angeles Stars for their first title in 1970, then defeated the New York Nets in 1972 and Kentucky Colonels in 1973 for an ABA back-to-back.

They’ve never won an NBA championship. This is their first Finals appearance in 25 years (and second in franchise history). They will need a little basketball magic.

But these Pacers are undoubtedly capable, and if they can tap into their ABA forefathers, they just might be able to get it done.