Despite objectively not being the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers are in the NBA Finals regardless. There are plenty of reasons they made it as far as they did, but above all, it is their elite chemistry that has led the way for Indiana.
The Pacers have proven time and time again that they are better than the sum of their parts. Everybody on the team knows what role they need to play, and they fully commit to it. Furthermore, the front office and head coach Rick Carlisle have done a great job of constructing the roster and getting the most out of the roster.
Indiana plays fast, and they play together. The Pacers have incredible depth, and anybody on the team can lead the way on any given night, which is incredibly difficult for opposing teams to deal with. Not many teams can say they do the same.
As the Pacers aim to bring home their first-ever Larry O'Brien Trophy, they will continue to rely on their chemistry. After all, it is exactly what got them to this point in the first place.
The Pacers are succeeding with several castoffs
What makes Indiana so unique is that they are in the NBA Finals despite not having a "superstar" or at least someone who is a legitimate MVP candidate. Instead, they have a roster consisting of players who are either homegrown or a castoff from their original team. Most notably, this includes Obi Toppin, who the Pacers acquired for two second-round picks from the New York Knicks, and Aaron Nesmith, who was a throw-in in the Malcolm Brogdon trade with the Boston Celtics in 2022.
Additionally, maybe not to the same extent as Toppin and Nesmith, but Tyrese Haliburton could be considered a castoff as well. The Sacramento Kings essentially had to make a decision between keeping Haliburton or De'Aaron Fox around. They ultimately opted to move on from Haliburton, who has drastically improved since joining the Pacers.
The Pacers have an interesting roster structure, but it is also part of what makes them special. Everybody on the team plays off each other well, and they are all also willing to make sacrifices and do whatever it takes to help the team win. They have a tough task in front of them in the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, a championship victory is no longer a pipe dream, and the Pacers have what it takes to shock the basketball world once again.