“It” Goes 7

The low television ratings of the 2025 NBA final will get a “spike,” as there will be a game 7, that manifesting after the Indiana Pacers eased in #6 vs the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“It” will be contested Sinday night at (68-14) Oklahoma City, an 8 point favorite vs (50-32) Indy, however, the Pacers have been the better, by far ‘offs story/”thing” with “City” struggling on the road in its 10 road ‘offs tilts.

Playing in Seattle as the SuperSonics, the franchise (now 0-2 in #6 of the NBA final, each on the road at the Bullets in ’78 and to a “Chi” clincher in ’96) lost #7 to the Bullets in ’78 before bouncing back to “5” them for the crown the next season.

Indy, sans an NBA crown, just (2-10) in semis lost in 6 to the Lakers in the 2000 final round.

Playing in the A.B.A. the team went (3-2) in final rounds, one a 7 game triumph, clinched on a Saturday afternoon, TV’d by CBS (Don Criqui?), that in sharp juxtaposition to the Sunday night telecast 2 nights hence.

The late, great “D.J. ,” Dennis Johnson, left off the top 50 NBA players list while alive in ’97 (he was a posthumous top 75 choice recently), went 0 for 13 in #7 vs the Bullets in ’78, only to bounce back and win the final round MVP the next season.