As the Indiana Pacers prepare for a do-or-die Game 7 of the NBA Finals, head coach Rick Carlisle has his eyes fixed on just one thing: motivation. The 65-year-old veteran coach, who has seen it all over four decades in the league, told reporters he recently saw a video of open-top buses, already painted to celebrate the Thunder as NBA champions.
“I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral of some buses, open-top buses, presumably for the parade, that are already painted with them as champions. That’s all I’m thinking about right now,” Carlisle said, hinting that the Pacers plan to use that as fuel.
While such preparations are standard protocol, teams often get victory gear and logistics in place for either outcome—Carlisle clearly doesn’t see it that way. His message is clear: Indiana isn’t done yet.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle before NBA Finals Game 7 vs. Thunder: “I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral of some buses, open-top buses, presumably for the parade that are already painted with them as champions. That’s all I’m thinking about right now.” https://t.co/2UjHQ9F89d
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 22, 2025
Carlisle, a true basketball lifer who’s coached in the Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, and now SGA eras, is gunning for his second NBA title. And if anyone can turn a perceived slight into locker room fire, it’s the jazz-playing, analytics-savvy head coach determined to make history once again.
(This is a building story….)
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