INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers rode an emotional roller coaster Thursday night.

They stood and applauded in tribute to the late Nancy Leonard, the organization’s matriarch. They cherished the newest addition to the fieldhouse rafters, an Eastern Conference championship banner. The fans booed, naturally, as Oklahoma City’s players were introduced and roared at the sight of the dapperly dressed two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton.

Yes, opening night had a little bit of everything in this NBA Finals rematch.

“I’m sure our fans will provide a great environment for this game,” coach Rick Carlisle predicted before tipoff. “There are a lot of unknowns heading into this season without Tyrese, without T.J. (McConnell) to start the season. But we’ve got an eager group of competitive guys

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