The Indiana Pacers are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.
A year when now Hall of Famer Reggie Miller last led the blue-and-gold order, the world looked very different.
Gas prices: Filling your tank wouldn’t break the bank. The average gallon of gas costs just $1.26 — less than a bottle of water today.
Commander-in-Chief: Bill Clinton was wrapping up his second term in the White House. George W. Bush and Al Gore were battling it on the campaign trail.
Music: What topped the charts during those Finals? In early June, R&B artist Aaliyah’s “Try Again” reigned supreme on the Billboard Hot 100. Santana’s “Maria Maria” and NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” also dominated the airwaves.
Technology: Streaming was virtually nonexistent. The world was burning CDs. Thanks to internet service providers like America Online (AOL) and Earthlink, dial-up internet squealed in homes. Flipphones were the peak of mobile stylishness. Google was in its second year of operation.
Movies: “Gladiator” was conquering box offices. “Mission: Impossible 2” and “Dinosaur” were the big Memorial Day weekend releases leading into the 2000 NBA Finals.
Y2K Scare: Remember the dread and panic about computers crashing when the clock struck in 2000? Yeah, the world survived that (mainly) unscathed six months prior.
Video Rental: Heading to Blockbuster on a Friday night was a ritual. Netflix was a DVD-by-mail service launched a year prior in 1999.
The Pacers, led by Reggie Miller, faced the mighty Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a hard-fought series, but the Lakers prevailed 4-2.
Shaq averaged 38 points and 16.7 rebounds in the 2000 NBA Finals. Miller’s clutch shooting became iconic Pacers lore that still rings in sports bars and courtside seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse today.
So many things were different in 2000, but one thing remains the same in 2025: The Indiana Pacers are back in the NBA Finals.
The Finals begin on June 5, airing on ABC.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @HorsemenSportsMedia. Stay up-to-date on NBA Finals coverage here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
