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Denver Nuggets Fans Eye NBA Finals Matchup as Surprising Pacers Lead Championship Series

Ethan Reynolds

13 Jun 2025 — 1 min read

a crowd of people watching a basketball game. Photo used for illustration purposes. Photo by Chaojie Ni on Unsplash.

As defending NBA champions watch from home, Colorado basketball fans are witnessing an unexpected Finals showdown that's challenging conventional wisdom about small-market success in the league. The Indiana Pacers have taken a surprising 2-1 series lead over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder, offering hope to mid-market teams like Denver.

For Denver metro basketball enthusiasts still celebrating last year's championship, the series presents a fascinating contrast to the Nuggets' dominant 2023 run. Local sports bars across Colorado Springs and Denver report packed houses for Finals viewing parties, even without the hometown team involved.

Small Market Success Story Resonates with Colorado Fans

"This Pacers team reminds me of our Nuggets - proving the experts wrong and showing that small markets can compete at the highest level," says Jake Martinez, owner of Downtown Denver's Altitude Sports Bar. "Our customers are really getting behind Indiana's underdog story."

The betting odds tell the story of expectations versus reality:

29 out of 32 NBA analysts picked Oklahoma City to win the series
Thunder remain -220 favorites according to DraftKings
Teams winning Game 3 of a tied Finals historically win 80.5% of series

How to Watch in Colorado

Colorado basketball fans can catch Game 4 on Friday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time on ABC. Local viewers can stream through several services that carry ABC:

Cable subscribers: ABC.com or Watch ESPN
Streaming options: fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV
Spanish coverage available on ESPN Deportes

For Colorado's growing basketball community, this Finals series serves as both entertainment and inspiration, showing how teams from smaller markets can compete against traditional powerhouses - a lesson Nuggets fans know well from their own championship journey.

This article contains AI-generated content and reflects opinion only. Readers are encouraged to verify all information independently before drawing conclusions or making decisions.

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