Heartbroken. That’s the only word that truly brings out what Indiana Pacers fans are feeling right now. They came so close to ditching the underdog label in years, yet stumbled at the final hurdle. All those clutch buckets, sacrifices, and gritty moments, now in the mud. Just like every other final, this year’s NBA Finals also delivered nonstop chaos. Buzzer-beaters, wild crossovers, and cold-blooded threes that kept us glued all night. But surprisingly, a few old-school legends saw it differently. And three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas led that rare pack.
The Oklahoma City Thunder sealed an unforgettable season, beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. It marked the franchise’s first championship since moving from Seattle in 2008. Sunday night shattered every ounce of hope Pacers fans built after forcing a rare final. The ship sank painfully close to shore, at least till half-time. For Indiana, it was pure heartbreak. Yet, for basketball fans everywhere, this Finals had everything. Drama, showcase of grit and resiliency, and cold-blooded moments. Still, Gilbert Arenas isn’t sold. He’s running on a different kind of belief this time around.
On a recent episode of The Dan Patrick Show, Gilbert Arenas didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts about this year’s NBA Finals. When asked what moment he’d remember moving forward, Gilbert casually replied, “Nothing.” Then he doubled down. “Let’s be honest, when it comes to small-market teams, we really don’t remember much about them,” he admitted. Arenas pointed out how people rarely talk about Toronto’s title run or Giannis’s championship with Milwaukee. In his eyes, teams like OKC and Indiana just don’t command headlines like the Lakers, Celtics, or Warriors do. That’s where the marketing machine lives.
Still, one moment grabbed his attention. As he said, “With this one, I mean the only memorable thing was Haliburton’s game-winner game one. Other than that, there was nothing in these finals that makes you say ‘Oh my god, this was the great finals”’. Well, who could forget Haliburton’s 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left, which was the victory point. It was hard to miss. But the twist is something outside the Finals grabbed Gilbert Arenas’ attention more than the series itself.
It was the L.A. Lakers’ sudden ownership shakeup. When Dan Patrick brought up the Lakers’ ownership news and Kevin Durant’s trade to Houston, Gilbert didn’t hesitate. “So let’s just be honest, it was probably the most exciting stuff during the finals.” he admitted. So while the league crowned a new champ, Gilbert stayed locked in old-school biggies. Whether that’s good or bad isn’t ours to decide. But the real question is, how much do you know about this sudden Lakers takeover?
An NBA ownership era nears extinction as the Lakers are here for a historic sale
An NBA ownership era is quietly nearing extinction as the Los Angeles Lakers head toward a historic, game-changing sale. News broke Wednesday that the Buss family agreed to sell a controlling share of the Lakers to Mark Walter of TWG Global and Guggenheim Partners. The deal reportedly values the franchise at a jaw-dropping $10 billion. And according to ESPN, the Buss family will hold onto a minority stake, just over 15%, for now.
Since 1979, the Buss family has shaped the Lakers’ dynasty for good. They purchased the team for $67.5 million from Jack Kent Cooke. Since 1980, they’ve stacked up 11 championships. And don’t get shocked to know that it’s more than any other franchise in that window. Now, that legendary chapter quietly closes. No wonder Gilbert Arenas called it the Finals’ most exciting headline.
And let’s not mistake Mark Walter for a rookie. He’s been a stakeholder since 2021 and carries serious clout in sports ownership. Lakers icon Magic Johnson even co-signed the move, writing on X, “Mark Walter is the best choice and will be the best caretaker of the Laker brand,”. Now it’s a wait-and-watch moment to see where this new leadership steers one of basketball’s most iconic franchises. Like Gilbert said, it was news bold enough to steal headlines from the Finals.
The post Downplaying Game 7, Gilbert Arenas Confronts NBA’s $10B Distraction That Overshadowed the Finals appeared first on EssentiallySports.
