Pacers Flight Diverted by Tornado Warning En Route NBA Finals Oklahoma City

The Indiana Pacers' flight to Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the NBA Finals was diverted to Tulsa due to a tornado warning and severe weather conditions affecting the Oklahoma City area. The team circled over Oklahoma City before safely landing in Tulsa to refuel and subsequently continued their journey, expressing gratitude to the flight crew and concern for those in the affected region. This Finals appearance marks the Pacers' first since 2000, after a challenging playoff run that included wins over the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks. The Oklahoma City Thunder, returning to the Finals for the first time since 2012, secured their spot with strong postseason performances and are hosting the best-of-seven series starting Thursday night. The severe storms included a tornado sighting near Norman, Oklahoma, about 20 miles from Oklahoma City, with ongoing flood and severe thunderstorm watches disrupting airport operations. Both teams are set to attend the NBA Finals media day ahead of the series kickoff.