Indiana Pacers Fan Turns 2025 Finals Run Into First Book

Eric Bond went to 10 Indiana Pacers playoff games during their run to the 2025 NBA Finals. He said Indiana won every one. After the Finals ended, the Fishers resident started writing. Bond, a 2004 graduate of Indiana University's journalism program, published "But This Is Indiana…," his first book. It covers his childhood, his family, and the Pacers fandom he has carried with him for years. The book covers Bond's childhood and family background before discussing the Pacers' 2025 season. "This book helped me process that loss and celebrate the moments that make Indiana basketball so special," Bond told WISH-TV. The Pacers finished 50-32 and entered the playoffs as the East's fourth seed. They needed five games against Milwaukee, five against Cleveland, and six against New York to reach the Finals. Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in the first quarter of Game 7. Oklahoma City went on to win the game and the Finals. It was the first time Indiana reached the Finals since 2000. Bond watched much of the Pacers' Finals run live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana finished with an 8-3 home record in the playoffs, and one trip to the arena marked the first Pacers playoff game for his 10-year-old son, Alex. Haliburton scored the game-winning shot. "That moment with my son? Pure magic," Bond told WISH-TV. "It felt like we were part of Pacers history." Bond sent copies of the book to the Pacers and received an autographed team basketball in return. General manager Chad Buchanan later emailed him about the book. Jake Query also gave it a mention on Query & Company, his midday show on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan in Indianapolis. Bond dedicated the book to his father, Robert, who died in 2022. Robert Bond played basketball, and Eric traces his interest in the game and writing back to him. "It's a tribute to my dad and the way basketball brought us together," Bond told WISH-TV. Without Haliburton in 2025-26, Indiana went 19-63. It was the lowest win total in franchise history. The team went on a 13-game losing streak from December into January. Another skid reached 16 games from February into March, giving the Pacers the franchise's two-longest losing streaks. A March 10 loss to Sacramento made Indiana the first team eliminated from the 2026 playoffs. Haliburton has been cleared to return. On Aug. 12, he said he would be ready to play if the season started that day. Indiana opens at New Orleans on Oct. 21 and plays Dallas at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Oct. 23. "But This Is Indiana…" is available on Amazon. The e-book costs $4.49, and the paperback is $11.99.