The Pacers are facing the Thunder in the NBA Finals / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
The Indiana Pacers were slated to travel to Oklahoma City on Tuesday in preparation for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. Mother Nature had other plans.
As inclement weather rippled across Oklahoma, the Pacers' plane had to be diverted [from Oklahoma CIty to Tulsa](https://x.com/SIChrisMannix/status/1930026195745419291) due to tornado warnings, a team official told _Sports Illustrated_'s Chris Mannix. The plane circled OKC for a bit before heading to Tulsa to refuel. Presumably the Pacers will be en route to Oklahoma City once it is safe to do so.
Teams usually arrive a few days in advance of the opening NBA Finals game to acclimate to a new environment and participate in media days.
The Thunder are hosting their first NBA Finals game since 2012, when the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden core battled the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. The Pacers are appearing in the Finals for the first time since 2000.
Game 1 is set to tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.