Tales from the Block: iPacers contributor Ross Blauvelt has half-season tickets in Myles Turner’s fan section: Turner’s Block. In this column, he’ll bring us a look at the games from inside the craziest, loudest bunch of fans in Banker’s Life Fieldhous along with the Born Ready Crew. Today, iPacers Editor-in-Chief Derek Kramer is filling in for Ross.

This is not my first fan-zone experience as I was in the original G2Zone that was only five games and a two-time buy-in to Area 55 during those conference finals years, so I knew what I was getting myself into. 

If you’ve never attended a game in a fan section, it’s like being in a student section of a high school or college game. You stand the whole game. You partake in random chants and traditions and generally make a lot of noise. It’s a fun experience.

Let’s get right to it. VICTOR OLADIPO LAID CLAIM TO HIS CITY AND WE ARE NOW HIS FAITHFUL SUBJECTS.

“THIS IS MY CITY”

I seem to remember someone that I don’t miss yelling that exact thing. 🤔

(Shirts coming soon.) Update: They’re now available.

Oladipo was struggling to find his rhythm for much of the game. At one point having made just 3 of his 9 attempts, but he scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Pacers back after Al Jefferson minutes nearly sank the team (-19 in only 15 minutes).

Oladipo now has more game winners as a Pacers player than a certain someone ever did.

Turner’s Block was hype in a way that would have made Lance Stephenson proud.

The other star of the game was none other than Domas Sabonis, who continues to look like a long-term piece for the Pacers.

Sabonis had a career-high 22 points to go with 12 rebounds while making all nine of his shot attempts.

Sabonis has now hit 100% of his shots in three games this season. The Pacers are 3-0 when he does and 0-3 when he doesn’t.

George McGinnis was honored at halftime for his Hall of Fame induction. One of the greatest Indiana basketball products ever was given a brand new Range Rover by the Indiana Pacers.

Highlights from Turner’s Block:

• Singing Oladipo to the tune of Seventh Nation Army is brilliant. Probably my favorite fan zone thing in my experience.
• One guy in the crowd really does not like LaMarcus Aldridge, shouting “LaMarcus sucks!” about 50 times during the game. My friend and I took to yelling LaMarcus Allbricks when he missed.
• The same guy also liked singing Thad to the Bone when Thad did something. Showing that he can be much more clever when necessary.
• The person standing next to me when Oladipo started to take the 3. “What the hell is that?” Followed by obvious jubilation and general raucousness.
• I still feel the adrenaline from tonight’s game. It’s always a good time in the fan zones but that game was too hype! Thanks to Ross for letting me hop in his place when he was unable to attend tonight.
• Best costumes: Polar Bear Pacer, Pacers Iron Man