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The NBA Finals footwear disconnected connected Thursday nighttime successful a conflict of 2 small-market teams who person proven they belong.
The rubric volition tally done Oklahoma City, arsenic the Thunder, the No. 1 effect successful the Western Conference, play big to the Indiana Pacers.
OKC went 68-14 implicit the regular play with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starring the way.
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Oklahoma City Thunder defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, #2, drives to the handbasket beside Indiana Pacers defender Tyrese Haliburton, #0, during the 2nd 4th astatine Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)
As for the Pacers, they are the dense underdogs, having won 18 less games. However, their 50-32 grounds was bully for 4th successful the East.
Indiana is successful its archetypal Finals since 2000, and past repeated itself this year. Just similar that squad 25 years ago, they defeated the New York Knicks to get here. They had antecedently beaten their part rivals successful the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers successful 5 and six games, respectively, earlier taking down New York successful six contests.
It is simply a spot of a magic carpet thrust for the Pacers, who person had miraculous comebacks this postseason. In astir 1,500 playoff games since 1997, lone 4 times has a squad travel backmost to triumph aft trailing by seven-plus points successful the last infinitesimal of the 4th fourth oregon overtime – the Pacers person won 3 of those games this play alone. A triumph would beryllium their archetypal NBA title, but they did triumph 3 ABA championships successful the aboriginal 1970s.
Indiana Pacers defender Tyrese Haliburton, #0, makes a choke question towards the New York Knicks aft hitting a changeable astatine the extremity of the 4th fourth of Game 1 of the NBA hoops Eastern Conference last connected Wednesday, May 21, 2025 successful New York City. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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The Thunder, though, are a antithetic carnal - they had, by far, the champion antiaircraft standing successful the association. They did person occupation with the Denver Nuggets, beating them successful 7 games successful the 2nd round, but they took attraction of concern against the Minnesota Timberwolves successful the Western Conference Finals successful 5 games.
They swept the Memphis Grizzlies to statesman their playoff quest.
OKC is successful its archetypal Finals since Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden mislaid to the Miami Heat, who were successful their 2nd twelvemonth of the Big Three comprised of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. OKC's three-headed monster 4 years aboriginal blew a 3-1 bid pb to the 73-9 Golden State Warriors (James returned the favour with the Cleveland Cavaliers), and successful caller years since, it has been a immense conflict for the Thunder.
However, this is, by far, the champion squad they person had since making the determination from Seattle successful 2008, and a triumph would beryllium their archetypal since heading east. The SuperSonics won the rubric successful 1979.
Oklahoma City Thunder defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, #2, and guardant Chet Holmgren, #7, observe aft a play against the Minnesota Timberwolves successful the 3rd 4th during crippled 2 of the occidental league finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)
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The Finals format is 2-2-1-1-1, with Games 1 and 2 successful Oklahoma City connected Thursday and Sunday, and Games 3 and 4 successful Indianapolis adjacent Wednesday and Friday. If necessary, Game 5 would instrumentality spot connected June 16 backmost successful Oklahoma, with Game 6 successful Indy 3 days later. Game 7 would beryllium backmost successful OKC connected June 22.
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