These finals suck because it is a FT fest

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Yeah 56 FTs combined is a lot. Definitely more than most Finals. That said, here are a few higher totals from past Finals (I didn't go through all the years, just browsed a dozen) -

1995 - 65 FTs (Rockets/Magic)
1997 - 60 FTs (Bulls/Utah)
2000 - 60 FTs (Lakers/Pacers)
2006 - 60 FTs (Heat/Mavs)\

That 2006 series was something special as far as foul baiting

Wade averaged 16 free throws a game lol got 25 and 21 attempts last two games of the series.

[KP Duty]

I'm enjoying some high level ball...hasn't seemed drug out to me.

[tsherkin]

I'm enjoying some high level ball...hasn't seemed drug out to me.

Yeah, it's felt fine to me as well.

[Bloodbather]

It's the most physical Finals matchup in recent memory. It's been a pretty fun Finals so far, regardless of what the small market matchup doomers and the NBA is WWE crowd say.

deninitly
It's the most physical Finals by one team, other team just try to run away from OKC players (especially SGA) like every other teams through to final.
Small market is good but this is just like wwe, if finals goes to seventh game, that game's referee will obvious from now.

Yeah, sure brah, Nembhard isn't playing physical and being handsy at all. I'm just imagining things.

And the NBA is definitely fixing it in favor of the smallest market in the league. That makes a lot of sense.

[Karate Diop]

Yeah 56 FTs combined is a lot. Definitely more than most Finals. That said, here are a few higher totals from past Finals (I didn't go through all the years, just browsed a dozen) -

1995 - 65 FTs (Rockets/Magic)
1997 - 60 FTs (Bulls/Utah)
2000 - 60 FTs (Lakers/Pacers)
2006 - 60 FTs (Heat/Mavs)\

That 2006 series was something special as far as foul baiting

Wade averaged 16 free throws a game lol got 25 and 21 attempts last two games of the series.

It was the birth of the D-Whistle, you had to be alive to understand...

[CobraCommander]

this is what happens when you get two teams that play defense hard...the refs gonna see some physical play....im here for it...they are beating SGA up and he isn't just getting every foul but he is getting handled. I love this physical play

[WiggOuts]

This finals sucks because the media has been HELL BENT on trying to make everyone dislike Shai, you should think about why that might be...plus the other team is inferior with no true superstar

The media often controls/creates these narratives when they should be promoting the product

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Yeah 56 FTs combined is a lot. Definitely more than most Finals. That said, here are a few higher totals from past Finals (I didn't go through all the years, just browsed a dozen) -

1995 - 65 FTs (Rockets/Magic)
1997 - 60 FTs (Bulls/Utah)
2000 - 60 FTs (Lakers/Pacers)
2006 - 60 FTs (Heat/Mavs)\

That 2006 series was something special as far as foul baiting

Wade averaged 16 free throws a game lol got 25 and 21 attempts last two games of the series.

It was the birth of the D-Whistle, you had to be alive to understand...

NBA twitter think SGA gets a friendly whistle. The D-whistle was generational. There would been social media riots after Wade got 25 Free throws and his team won by 1 lol

[Ice Man]

This finals sucks because the media has been HELL BENT on trying to make everyone dislike Shai

How so, aside from the Doris Burke comment about how he is a foul merchant? (Which was done halfway seriously, but also halfway in jest.)

[Laimbeer]

To be fair, both these teams have been trying to tackle each other, these are definitely not finesse teams.

Yep. I am enjoying just how hard they are going at it. The refs are letting a lot go, and I like it.

[jkvonny]

Yeah 56 FTs combined is a lot. Definitely more than most Finals. That said, here are a few higher totals from past Finals (I didn't go through all the years, just browsed a dozen) -

1995 - 65 FTs (Rockets/Magic)
1997 - 60 FTs (Bulls/Utah)
2000 - 60 FTs (Lakers/Pacers)
2006 - 60 FTs (Heat/Mavs)\

D Wade (Heat) must've had 2/3 of those FTs

I remember that series....
So did many other folks out there.

[CobraCommander]

This finals sucks because the media has been HELL BENT on trying to make everyone dislike Shai, you should think about why that might be...plus the other team is inferior with no true superstar

The media often controls/creates these narratives when they should be promoting the product

the media is really trying to make sure we hate SGA...I don't get it...

he is team first, married with a kid and appears to love his family, always says the right thing in a non-fake way...his aura is real, polite and hold his teammates accountable...called out Jdub for a bad playoffs last year and give him love when he goes off...

I feel like the NBA wants this playoffs to be about Hali...but not SGA...I think I know why but either way...SGA is that guy...

[CobraCommander]

This finals sucks because the media has been HELL BENT on trying to make everyone dislike Shai

How so, aside from the Doris Burke comment about how he is a foul merchant? (Which was done halfway seriously, but also halfway in jest.)

why are we talking about his foul baiting when every great player in history has always been a foul merchant or traveled...but if SGA gets a call we gotta adjudicate if the foul was HARD ENOUGH to warrant a FT... it doesn't make sense - SGA is playing the game the way the game has been played for years!!!!

[liquidswords]

1988 Finals - Pistons - 208 FTA Lakers - 247 FTA (7 games) 455 Total

1989 Finals - Pistons - 125 FTA Lakers 144 FTA (4 games) 269 Total

1990 Finals - Pistons - 157 FTA Blazers 169 FTA (5 Games) 326 Total

1991 Finals - Bulls - 92 FTA Lakers 137 FTA (5 Games) 229 Total

1992 Finals - Blazers - 185 FTA Bulls - 163 FTA (6 Games) 348 Total

Nah, Lots of series have tons of free throws...

Not the golden years!!!

[WiggOuts]

This finals sucks because the media has been HELL BENT on trying to make everyone dislike Shai

How so, aside from the Doris Burke comment about how he is a foul merchant? (Which was done halfway seriously, but also halfway in jest.)

Maybe you haven't been paying attention to other outlets but cmon bro, its a HUGE double standard compared to other stars. EVERY superstar does this but you don't hear half the complaints. Shai himself said he's been playing this way for a long time and no one complained before, this wasn't even his highest FTR season. As soon as the realization came that they can likely win people started crying. Maybe he also made people realize that hes gonna be the face of the league and they don't like it

[SA37]

wtf do you guys want? "I want the most physical violent game ever. But no hand touching. hands to yourselves kids!"

Like what do you want?

GTA 2k25 Cage-match FINALS

There have been a few bailout/weak calls mostly for OKC, but overall I think the refs have done a good job and let the teams play. Both teams are getting away with A LOT of holding and body checking, in particular in the Dort v Haliburton and Nembhard v SGA matchups. But the refs are allowing the same for both sides.

Honestly, I feel like a lot of this is confirmation bias. I've seen no significant difference in the weak calls for Indiana, but what I've seen is that far more people have no reaction to those calls and act like it's nothing, then they are hyper vigilant on anything that might go OKC's way and the going, "see, see". I would have to actually have some tracking of this, but people's feeling on things like this have a tendency to be pretty off.

I am sure there is some of that.

In general, OKC has been the most aggressive team and they've attacked the basket relentlessly. So if they've received more "weak" calls in their favor, it's just a numbers game. I'd have to double-check, but I think OKC has had at least 1 if not 2 players shooting double-digit free throws in every single game. That doesn't mean they were (mostly) bad calls or there was favoritism towards OKC, but I don't know if I can remember a team with so many guys getting double-digit free throws (Chet, Williams, and SGA have all had 10+ free throws in at least 1 game in the Finals).

Even when the Pacers have made it past OKC's perimeter defenders, they've gotten stripped more often than not. When that hasn't happened, the Pacers have picked up their dribble and ended up taking fadeaways instead of going up strong.