2025 NBA FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Indiana Pacers (Series tied 3-3!)

[EastonEddy]

Well the moment cannot get much bigger then this for Pascal Siakam. Down 3-2 in the Finals. Your co-star either cannot play or will be seriously limited on the court. You are playing some of the best basketball of your career and are still in your prime.

This kind of opportunity to rewrite/boost a legacy doesn't come around too often in a career if ever. All you have to do is win two in a row against the best team in basketball and it will change everything.

[scrabbarista]

Boring finals everyone knows OKC was winning this.

Tell me that you're a hater that hasn't watched basketball games, without telling me that you're a hater that doesn't watch basketball games.

It's true everyone knew OKC was winning, but the series has been AWESOME nonetheless.

If your only interest in watching is to find out who wins, then why watch at all? You can find that out without watching.

[durden_tyler]

If Haliburton is indeed hurt, it's going to be an easy win for OKC but Pacers with the late cover because that's what happens in crucial games. LOL

[Prophet_tt]

It's over. I hope I'm wrong foe betting purposes though.

[durden_tyler]

It's over. I hope I'm wrong foe betting purposes though.

Pacers’ long shot bet to win the title odds was fun while it lasted but Pacers +2.5 for the series was surprisingly easy


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[SportsGuru08]

Thunder finish them off. Pacers season ends 25 years to the day of losing their previous NBA Finals. SGA sets a record for highest individual PPG to win a title in the same season; his 32.7 this year is 0.1 higher than what Jordan averaged in '93.

[SlimShady83]

I'm only drinking once a month because prices (here in Aus) have gone up haha, will be drinking in tomorrows game for sure, drinks and basketball it's what it's about

[Bloodbather]

Shot quality lol

Read on Twitter

SGA is the closest thing to prime Jordan since prime D-Wade, imo.

(I know people say Kobe for that, but Kobe resembles the second threepeat MJ more, I'm talking about first threepeat MJ)

[SlimShady83]

(I know people say Kobe for that, but Kobe resembles the second threepeat MJ more, I'm talking about first threepeat MJ)

Untill SGA wins more then 1 championship it will always be; MJ, Kobe and ... ... ...

FYI to all, this is SGA's 7th season in the league, Jordan didn't win his first championship until his 7th season, If/When SGA/Thunda win a championship they're in great shape to not only repeat but also go onto a 3peat to make other trades or keep the team intact.

I don't want this to happen being a Laker fan but it's possible.

[Bloodbather]

(I know people say Kobe for that, but Kobe resembles the second threepeat MJ more, I'm talking about first threepeat MJ)

Untill SGA wins more then 1 championship it will always be; MJ, Kobe and ... ... ...

FYI to all, this is SGA's 7th season in the league, Jordan didn't win his first championship until his 7th season, If/When SGA/Thunda win a championship they're in great shape to not only repeat but also go onto a 3peat to make other trades or keep the team intact.

I don't want this to happen being a Laker fan but it's possible.

It's not about careers, though, the comparison was for primes and playstyle similarity.

It's that crazy first step/slashing ability combined with elite mid-range shot making. Wade and SGA are more similar to younger Jordan than Kobe in those regards. Kobe is more similar to second threepeat MJ with the post game and outside shot.

Younger Jordan, Wade, and SGA all live(d) at the free throw line as well, because you couldn't stop them from getting to the rim. Kobe drew fouls as well but it was usually from drawing contact from the post or pull-ups.

I should've said Young Jordan instead of first threepeat Jordan initially, though, first threepeat was sort of a mid-period that combined his early slasher style with the later post game style.

[Hoop Hunter]

I like to remain hopeful, but things are not looking good.

If Hali plays and is under 80% we don't have a good chance. I think we may have a better chance if he sets out, maybe the other players step up, play at a little higher level than normal. Maybe OKC relaxes a bit, happens all the time when the other team has a top player out.

[BrianInPhilly]

I don’t know extent of injury but from what I saw in Game 5 I’d consider sitting Hali in Game 6, and if they win play him in Game 7 … cause my thought process is - if he plays game 6 he’ll get do best up, re injure himself he won’t have anything left in game 7.

[SonicMcMahon]

Indy has more overall Skill talent and depth and wins the series if not for one thing . SOFT

Now, that's just revisionist BS. Before the series, people were complaining about how lopsided the Finals would be because OKC was so much better than us. People had OKC winning in a sweep, 5 at most.

But we made it a series exactly because this team ain't soft.

I had it a 50 50 series before game one ....pacers got dogs and grit but when you can't rebound and can't get north and south vs physical defense that's called soft. Hali has a soft step back and prance play style.

You don't have to love the guy's prancing. But he isn't mentally soft. He's shown up in the biggest moments more often than not.

[Ssj16]

If there is any risk of a more serious injury for Haliburton, I'm shutting him down.

Especially if he can't put a positive impact on the game while playing at limited capacity.

We've seen this story with Grant Hill, KD, Dame, etc. I know he's young but it's really not worth it.

[wang000hk]

Well the moment cannot get much bigger then this for Pascal Siakam. Down 3-2 in the Finals. Your co-star either cannot play or will be seriously limited on the court. You are playing some of the best basketball of your career and are still in your prime.

This kind of opportunity to rewrite/boost a legacy doesn't come around too often in a career if ever. All you have to do is win two in a row against the best team in basketball and it will change everything.

Pacers' guards kept bricking shot after another or passing the ball to opponent during clutch time in past 2 games

There is not much he could do on offensive end without touching the ball once each possession

[bbms]

https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/track_meet_or_nba_finals_thunder_pacers_blazing_a_new_trail/s1_13132_42347215

Track meet or NBA Finals? Thunder, Pacers blazing a new trail

As they try to outsprint each other towards the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Thunder and Pacers have set a new benchmark. They have combined to travel 38.4 miles per game in the five games thus far, marking the most distance covered by two teams in NBA Finals history.

In comparison, last year's NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics saw the teams travel a combined 33.9 miles per game, and the Nuggets and Heat the year before averaged 33.8 miles. Even the great Warriors teams with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson — who were in perpetual motion — traveled only 16.43 miles per game in the 2015-16 Finals, which is nearly four fewer than this year's Pacers.

i was dying for these gps numbers.

confirmed my expectations: this will shake nba forever...

[web123888]

Series ends tonight and the Thunder will take home the title, capturing a historic and monumental achievement in the history of its franchise.

[kenwood3333]

In my mind Pacers have already won. I never thought they could take more than a game from OKC.

[benhillboy]

https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/track_meet_or_nba_finals_thunder_pacers_blazing_a_new_trail/s1_13132_42347215

Track meet or NBA Finals? Thunder, Pacers blazing a new trail

As they try to outsprint each other towards the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Thunder and Pacers have set a new benchmark. They have combined to travel 38.4 miles per game in the five games thus far, marking the most distance covered by two teams in NBA Finals history.

In comparison, last year's NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics saw the teams travel a combined 33.9 miles per game, and the Nuggets and Heat the year before averaged 33.8 miles. Even the great Warriors teams with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson — who were in perpetual motion — traveled only 16.43 miles per game in the 2015-16 Finals, which is nearly four fewer than this year's Pacers.

i was dying for these gps numbers.

confirmed my expectations: this will shake nba forever...

I doubt it. 75% of the Association simply doesn’t have the framework or philosophy in place to defend full court for as many possessions as these two teams do. They’re forcing each other to run multiple ball screens 80 feet away from the cup. How Indiana has basically morphed into a poor man’s version of OKC’s defense has been nearly miraculous from where they began a couple seasons ago where they bled points. I noticed even then though they had a knack for getting timely stops.

Teams and players “copycat” only when it’s fairly simple. The distance running it takes to consistently string stops together along with the synergy it creates with ball and man movement on the other end is hard af but integral to winning a Finals. Steph revolutionized the game over a decade ago, still haven’t seen a player even remotely resemble his off ball wizardry nor highly unconventional shooting form.

[benhillboy]

Ben Mathirin’s birthday today. Hopefully he can channel Prime Oladipo once more.

I check BBRef like the daily news. I just noticed Jalen Williams’ position distinction is SG and PF. Obviously he plays a decent amount of SF but it was just interesting I’ve never seen a player with only those two positions distinguished. Makes sense, he’s a special player. I was reading the ESPN piece with Scottie comparing themselves and I was like damn. Sounds about right.