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

[RaptorPride]

Is Jimmy Butler the Michael Jordan of TJ McConnells?

[RaptorPride]

This is my top 3 NBA playoffs runs
1. 2019 Raptors
2. 2011 Mavs (cemented my love for basketball and the NBA)
3. 2025 Pacers

[basketballwacko2]

How about those Pacers!???

Last game of the season coming up!!

[Beethoven]

This is my top 3 NBA playoffs runs
1. 2019 Raptors
2. 2011 Mavs (cemented my love for basketball and the NBA)
3. 2025 Pacers

What about the 1999 eighth-seeded new york knicks?

[Raps in 4]

Read on Twitter

TJ’s dad is awesome.

Him and Tyrese's dad should start a podcast.

[RaptorPride]

This is my top 3 NBA playoffs runs
1. 2019 Raptors
2. 2011 Mavs (cemented my love for basketball and the NBA)
3. 2025 Pacers

What about the 1999 eighth-seeded new york knicks?

I was running around the mean streets of Toronto in my diaper at the time. I have no clue.

[SweetTouch]

Damn

Idk

Pacers have showed so much heart

But

If the thunder manage to lose game 7

Wow

They might have to sell the franchise

[therealbig3]

Totally feels like Haliburton going to have a 10 point, 8 assist game but with the Pacers down 1 late and he hits the game winner for the championship. And then everyone has to debate “so does he suck or not? He puts up so many stinkers, but man is that dude clutch!”

It would be pretty hilarious actually lol.

[Froob]

OKC ****ed around, let’s see if they find out

[Los_29]

This is actually tough. I can see a blowout but I can also see some Pacers magic once again. You can’t count this Pacers team out.

[lambchop]

On a more tactical level, it will be interesting to see how OKC solves those "fake double teams" the Pacers were sending at SGA in the mid range which led to many open but misses threes.

I doubt OKC shoots this badly again. However, game 7s are unpredictable and you never know who will or won't show up.

[Bergmaniac]

OKC has had so many terrible offensive games on the road in this playoffs, I can't think of any other team this good which has struggled so much on the road in the playoffs after being dominant on the road all year in the regular season. Against The Grizzlies they won their two aaway game but were down by a lot in the first before Ja got injured and weren't that convincing in the second either. Against Denver they were really awful offensively for 3 away games in a row (ORTG of 100, 93.9 and 103.9 respectively). They were oblitareted on both ends in their first away game against the Wolves. They finally had a really good offensive game in the road in G4 against the Wolves. In the Finals their offense has struggled mightily on the road again. They pulled off a win in G4 thanks to inside scoring and JDub and Shai's heroics but they shot 3/17 from 3 and had only 10 assists. Their 3 point in particular has been awful on the road, everyone except Caruso is shooting poorly from distance. The splits are quite wild - Wiggins is shooting 45.2% from 3 at home, 23.1% on the road. Dort is 39.3% at home, 27.7% on the road, Chet is 36.6% at home, 22.9% on the road.

[Chuck Everett]

OKC has had so many terrible offensive games on the road in this playoffs, I can't think of any other team this good which has struggled so much on the road in the playoffs after being dominant on the road all year in the regular season. Against The Grizzlies they won their two aaway game but were down by a lot in the first before Ja got injured and weren't that convincing in the second either. Against Denver they were really awful offensively for 3 away games in a row (ORTG of 100, 93.9 and 103.9 respectively). They were oblitareted on both ends in their first away game against the Wolves. They finally had a really good offensive game in the road in G4 against the Wolves. In the Finals their offense has struggled mightily on the road again. They pulled off a win in G4 thanks to inside scoring and JDub and Shai's heroics but they shot 3/17 from 3 and had only 10 assists. Their 3 point in particular has been awful on the road, everyone except Caruso is shooting poorly from distance. The splits are quite wild - Wiggins is shooting 45.2% from 3 at home, 23.1% on the road. Dort is 39.3% at home, 27.7% on the road, Chet is 36.6% at home, 22.9% on the road.

Said it could be an issue before the series started and lo and behold it has been. You didn't even mention Cason Wallace. In Game 5, he and Wiggins combined for 6-8 from 3 in the first half. In the road games, guy might as well not even be on the roster.

[dolphinatik]

Sure Pacers won but what I saw was an OKC team that choked and didnt have a backup plan. Way too many 3s and iso ball, almost zero movement. Sadly though I think they still take game 7.

[jkvonny]

This is my top 3 NBA playoffs runs
1. 2019 Raptors
2. 2011 Mavs (cemented my love for basketball and the NBA)
3. 2025 Pacers

What about the 1999 eighth-seeded new york knicks?

I was running around the mean streets of Toronto in my diaper at the time. I have no clue.

Read on Twitter

?t=wY8ZpW7V-OITv3iXAvKmaA&s=19

[Miami_Lux]

This is my top 3 NBA playoffs runs
1. 2019 Raptors
2. 2011 Mavs (cemented my love for basketball and the NBA)
3. 2025 Pacers

If Pacers win game 7 you can place them easily at 1

[jkvonny]

Might be time for the Eastern Conference to get a bit more respect with Indy pushing the Thunder to 7, Celtics winning last year, and the Pistons, Magic looking.stronger next season

Knicks and Cavs will be contenders again too.

I think in the case of the Eastern Conference especially home court advantage is not as significant as it once was, and Cleveland probably pushed themselves too hard in the regular season (they copped some rotten luck in the play-offs due to injury)

Going.fowards I think we will see more play-off bound teams rest their stars/play with rotations in the last few weeks of the regular season (especially once the seeds have been locked in)

Also you need a team that has at least a 8 man (minimum) rotation, which is why the Lakers and Knicks conked out.
Depth has never been more important.

Pacers whether by luck or design have now assembled a deep roster that is now got seasoned play-off experience and savvy which will hold them in good stead going fowards.

Obi Toppin has taken massive leaps in confidence in these play-offs and finals, he could be a serious contender for 6th man of the year next season (bir what happened to Payton Pritchard and his growth in last season post season heroics)

The psychological benefits of the Pacers making rhr finals with a pretty young core cannot be underestimated even if they lose game 7.

They are well positioned to have another runs/goes at it, but like the Celtics after we lost to the Dubs in 2022.

Given all their cap space and have all their future draft picks after trading back with the Pels, Indy is in for a very solid 5 season championship window minimum (unless injury wrecks them)

OKC will also be fine going fowards if they lose game 7 (although there may be strong Chet trade rumours in the summer)

Good post.
Agreed. I think so.

Both teams will be fine moving forward, for years to come. They are set. Barring injuries. Win or lose in game 7.

[jkvonny]

More proof on how the Knicks are right there with the top teams.

And they fired coach Thibs.

Smdh

[tsherkin]

Welp, that's what they needed. McConnell remains an awesome part of their team.

Super excited for Game 7!

[WestbrookGOATed]

I watched OKC choke away a regular season game vs Minnesota several months back in the regular season and felt they were a very flawed and beatable and overrated team with a very predictable offense.

They aren’t some all time great team. They should feel very fortunate if they’re able to escape Game 7 with the title.

A regular season game a few months ago... that must be the only game you've watched this year if that's how you truly feel.