It will be the Indiana Pacers against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals.
The Pacers finished off the New York Knicks on Saturday, winning 125-108 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals after a third-quarter rally. It will be their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000, back when Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose starred while Larry Bird coached.
Advertisement
Game 1 of Pacers-Thunder is scheduled for Thursday in OKC (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
The Pacers players entered Gainbridge Fieldhouse decked out in all black, a shot at the Knicks doing the same last year, and fulfilled their promise of a funeral. They shot lights out, going 17-of-33 (51.5%) from 3-point range, and punished nearly all of the Knicks’ mistakes, with 34 points off 17 turnovers.
The Indiana offense was once again a beautiful machine, continuing a postseason in which they’ve outraced the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Knicks. The epic comebacks will be better remembered, but it’s the Pacers’ ability to explode at any moment that has made them so different. It’s what happened in the third quarter, when the team jumped out to a 16-point lead they never relinquished.
Advertisement
Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting with five rebounds and three assists, while Tyrese Haliburton shook off a slow first quarter for 21 points and 13 assists. The Pacers’ biggest two-way impact came from Andrew Nembhard, who had 14 points, eight assists and six steals.
Tyrese Haliburton has the Pacers in the NBA Finals. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points.
Thunder heavily favored over Pacers in NBA Finals
As good as the Pacers looked in this series, Las Vegas is taking the other team by a significant margin.
The Thunder opened as -800 favorites (bet $800 to win $100) to win their first title in OKC at BetMGM.
Pascal Siakam beats Tyrese Haliburton Eastern Conference finals MVP
Haliburton might be the breakout star of this postseason, but it was Siakam named the Eastern Conference finals MVP after Game 6. He beat out Haliburton five votes to four.
Advertisement
Siakam torched the Knicks in Games 2, 4 and 6, playing a key role in every Pacers win after their miracle comeback in Game 1.
The Pacers acquired Siakam in a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Raptors in January 2024, with the hope that a star big man with postseason bona fides would give them a championship core. So far, so good.
Pacers’ win wasn’t without injury
The Pacers have reached the NBA Finals, but it’s another question whether they will be 100% for Game 1.
Jarace Walker and Aaron Nesmith both left the game with injuries in the fourth quarter. Walker had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to severely tweak his ankle, then Nesmith left minutes later after an ugly collision with Karl-Anthony Towns.
Nesmith would be the bigger loss if he’s not ready for OKC. He was Indiana’s hero in Game 1, and has overall been enjoying a breakout postseason as a member of the Pacers starting lineup. Fortunately, he and Walker both have five days of rest now.
