Pacers oust Knicks and face Thunder in unprecedented NBA Finals

The NBA Finals have already been announced: the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder will face off starting Wednesday for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Neither franchise has won a championship since its founding, so the title will go to a new champion for the seventh consecutive year, a testament to the league's parity.

Indiana secured their spot in the Eastern Conference finals after beating the Knicks 125-108 on Saturday in Indianapolis , securing a 4-2 victory. The Pacers dominated the third quarter to break a game that had remained tied at 58-54 until halftime. Coach Rick Carlisle adjusted his defense, replacing Andrew Nembhard with Jalen Brunson , who ended up frustrated with 19 points and three turnovers, far below his previous performances.

Tyrese Haliburton led the team with 21 points, 13 assists, and 6 rebounds. Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 31 points, and Obi Toppin added 18 off the bench. Indiana showed greater offensive fluidity, accurate outside shooting, and depth in the rotation, crucial elements in a series with games every 48 hours.

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN: Coahuilense cyclist Carlos García is disqualified after winning the 2025 Tour of Austria.

For the Knicks , OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Brunson , a key figure in the earlier rounds, failed to overcome the opposing defense and failed to score more than 20 points for the first time in this series.

With this victory, the Pacers return to an NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, when they fell to the Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal . For the Thunder , it will be their first appearance since 2012, when they lost to the Miami Heat. Although the title won by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 is recorded as part of the franchise's history, they have never lifted the trophy in Oklahoma .

The matchup will pit two guards with very different styles against each other: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , who was voted the season's best player, will lead Oklahoma ; Haliburton , with his vision and speed on the ball, will spearhead Indiana .

Both cities, without NBA titles until now, will experience an unprecedented series that will crown a new champion. The fight for the ring and the conclusion of a season marked by competitiveness will begin this Wednesday.

TOPICS