If you told NBA commissioner Adam Silver and his broadcast partners that this year’s NBA Finals would feature the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, they might have told you to go fuck yourself. From a ratings standpoint this might be as close to a worst-case scenario as the NBA could envision. It’s a good thing that your boy Steviepooooo does not give a mother fucking flying fuck about ratings. I just want to watch me some good ass basketball. This matchup has me incredibly excited from a pure basketball viewing perspective.
Adam Silver and the executives over at ABC’s disappointment must be amplified by the fact that New York Knicks were so close to making the finals. The Knicks just could not overcome the upstart Pacers and fell well short of securing their first NBA finals berth since the late nineties. The Knicks making the NBA finals would be on par with the Dallas Cowboys making it to the Superbowl. The filthily casual fans of the NBA would automatically have their interest peaked if the Knicks were in the Finals.
Thats enough about what could have been. Time to stop reminiscing about the matchups that could have been. Let’s focus on what we do have. Thunder vs Pacers baby.
As a former failed basketball prospect your boy does have a plethora of knowledge and experience about basketball strategies. What I am about to say might sound simple, but it is a concept that a shocking number of NBA teams seem incapable of comprehending.
The easiest time to score during a basketball game is in transition. Once the opposing team gets their defense back and in position it becomes much more difficult to score. Sounds simple right? Thats because it is! However, for whatever reason a good number of NBA teams, the New York Knicks included, do not thrive in transition basketball. They want to slow the game down and turn it into a defensive slugfest. This is fine and can work at times. The problem you have is when you run into a team that is noticeably more athletic than you.
The Pacers straight up ran the Knicks out of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday night. The Pacers were noticeably younger and more athletic than the Knicks. There were so many plays where the Knicks would miss a shot, the Pacers would quickly outlet the ball and push the pace and then get an easy basket in transition. This is the type of shit that would happen when your boy was riding the bench for his AAU team in the tenth grade. This should not be happening on a professional level.
You might be wondering “Steviepooooo we get it you play basketball and like to push the pace. What the hell does this have to do with the 2025 NBA finals?” The answer is quite simple. LITERALLY EVERYTHING!
A huge reason this matchup is so enticing to me from a basketball perspective is that both these teams thrive on playing fast paced uber athletic basketball. Some of these games might look more similar to a track meet than an NBA basketball game. I personally cannot wait to see these two squads compete against each other and try to prove that they are the faster more athletic team.
By winning the Eastern Conference championship, Tyrese Haliburton has solidified himself as one of the ten best players in the world in my book. Despite his goofy demeanor, he is exactly the type of perimeter player that I am drawn to. He is an above average defender, great shooter, great playmaker, and most importantly a great teammate. If this dude had been on one of my teams growing up, I would have taken a bullet for him. His teammates also appear to love him, and he is apparently a great leader. It is very exciting to watch a player like him separate himself from the field when it comes to discussing the best players in the world.
From the Oklahoma City perspective, it is honestly a little scary that they are this good already. I would argue that their three best players are not even in their prime yet. Shai Gilgeous Alexander might possibly be in his prime, but Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren most definitely are not.
They have other key players such as Cason Wallace who are only twenty-one years old. If they are this good already I am afraid to think of how good they are going to be in 2027 and 2028.
The key to this matchup to me will be Chet Holmgren. Holmgren was the reason that the Thunder completely dismantled the Timberwolves in the previous round. If he can play as well in the Finals as he did in the previous round the Pacers are going to have a very hard time pulling yet another upset.
Another key matchup will be Luguentz Dort defending Tyrese Haliburton. Dort is unquestioningly the best permitter defender in the game. I cannot wait to see how and if he can slow down Haliburton.
Another scary thing for the Pacers is that even when Dort is not on the floor, the Thunder will have another elite permitter defender in Alex Caruso to guard Haliburton. Haliburton cannot beat the Thunder on his own. Players such as Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam are going to have to play some of the best basketball of their careers in order for their team to win.
Prediction time.
I have lost a good chunk of change betting against the Pacers this spring. I am very scared to do so again. That being said, the Thunder are overwhelming gambling favorites for a reason. They just have so much fucking talent. Like so so much. Caruso is like their eigth best player. On other teams in the NBA he might be their third.
The Pacers are also incredibly talented, but my brain is telling me that the gap between them and the Thunder is just too great. For that reason, your boy is going to confidently make the following prediction.
Thunder in Five.
Finals MVP: Chet Holmgren.
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A bientot!
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