The Knicks find themselves on the brink of the NBA Finals, reminiscent of their glory days from twenty-five years ago. Yet again, the championship will be contested without their presence.
In the wake of the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana, the Knicks will have to address their coaching situation after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau. Meanwhile, the Pacers are on the verge of competing with the Thunder, both teams eager to secure a title for the first time in their respective cities.
(Just a reminder: The Thunder franchise clinched its first title as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, and they’ve been in Oklahoma City since 2008.)
Here are ten storylines to look out for as Game 1 kicks off on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
To begin with
The Pacers have been competing in the NBA since 1976, having merged with the ABA. This marks only their second appearance in the NBA Finals. Their first, in 2000, ended in defeat against the Lakers, featuring stars like Shaquille O’Neal and coach Phil Jackson.
Before moving to the NBA, Indiana had celebrated three ABA championships in the 70s.
The Thunder have made it to the Finals before, driven by young stars such as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden back in 2012, but they came up short that time as well.
One of these teams is primed for a victory celebration like they’ve never had.
The key matchup
All eyes are on an exciting duel between two All-Star point guards: Knicks nemesis Tyrese Haliburton and the league’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA is looking to be the first regular-season MVP to also win the championship in the same season since Stephen Curry did it with the Warriors in 2015. He’s been averaging an impressive 29.6 points per game during the Thunder’s playoff run this March.
After a solid two-year playoff stretch, it’s hard for anyone to dismiss Halliburton’s talents. He’s leading the league in playoff assists at 9.8, including a remarkable 15 in one game.
A former Nick…
The final four teams include familiar faces like Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and some talent from the Timberwolves—all of whom have shared past ties with the Knicks.
Obi Toppin, a former lottery pick, was crucial in eliminating the Knicks in Game 6, scoring 18 points and making three blocks.
Isaiah Hartenstein also shone bright this season, reaching career highs in both points and rebounds after leaving the Knicks for an $87 million deal.
A recurring theme
This championship matchup features the youngest average age of finalists since the Lakers in 1980—25.7 years old. The Thunder sit at about 24.7, while the Pacers are close behind at 26.2.
A star in his own right
Surprisingly, Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t the MVP for the Eastern Conference Finals; that honor went to Pascal Siakam, who averaged 24.8 points per game against the Knicks. Siakam, a three-time All-Star, already has a championship ring from the Raptors’ win in 2019.
In terms of scoring, Gilgeous-Alexander has been notable too, boasting 20.4 points in Game 4 against Minnesota.
Coaching pedigree
The Pacers’ coach, Rick Carlisle, who led the Mavericks to a championship in 2011, is now one of the select few to win titles with multiple teams. At 65, he joins the ranks of legends like Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.
This season, the Thunder achieved 68 regular-season victories—only four teams in NBA history have managed more.
Representation from the North
While the Edmonton Oilers aim to break a long-standing drought in Canadian NHL victories, Canada is well represented in these NBA Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander is the seventh consecutive MVP born outside the U.S.
Lu Dort is another Canadian on the Thunder, while the Pacers also feature Canadian players like Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard. This marks the fourth consecutive year where at least one Canadian will be a titleholder.
Turner’s pivotal role
Miles Turner, a key player for the Pacers and an unrestricted free agent, leads the league with an average of 2.3 blocks per playoff game, among players with at least five games under their belt.
Though he hasn’t reached 20 points in a single game against the Knicks, his shooting from beyond the arc stands at 40.3%. Meanwhile, OKC’s Chet Holmgren isn’t far behind with 2.0 blocks per game.
Home advantage
This postseason has seen many wins on the road, but the Thunder have dominated at home, winning all eight matches at Paycom Center with an average margin of victory of 24.6 points, including a staggering 51-point win over Memphis in the first round.
Similarly, the Pacers secured their first two games at Madison Square Garden and had success in Cleveland previously.
The pace of play
If Knicks fans thought the Pacers played at a breakneck speed, the Thunder actually led the NBA with 100.9 possessions per 48 minutes during the regular season—all slightly ahead of the Pacers’ playoff pacing.
Both teams have also been exceptional at capitalizing on turnovers, with the Thunder slightly ahead in that metric. Get ready for an exhilarating series ahead.
