Go back about 14 years, back to when tough-as-nails David Stern was the commissioner of the NBA and Adam Silver was his affable deputy, and you might remember a lengthy lockout that the league brass imposed on the players while a new collective bargaining agreement was hammered out.
That was 2011.
While the financial split between players and owners was the focal point of that negotiation, Stern also talked frequently about what he called, "system issues," which was essentially his shorthand for saying he wanted more parity in the NBA.
Too often, the league would begin a season with only a small handful of teams having a legitmate title shot. Stern wanted to change that. It's taken a while but now, with the Oklahoma City Thunder blowing away the Timberwolves in the Western Conferene and the Pacers having the Knicks on the ropes, ahead 3-1, in the East, perhaps Stern's vision has come to fruition.
The league is guaranteed to have a different champion for the eighth straight year, and in that span only three teams--the Celtics, Heat and Warriors--have won the conference more than once.
May 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, US; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver walk through the audience during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver walk through the audience during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place.
Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
The issue now, though, is that, if the Pacers finish off the Knicks, the Finals will feature the No. 22 ranked market (out of 28) in the NBA, Indiana, facing off against the No. 26 market, Oklahoma City. Silver has carried out Stern's vision of parity, but now he may have to deal with the consequence that could come with a poorly rated Finals series.
As the Thunder were drubbing Minnesota in Game 5, fans chimed in on Silver's potential Finals surprise.
One fan wrote on X, "Ik Adam Silver’s bald head is STEAMING rn seeing an OKC-Pacers finals loading."
Another called Silver out flatly and said, "I hope Adam Silver is happy with this."
Another added, "Adam silver is on crack cocaine if he thinks I’m watching the 'Pacers' play 'Oklahoma City' in an NBA finals."
And there were memes.
There's still hope, though, that the Knicks could reach the Finals, though only 13 teams in history down, 3-1, in a series have come back, a 4.4% rate. Most likely, it will be Thunder-Pacers, and we'll see where the ratings land.