Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the second half of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tyrese Haliburton elevated the Pacers past the Knicks, setting up an NBA Finals that won't shatter ratings records, but will present an intriguing matchup on court.Michael Conroy/Associated Press
Celtics faithful are still in their mourning period, despite the pleasure taken from the Knicks losing to the Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference finals.
Similar to two years ago, the Celtics watched a conference foe they feel they’re better than advance to the NBA Finals. The Pacers earned their way to this matchup with the Thunder, learning from their conference final sweep at the hands of the Celtics last year and bringing back a more experienced and savvy roster.
The Pacers beat the Knicks because they were better, and took the first two games of the series on the road to take control. The Celtics essentially lost their series to the Knicks by blowing separate 20-point leads in Games 1 and 2.
Indiana also had more defensive weapons, using the versatile former Celtic Aaron Nesmith to defend Jalen Brunson, but the Pacers won the series offensively. They averaged 116.8 points per game compared with Boston’s 105.8.
The Celtics attempted 90 more 3-pointers versus the Knicks than Indiana did, but made only 24 more. With their inability to consistently score, especially down the stretches of Games 1, 2, and 4, the Celtics couldn’t counter the closing of Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges.
Series MVP Pascal Siakam led the Pacers in scoring, and they torched the Knicks defense with 49.1 percent shooting and 39 percent from the 3-point line. Eight Pacers averaged at least 8 points per game. They battered the Knicks with their balance, which gives them at least a shot against the heavily favored Thunder.
Although this is not an NBA Finals featuring any of the league’s darling markets, it is the best teams in each conference, which makes for a compelling matchup. The Pacers and Thunder are a lot alike, their cornerstone players each acquired through trade.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) defends during the first half of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.8 points per game in the playoffs for the Thunder, who won four games by at least 30 points during their postseason run through the Western Conference.Kyle Phillips/Associated Press
Oklahoma City made the brilliant move of the overrated Paul George to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round picks. Not only did one of those picks become fellow cornerstone and All-Star Jalen Williams, Los Angeles is still paying debts on the deal — their first-round pick in this year’s draft is owned by the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander has transformed into one of the great scorers because of a quirky midrange game that draws a slew of fouls and allows him easy points. Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti fully realizes his franchise will never be a vogue free-agent destination, so he’s had to acquire stars through trades and drafts.
In the previous generation, it was Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden — all drafted. When those four departed for various reasons, Presti tore down the roster, and acquired a litany of first-round picks by serving as a place holder for teams’ unwanted and expiring contracts.
The Thunder have risen to the league’s best team, and Presti still has seven more first-round picks from other clubs from 2026-29. After losing in the bubble during Gilgeous-Alexander’s first season with the club, the Thunder missed the playoffs for three years.
Those three lottery seasons produced Williams and Chet Holmgren, and solid second-round picks Jaylin Williams and Aaron Wiggins. Presti used former lottery pick Josh Giddey, benched during last year’s playoff series against the Mavericks, to acquire defensive ace Alex Caruso from the Bulls.
He also used the team’s salary space on rugged center Isaiah Hartenstein to give the Thunder a physical post presence.
It’s taken years for Presti to build this championship contender, and it’s come mostly through the draft, but it began with that George for Gilgeous-Alexander trade.
What makes this an intriguing Finals, and one that could serve as motivation in other small and medium markets, is that neither is a luxury tax team. Both were built without max free-agent signings. The Pacers traded for Tyrese Haliburton, giving up promising big man Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento; Indiana has officially won that swap.
The Pacers also capitalized on a rebuilding Toronto by taking Siakam off the Raptors’ hands for draft capital, taking Nesmith from the Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon, and then selecting Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard with the first pick of the second round in 2021.
Would the NBA and ABC have benefited more financially if the Knicks had reached their first Finals in 26 years? They would not have matched up better with the Thunder than the Pacers, who were a better team with more depth and weapons.
The casual basketball fan may not be able to name the Indiana starting five, or even four players from the Thunder roster, but it should be an entertaining series. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle is one of the league’s best at game planning, and should ensure the Pacers exploit any of the Oklahoma City weaknesses.
OKC’s Mark Daigneault is a former league coach of the year who has found roles and developed great chemistry in a team that’s talented, but still painfully young. Youth, however, has become less of an issue for the Thunder after last year’s disappointing playoff ending.
Prepare for an entertaining and intriguing Finals, but it may require a little pre-game homework to become familiar with the lack of household names.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.