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As expected, the Game 1 of the NBA Finals did not fail to impress in what was hyped to be the best matchup of the decade – featuring the league's best offense and the all-time best defense in a seven-game series. This time, a shocker was yet seen by fans as Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers escaped with a 111-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a picture perfect finish. The Thunder led the whole game by as many as 15 points, and yet the Pacers managed to stick around – answering those OKC runs of their own. No one could have written a better ending. The Thunder were looming to finish strong with a 106-96 lead heading to the finish, only for Indiana to cap off a closing rally and eventually take the lead on Haliburton’s wing jumper with 0.3 seconds left to play. The Comeback Stories Continue This win by Indiana marks the third 15-point comeback mounted in the fourth quarter since 1971, and the fifth comeback by the Pacers this postseason. If you have been watching them closely, these comebacks have been their theme in the playoffs, and to see it continue down this stretch in the Finals is a testament to their grit and mindset to win it all. Indiana had no player scoring more than 20 points, and Pascal Siakam was the leading scorer with 19 points and 10 rebounds. However, their depth was on display as they had six players in double figures, and all players who logged minutes scored at least a basket. As predicted, this is a battle of depth, and OKC has flexed its own deep rotation, but only had four guys in double figures. It is safe to say that there will be a lot of adjustments to make heading into Game 2, especially with the Thunder losing homecourt advantage. OKC found their shots and even forced a season-high 26 turnovers for the Pacers, and yet they could not capitalize on those fronts. The Thunder usually come up with the scoring avalanche that the home crowd feeds off for an added energy – and that was missing tonight for Oklahoma City. The MVP Needs Help No one would have expected OKC to lose at home, considering that they were 7-1 heading into this clash. As usual, the 2025 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to work and was aggressive all night, dropping 38 points, five rebounds, three assists and steals apiece. However, SGA was the only player to show up well in the game. Jalen Williams had 17 points but struggled mightily, and even Chet Holmgren looked out of place in the game as he finished with six points. "It is a 48-minute game,” said SGA of the one-point loss to the Pacers. “The Indiana Pacers teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league the hard way.” This is the Finals – a series of adjustments as said before, is needed every now and then. It is safe to say that this looks very reminiscent of the Denver series, and the Thunder went on to win that in seven games. One game after another, the Thunder have adapted, improvised, and overcame their opponents after every adjustment. This just says a lot about how this series is expected to turn out to be a long one for the Thunder as they seek to be the second-youngest team to win the NBA Finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are coming for a blazing showdown in the 2025 NBA Finals, and the two historically built teams are going to be on a massive race to the finish. However, one can easily spot that both have someone mutual to thank to their respective successes. Paul George, who has been a franchise player for Indiana around his first nine years, has been able to lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals, and some legendary playoff runs as well. With Oklahoma City, George was phenomenal in reinventing himself after that freak leg injury and played at the best of his career. However, he did not go on to lead the Thunder past the first round in his brief stay. However it may look for both teams, at the end of the day, it seems that both OKC and Indiana will go down to thank PG for his contributions and how he played a huge role in rebuilding the squads. The Thunder Timeline In July 2017, the Thunder traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis for George, which eventually led him to play from 2017 to 2019. George eventually appeared in two postseason campaigns with OKC, only to drop both in the first round. He was definitely in the firsthand when Damian Lillard drilled that infamous “bad shot” that sent Oklahoma City to a rebuild. Of course, that would then lead the Thunder to come up with a flurry of overhauls, of which was known – the Paul George trade. The forward later ended up playing for the Los Angeles Clippers at the behest of Kawhi Leonard. The bigger story, however, is what OKC ended up getting for that trade. The Thunder received a total of five first-round draft picks and two swap picks in the first round. One of those picks ended up being Jalen Williams – who became a first-time All-Star in the 2024-25 NBA season. But what ended up as a stunning piece of that trade was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who spent his rookie season with the Clippers, only to be sent to Oklahoma City. Of course, we know all what happened with SGA. He led OKC to a 68-14 record this season, and ended up winning the season MVP award while also being the league’s scoring champion and recently the Western Conference Finals MVP. The Pacers Timeline The Indiana Pacers have very little to thank off Paul George as he was just a by-product of the trade. After that impressive 2017 Playoff run where the Pacers went to seven games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, George would go on to move on to Oklahoma City in exchange for Oladipo and Sabonis. Later, after five years of less promise on the big stage, Sabonis became a two-time All-Star but was then traded to the Sacramento Kings – in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton. Sabonis would generate just a single playoff run for the Kings, and got eliminated in the first round. The Pacers, on the other hand, have just gone for back-to-back ECF runs. Perhaps the most ironic of all these trades? George should definitely earn a ring from either team that will win the NBA Finals. As laughable as it sounds, George definitely had a hand in the building blocks and core players that eventually made these teams the contenders they are today.

When Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti said that he wanted an arrival and not just an appearance, many fans did not take it seriously. But after a short rebuild and a sudden playoff contention, the Thunder now finds itself back on the big stage of the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up an MVP performance of 34 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and two steals. Chet Holmgren had 22 points, and Jalen Williams finished with 19. Everything fell in favor of the Thunder, and they made it look easy as fans at the Paycom Center roared out loud as the game went down to the final minute with the Thunder up by as many as 39 points. Oklahoma City would not be denied this time. On the same day that the Thunder felt that legendary Game 6 from Klay Thompson in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, today’s OKC squad toppled that history with a positive one – a demolition of the Minnesota Timberwolves as the latter could not answer any of the avalanches that the Thunder have thrown at them. A Win Right From the Start Minnesota started with a 3-0 lead in the game coming off a Julius Randle three, but then the Thunder turned on its engines and activated what they do best – the pesky defense that launched a tidal wave of runs for OKC, capped off by a buzzer-beating three by Cason Wallace to make it a 26-9 start in the first quarter. By halftime, Minnesota had more turnovers than field goals made, and that just says a lot about how dominant the OKC defense has been this season and in the playoffs. Disrupting the passing lanes, rotating well on defense and putting the pressure on the Timberwolves on any part of the floor, it was just their big game. “We just struggled to find a rhythm," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. "Everyone was kind of trying to do it all by themselves. We lost our connectivity. But all credit to the Thunder. They certainly deserve this. They played outstanding. And we came up short in a lot of ways.” It can be remembered that OKC reeled from losing Kevin Durant back in 2016 when he signed with the Golden State Warriors. The next few years were uneasy, but OKC managed to rebuild swiftly. However, all of those were put in the back as they rallied to beat Minnesota to clinch their first Finals appearance since 2012, even after coming short in their 2016 run. The Timberwolves tried to generate some runs. But a Holmgren block on Randle leading to a dagger three by Luguentz Dort forced Finch to call timeout and wave the white flag as OKC went up 106-72 with 6:34 left to play. “Welcome Home, Chet” Back in February, Anthony Edwards dunked over Chet Holmgren in an Oklahoma City loss. That video was later posted by Minnesota, with Edwards saying “Shout out to Chet. Welcome home, baby.” Holmgren finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks on 61.5% shooting. He drilled a total of two threes and was all over the floor in the win for the Thunder. Edwards, on the other hand, struggled to score early and ended up with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting and went 1-of-7 from three. The Thunder later posted the same video of Edwards on his social media account, even quoting Edwards on welcoming him home to his native state of Minnesota. Eventually, Holmgren had the last laugh.

Being down by 20 points on the road for the New York Knicks is something that isn’t new to the team. Alas, it proved to be real when they also overcame that same deficit this time against the Indiana Pacers – with their backs against the walls and the season dangerously on the line, the Knicks showed life when it mattered most. The Pacers have been notorious all playoffs when it comes to pulling off stunners and upsets in their games – and have done just that in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. But before they could go on and spin up a huge finish in Game 3, The Knicks responded in the second half and went on a courageous run that saw them get back on track. This was a chance that the team had been waiting for, and now this is starting to become a series. Indiana has been in the driver’s seat this series for the first two games, and it looked like the same in Game 3 as they erupted for a 28-19 run in the second quarter. None of this was quite expected to begin with, and yet the Knicks managed to keep their cards on the table in what seems to be the most important victory of their playoff run. A Slugfest from Three No team in the Conference Finals has shot well from three in this year’s edition. Both teams in the West are shooting just close to 30% from the field, and neither have the two teams in the East has done any better. In this game, the Knicks shot 34.4% with 11 threes made off 32 attempts. The Pacers, on the other hand, struggled mightily to shoot any three-pointers as they went 5-of-25 in that stretch of Game 3. Tyrese Haliburton was off and finished with 20 points and six assists – far from his usual numbers of high-volume assists. Pascal Siakam, who had a massive Game 2 performance with 39 points, ended up with 17 points and four rebounds. No other Pacers player scored more than 20 points by the end of the game. While it was a slugfest from three, the free throws have seen a massive galore. A total of 63 shots from the charity stripe were attempted in the game, with both teams making 27 each. A Fueled Comeback New York was down heading into the fourth quarter, only to claw their way back with impressive performances from both Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. KAT was scoring one bucket after another in the fourth before eventually cutting into the Indiana lead with his athleticism – from grinding into the paint all the way to drilling threes, it has been a big game for him with 24 points and 15 rebounds – leading all scorers in the game. Brunson, on the other hand, came alive in the closing moments of the game as he helped New York keep its small lead by the end of the game. The Clutch Player of the Year was able to convert multiple buckets down the stretch to keep Indiana from coming back as they did in the past few games. New York also played nine-deep in its roster for the first time, which was really quite a different look considering that no starter played 40 minutes of action in this game. Fatigue has been a huge factor in the Knicks’ struggles, and it seemed that they managed that well this time.

In a night where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his new shoe colorway debut and received the Michael Jordan MVP award, Oklahoma City fans were ecstatic with a lot of celebrating as the Thunder also went on to take a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves following a 118-103 victory at home. Minnesota was expected to respond after that tough loss in Game 1, and yet OKC held their ground and kept the fight alive to make sure that the Timberwolves would not get a chance to steal one at Paycom Center. So far, the result has been promising, and it cannot be denied that the Thunder have really owned this series. With Games 3 and 4 set in Minnesota, OKC now looks forward for a chance to come up with impressive performances and keep the same pace as they expect the Timberwolves to pack a huge punch to at least keep their season alive. For now, fans may want to bask in the victory by the Thunder as this series may or may not, return home to OKC for another bout. A Total Struggle by Minnesota Anthony Edwards was asked to step up and be more aggressive in his second game against the Thunder after a dismal performance in Game 1. Sure, the athletic guard scored 32 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, but he shot 1-of-9 from three, and 12-for-26 overall in the game. That is a disappointing note considering that he is one of the most relentless, consistent, and elite scorers in the game. Nothing was seen from the bigs of Minnesota as well. Julius Randle was held to just six points on 2-of-11 shooting after dropping 28 points in Game 1. Rudy Gobert still struggled to find his worth on the court with just five points on five shot attempts. Naz Reid off the bench had 10 points but missed eight threes. Still, it was an impressive game of response from Jaden McDaniels (22 points) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17 points). But Minnesota collapsed on the attack and had a lot of turnovers with 14 compared to the Thunder’s six. Even though they had more free throws made and attempted, it didn’t seem to matter at all. Oklahoma City struggled to shoot from three with just nine on 33 attempts, but neither could Minnesota take advantage of that as they shot 11-of-39 points themselves. A Big Night for OKC’s Big 3 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated the game in his MVP night with a career playoff-high of 38 points to go along with eight assists. However, it was the impressive contribution of Jalen Williams, who scored 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists – and Chet Holmgren dropping 22 points with a lot of explosive plays definitely did the trick once more. For what it is worth, the Thunder trio combined for a total of 86 points of their 118 points. Most of the stories over the course of the playoffs have been about the Thunder bench being so deep and effective, but now the night belonged to the core trio that kicked off this massive campaign that was just three years in the making. OKC now stands with a 7-1 record at home in the playoffs, and it will stay that way until either the NBA Finals, or if they drop one game on the road. After all, the goal is to steal at least one game against Minnesota on their home floor, and finish the deed at home.

No one has ever seen an Eastern Conference Finals featuring both the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers since 2000, and it cannot be denied that there is a huge spectacle brewing hot in this series. Now that the Pacers have thrown the first punch, it seems that fans and the rest of the NBA are in for a massive ride on the biggest stage of the East. For what it is worth, the Knicks and Pacers have been gnawing at each other since the regular season. Of course, a lot of people did not expect to see both of these teams on the big stage before they both eliminated the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively. Now they are warring on the big stage, and it is definitely worth the wait for the NBA. After all, New York is the NBA’s biggest team – both in value and fanbase. Indiana, on the other hand, is one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference that has earned a solid revival of its fanbase after so many years of poor playoff contention, and this series seems to be nothing short of impressive. Game 1 Was Already a Blast The Knicks were up by 17 points within the final moments of the fourth quarter – and that’s when the Pacers started to claw their way back and even force OT. Aaron Nesmith pulled off a flurry of threes and finished with a total of eight in the game. Tyrese Haliburton would then go for an attempt at a game-winner. He got into the paint and was already close to firing up a shot, but decided to step back to the three-point line with the hopes of winning it for the Knicks. Haliburton’s jumper was away as the buzzer sounded, but it bounced off the rim, only to find its way back into the basket. In a replay, however, it was shown that Haliburton’s toe was on the line, deeming it a two-pointer to tie it at 125. After going side-by-side and exchange of buckets, the Pacers would go on to steal Game 1 after a dunk by Obi Toppin and a go-ahead basket from Andrew Nembhard. But perhaps the highlight of the game was the fact that Haliburton pulled off the choke signal to the crowd – which was the iconic celebration that former Pacers star Reggie Miller did to Spike Lee back in 1994. To make this even more special, Miller was also part of the broadcast crew commentating the game. Why the Knicks-Pacers Series is a Win for the NBA? The odds are quite close for both the Pacers and the Knicks to make it to the NBA Finals. New York stood at +1600 while Indiana had +1000 to begin the season, but now it is at +550 and +750, respectively. Rekindling one of the league’s most iconic rivalries from the '90s, this series has delivered instant classics. Crucially, the Knicks' presence at this level massively amplifies the NBA’s reach. As the most valuable franchise in the league – with global recognition, a loyal fanbase, and a media epicenter in New York – every high-stakes Knicks playoff game drives ratings, social media engagement, and international viewership. Their matchup with the fast-rising Pacers represents not only compelling basketball but also a business and branding triumph for the league. The dramatic storylines, marquee markets, and deep-rooted history make this series a defining cultural moment – exactly what the NBA needs to energize its global audience in a highly competitive sports and entertainment landscape.

At the age of 26, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the renaissance era of the Oklahoma City Thunder – bringing the team to its first Western Conference Finals since 2016. Now, his efforts with the Thunder have been rewarded as he is now named the 2024-25 season MVP. If there was any doubt on him winning the award, that’s probably from the haters out there. From leading OKC to a franchise-high 68 games, leading the scoring with 32.7 points per game, it was clear right from the start that SGA has been really dominant this season and has found a way to prove his worth on the big stage. A lot of people often criticize him for his finesse in drawing contact and has even been labelled as a foul merchant – despite both finalists Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic being more foul-magnets as well. Over the years, we have seen how SGA has improved and jumped his stats from being a mere rookie to a playoff riser and now a premier face of the league now more than ever. Now that he’s the MVP, the fans can rest easy knowing that the best player in the league resides in Oklahoma after eight years. A New Dawn in OKC Kevin Durant was the first MVP for OKC when he won the award in 2014. Russell Westbrook followed suit in 2017, but nothing else was there after that. It was a long drought followed by stretches of non-success for the Thunder as they prepared for the rebuild that would actually pave the way for today’s OKC and the MVP rise of Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA managed to beat out two multi-time winners in both Antetokounmpo and Jokic. In seven years, it has been a promising story for Shai, who led the league this season in 20-point, 30-point, 40-point, and 50-point games. Efficiency has been his brand, and it cannot be denied that he even deserved to win the MVP at a unanimous level. "Thank you," SGA began, before immediately starting to cry as he spoke about his partner, Hailey Summers. "Sorry I'm so dramatic ... Thank you for everything you are for me, for our son Ares. You were the first person to show me what love really meant. What love really meant, what sacrifice really meant. And I can't wait to spend the rest of this journey called life with you. So thank you for everything." Gilgeous-Alexander is also the first Kentucky product to be named league MVP – and also the seventh straight international player to win the award. Lightning Then The Thunder Shai was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets before later being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He spent his rookie year with LAC and went to the playoffs – even pushing the juggernaut Golden State Warriors to six games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. However, he was later packed in a massive deal that led to OKC bringing him in – along with a hefty number of first-round picks. This would eventually put SGA as the centerpiece of the Thunder, and it cannot be denied that there were a lot of expectations as to how he would be going for a massive improvement in his games. Indeed, he would emerge as a star, and he would spark the new future that OKC was trying to draw up at this point. So far, the MVP has been named, and all that’s left for him is to bring OKC back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 – and win their first title since moving to Oklahoma.

Game 7 is where the best players are defined, and OKC made sure that they would get the last laugh in this series as the Thunder stormed through the Nuggets for a 125-93 victory. It was a huge rally for OKC, who were down by as many as 11 points in the first quarter. Now they are bound for the Western Conference Finals. This marks the first time OKC has reached the WCF stage – since 2016, which was also coincidentally the last time Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook played together. Now the Thunder’s new era takes its chapter to another level and it cannot be denied that it has been one of the expectations from the team after its tough exit last season. In the biggest stage of any playoff series, the Thunder did not falter, and it has immortalized the reputation of Paycom Center’s loud crowd as it showed up well in this game. Now, the Thunder’s focus shifts to the upcoming West Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, another rival that needs some showdown to close out. A Thunderous Finish OKC did not start strong and was trailing away from the Nuggets and slowly fought its way back. The second and third quarters were crucial in helping them build a huge lead to keep the Nuggets away and prevent any potential comebacks. This game was a defensive clinic for the Thunder, who piled up the best defensive numbers of the series so far. Oklahoma City matched Denver in crashing the board – which has been always in the Nuggets’ favor, 44 to 47. However, OKC stood out on the defensive side, forcing a total of 22 turnovers to just nine of their own. Denver also got outscored in the paint, 64-42. Everything played out well for OKC, and it cannot be denied that this was theirs to lose. The energy has been there for the Thunder all the time, and the crowd followed through with one big play after another. Denver could not keep up with OKC for the rest of the game before they eventually waved the white flag. With nine minutes left in the fourth. Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. He did, however, have five turnovers and finished the series with a ratio of 41 assists to 31 turnovers, which is a huge difference from his previous series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Jokic had 71 assists to 21 turnovers in that run. A Night to Remember Jalen Williams was disastrous in Game 6 but responded well in Game 7. The first-time All-Star finished with 24 points, seven assists, and five rebounds while shooting 10-of-17 from the field, including 17 points in the second quarter alone to push the lead for the Thunder to double-digits. Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace, however, made the biggest difference in the game with their defensive impact. The defensive duo had the highest +/- by the end of the game, with Caruso having +40 on 11 points, while Wallace had +38 with seven points – including a thunderous slam over Nikola Jokic. On the other hand, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept his game alive for the team and was consistent without any turnovers. SGA had an MVP night with 35 points, four assists, three rebounds, and steals apiece on 12-of-19 shooting from the field. This was a picture-perfect finish in the semis for OKC as they now remain the only 60+ win team in the playoff chase.

Jamal Murray had an illness and was a game-time decision before the tipoff, and yet he went on to play 42 minutes and dropped 25 points, eight rebounds, and assists apiece. The Denver Nuggets kept their season alive and managed to knock a resilient Oklahoma City Thunder off their tracks, which says a lot about how this series has gone. Nothing has been easy in this series. Both teams have struggled to shoot the ball well and could not find a strong groove. The Nuggets flipped the script in the fourth quarter – where they have struggled to play at a high level, but managed to hold off OKC in this game to earn the 119-107 win and force a decisive Game 7. Now with the series tied, it seems that it could go both ways. The Nuggets have played a lot of Game 7s with the same core – including against the Los Angeles Clippers in Round 1. OKC, on the other hand, has not played a Game 7 at all – save for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort who played against the Houston Rockets in 2020. They do, however, flex the home court advantage at this point. A Game of Storied Playoff Risers and Downers The Nuggets bench hasn’t been relevant in this series so far, but then Julian Strawther came up with 15 points – all in the second half to propel a 32-21 scoring in the third quarter to make that case different. Christian Braun was also able to meet the moment as he kept Denver afloat the whole game and finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Denver played off with high energy from the start – fueled by a four-point play from Jamal Murray to score the Nuggets’ first bucket. Playoff risers are all about stepping up, and that is certainly not the case for the first-time All-Star Jalen Williams. Sure, Jdub finished with six points, 10 assists, and seven boards – but he shot awfully with just 3-of-16 from the field, including 0-for-4 from three and a lot of missed shots that he usually makes. This has been the story for both teams in the series, and they will have to rely on these key players if they are both going to make a strong case in setting up a date with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. High-Stakes Game 7 on the Way Both teams have a lot to battle for – a chance at redemption for the Nuggets, and a budding championship window for the Thunder. It will all come down to execution down the stretch, and OKC head coach Mark Daigneault knows what it is all about – despite not having coached in a Game 7 himself. "We need to be who we've been all season and embrace the opportunity in front of us. We get to play that game at home - because the work we did during the regular season - in front of our fans,” said Daigneault. "Both teams are exchanging blows. They got theirs in tonight. Both teams have done a great job of standing back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday." Neither team has been able to have a commanding lead in the series and has certainly shown that they are trading punches. As the only Game 7 in the Conference Semifinals so far, it is going to have a lot of stakes – especially with the MVP award not being announced just yet.

A total of 64 wins. The Coach of the Year, the Defensive Player of the Year, and three All-Stars. Multiple 10+ game-winning streaks – all down the drain as the Cleveland Cavaliers have now been eliminated at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, who now punch their second straight berth in the Eastern Conference Finals. At this point, the odds have now shifted into their favor, and they are waiting for their next opponent to punch. Much has been said about how the Pacers aren’t ready to contend at a high level given how they ended up in a sweep by then-champions Boston Celtics last season. However, this season has seen a lot of development for the team. Tyrese Haliburton and the gang are starting to be the biggest pick to win in the East, and it is really marking the start of a new era. Indiana dropped 33 points on back-to-back quarters in the second and third and kept toe-to-toe with Cleveland for the final stretch while the home team tried to claw their way back. But the Pacers knocked down the key shots that would later put the game to bed, and it was a blazing finish on the road. The Haliburton Show Earlier down by 19, the Pacers slowly came back to life and had Tyrese Haliburton firing from all cylinders. The hero for Indiana drilled five three-pointers in the second quarter alone and proved to be the pivotal push that the Pacers needed to get their groove back. That has allowed them to claw up to a promising lead in the game and never looked back, with the Cavaliers never getting a taste of the lead all the way to the final buzzer. This playoff run by Tyrese Haliburton has been really fun to watch. Combining to the last run, the Pacers star is now 16-9 in two seasons – a whopping 64% win rate and 2-for-2 on Eastern Conference Finals appearances. No one has been dominant at this rate – not even the best team in the Eastern Conference has been able to stop them in their tracks. Ty Jerome tried to inject some life into the Cavaliers in the third quarter, it was enough to give them a chance to fight in the final moments of the game. However, Cleveland could not knock down most of their shots – including a stretch where Donovan Mitchell missed three free throws that could have tied the game as he nailed a three on the next possession. What’s Next for Both Teams? Cleveland’s majestic season comes to a disappointing end. Another second-round exit is in the books as they are the first 60+ win team to be eliminated in the playoffs. The Boston Celtics are on the verge of being the second 60+ win team eliminated as they are down 3-1 versus the New York Knicks. The Pacers, on the other hand, will wait for the winner between the Celtics and the Knicks – with New York already on its way to push for its first ECF berth since 2000. There is a lot of history between Indiana and New York over the years, including last year’s semis clash where the Pacers emerged as the victors. Now it is expected that these two teams – the upsetters – will be gunning for a chance to make it to the NBA Finals with a war in the ECF coming up.

The Oklahoma City Thunder collapsed hard in Game 3 when they could not buy a single bucket in overtime against the Denver Nuggets. When they went down 2-1, many fans were quick to criticize the Thunder for their inability to close out tight games. So when they came into Game 4, the approach was different, and it paid off well. The Thunder showed that they can adapt, improvise, and overcome against a team that has so much experience on the big stage. Considering how the Denver Nuggets have been a solid squad over the years, OKC’s perfect response shows a lot about how the Thunder really has been great this season so far. Now they have tied the series, and it is going to be in Oklahoma City once more. As the playoffs continue, road wins continue to steal the show. However, the OKC-DEN series has been a beast, and both teams have managed to respond well in time as they continue to put up impressive game performances. At this point, the fight continues in this series and is likely to bring huge adjustments one game after another. The Response of the Thunder OKC went 10-deep in its roster for Game 4, and it actually paid off as the Thunder saw a promising 35-8 twist on bench points – with Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace combining for eight of OKC’s 10 three-pointers. It was a brilliant game for the Thunder, who took a 21-8 lead early in the second quarter and had control of Game 4. They did, however, go down by six to start the fourth quarter. OKC responded with an 11-0 run from that point and did not keep their foot off the gas – throwing haymakers after haymakers as Denver tried to desperately claw their way back for a win. Eventually, the game went down the wire – to fouls and free throws to end the fourth. OKC executed its plays well down the stretch, very much different compared to the last two games that ended in single digits. It was a promising sight for the Thunder, and they have done a great job of tying this series when it mattered most. The MVP Battle Neither star performed well in this game, but it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who shined bright on the big stage as he scored nine big points in the fourth quarter to push OKC to a promising victory. He finished the game with 25 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 8-of-19 shooting from the field. On the other hand, Nikola Jokic did not play well to his standards. The 2024 MVP finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-22 shooting. What was surprising is that he only had three assists – the lowest number he had in that regard for the whole playoffs. The game plan has been working for both teams. Denver is forcing SGA to be a playmaker, while OKC is forcing Jokic to be a scorer. So far, that has turned well to be true for both teams while both stars have responded at a great level. What mattered so far is the surrounding players to support them, and OKC’s depth has shown to be a huge advantage in its own right so far. Now that the series will be shifting to OKC, the homecourt advantage also returns to the first seed in the West. This victory by the Thunder has undone any progress that the Nuggets have made, and now they have a prime chance to close this series in six or seven games.