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New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
After six fiercely contested NBA Finals games, the truth remains: It's hard to win an NBA title
INDIANAPOLIS — Among the truest things ever said was spoken, one night, at a group dinner. Among the dinner guests was an NBA champion. His team won multiple titles, actually. And as he regaled his fellow diners with tales from his career, he said, declaratively, and from hard-earned experience. 'Going for that ring takes you to some dark places,' he said. Advertisement This s— is hard. It is hard as hell to win an NBA championship. No matter your pedigree, or your talent, or your will. Or the ability and dedication of your coaches. Or the amount of money your owner has at their disposal. Winning 16 games — four series, four games per series — against the best teams and players on Earth, is a crucible. A kiln of physical and mental fatigue. Not only are your hopes and dreams at stake; so are those of your teammates, your families, your city. You drag the ghosts of your franchise's previous failures on your back. You get the fiercest opponents, their own dreams front of mind and stirring their hearts. The Oklahoma City Thunder went 68-14 in the regular season. They were, and are, a devastating team, led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and a powerful supporting cast that bludgeoned opponents all year. They were 15-6 in the postseason coming into play Thursday, having taken out Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, followed by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves during their postseason run. With one more win, they'd be anointed as one of the greatest single-season teams in history. That coronation got smacked in the mouth on Thursday by the Indiana Pacers, and their wounded star, Tyrese Haliburton, who Willis Reeded his way through 23 minutes on his strained calf, his example lifting the Pacers in a 108-91 rout that forced Game 7 in Oklahoma City Sunday. The Thunder may well win on their home court Sunday. They are ferocious there. But other than Alex Caruso, who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Orlando Bubble in 2020, no one else on OKC's roster has been at this level before. You can't possibly know what this is like until you go through it, all the way. Oklahoma City, the overwhelming favorite coming into these finals, has been shoved up against a wall by the underdog Pacers. Advertisement 'It was hard tonight,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'Indiana was great and we were not. We have the same opportunity Indiana does on Sunday. Score will be 0-0 when the ball goes up in the air. It's a privilege to play in Game 7s. It's a privilege to play in the finals. As disappointing as tonight was, we're grateful for the opportunity.' I know that anything that happened more than 20 minutes ago is the province of the olds and the no-longer relevant. But most teams in the history of this league have been denied championships, year after year, career after career. Not because they weren't worthy. But because their opponents were. 'I have a new respect for the guys, the Steph Currys, the LeBrons, that do this year after year after year, and then go play USA Basketball, and do whatever they do,' said Pacers forward Myles Turner, a decade into his own career. 'It is the most mentally grueling, just like, mentally taxing, but most rewarding feeling, going through this grind,' he said. 'It's a 19-day process, is how we look at it. And there's nights you don't sleep. I've been trying to grow my hair out for the longest time, and it's started falling out a little bit from the stress. It's what it is. But again, it's the most rewarding thing, being able to play as long as possible, and get here.' It is hard to win 16 postseason games and carry the Larry O'Brien Trophy around for the next year. The Larry was in an undisclosed location somewhere in Gainbridge Fieldhouse Thursday, and would only come out after the Thunder finished off the Pacers in Game 6. They did not. In that futility, at least for now, they have company. The team with the greatest single-season record in NBA history, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, didn't do it either. They went 73-9 that season, a win percentage of .890. Their victory over the '16 Thunder, in an epic seven-game Western Conference finals, permanently shattered that Oklahoma City team. Kevin Durant left OKC after those playoffs … to join the Dubs! And yet, that Golden State team, the best in the history of the league, doesn't have a ring. LeBron James, at one end of the floor at Oracle Arena, followed by Kyrie Irving, at the other, didn't allow it, in the last two minutes of Game 7. Advertisement The pursuit of a ring almost broke the late Jerry West, one of the greatest players of all time. He never got over losing six times in the finals to the Boston Celtics. Ever. Boston's Kevin McHale played on what became a ruined ankle, for two months, during the 1987 playoffs. Scottie Pippen's back tortured him during Game 6 of the 1998 finals, when he went back to the locker room, again and again, to be able to squeeze out four or five minutes on the court. Isiah Thomas turned his ankle gruesomely early in the third quarter of Game 6 of the '88 finals, went to the bench for a minute, came back out, and scored a finals single-quarter record 25 points in the period, gimping up the floor in pursuit of the play. The Pistons lost. After the game, Thomas was on crutches. Somebody asked him how his ankle was. 'It's pretty f—ed up, I can tell you that,' he said. The aforementioned Mr. Reed tore his thigh in Game 5 of the 1970 finals, against West, Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers. He missed Game 6. But, of course, he played in Game 7. He scored exactly four points. It didn't matter. Walt Frazier had the greatest Game 7 in finals history that almost no one remembers because of Reed's example. The New York Knicks won their first championship that night. They won a second in 1973. Fifty-two years later, they're still seeking their third. 'Chuck Daly once said, if people had any idea how difficult it was to win one game in the NBA, in the regular season, one game, they would have — you know, they would be shocked,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'There's so many things coming at you, and you're swimming upstream, you're going against great coaching, you're going against high-, high-, high-level players, and guys that go hard and are super skilled and all that kind of stuff. This time of year, not everybody's been deep in the playoffs or to the finals, but I guarantee you that people have a very good idea what goes on and how difficult it is to get here and how challenging it is. I do believe that.' Advertisement Playing through a strained calf is no joke. It usually puts a player out a week or two, sometimes longer. Guys playing on strained calves can find themselves dealing with much more serious injuries soon after. Haliburton was a shell of himself in Game 5 Monday night. He didn't make a single field goal. He only scored four points. He dragged his leg around like it was packed with wet leaves and gravel from the driveway. That he would play Thursday was no secret. That he would play as well as he did — 14 points, five assists, one turnover, for a plus-25 — was, of course, inspiring. But what he had to do to get on the floor! 'After (Game 5) I went to sleep, woke up,' he began. 'Went to the hyperbaric chamber (Tuesday morning). Got an MRI. Had a meeting with a couple of specialists, and my agents, and the organization. And then, the next day, more treatment at the gym, more stuff at the gym. I tried to get some shots (up). And then, just round-the-clock (treatment). Hyperbaric again. Carl (Eaton, Indiana's associate head athletic trainer) and Justin (Tallard, one of the Pacers' physical therapists) have been at my house, came in, put H-Wave (electrical stimulation) on me, and doing a bunch of treatment that way. And then (Thursday) morning, hyperbaric again. I'm usually not a game-day hyperbaric person, but I was just trying to give myself the best shot that I could. … and then, more H-Wave, more treatment at the house.' Haliburton said he won't listen to the 'poison' narratives that will permeate the sports talkosphere between now and Game 7 Sunday night. He wouldn't be able to, anyway. He will spend much of the next 48 hours the same way he spent the previous 48 before Thursday. Trying to coax one more night, one more special moment, out of his barking calf. One more. Because winning this thing is hard. Really hard. (Photo of Tyrese Haliburton: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals: Indiana does what it does best to defend its home court
INDIANAPOLIS — The last time the Indiana Pacers pulled to within two games of an NBA championship, it was a stay of execution, delaying the inevitable celebration for the Los Angeles Lakers — the league's brewing dynasty. It was a show for the home crowd 25 years ago, almost an apology for blowing a winnable Game 4 days earlier. Advertisement These Pacers pulled to within two wins of a title Wednesday because they executed at every margin, putting spackle on every hole and imperfection, and, more importantly, stopped treating the Oklahoma City Thunder like the dynasty they could become. Perhaps this is just a delay, the Pacers defending home court in what feels like an upset, with a dominant fourth quarter on the way to a 116-107 win in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Because how do they keep doing this? The Thunder had their graduation in the second round, knocking off the wounded but prideful Nikola Jokić-led Denver Nuggets, and everything since was supposed to be a coronation for the franchise that built things the right way. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton goes to the hole against Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The Pacers were supposed to be a nuisance, and not even the shocker in Game 1 had changed anyone's mind. It was written off as an anomaly, the Thunder taking their foot off the gas and being caught by a Pacers team many believe to be a level below Oklahoma City, talent-wise. Advertisement The Thunder's defense is historic, both in numbers and eye test, but somehow the Pacers figured out their best friends are their endurance and an energetic crowd. The Thunder are young, buoyed by players mature beyond their years and pretty developed physically, yet they were the ones who were tugging their shorts in the fourth quarter, gasping for air. Maybe it took the Pacers three games to figure out waiting for a great shot means dribbling into a turnover or a bad shot — and they instead let it fly, efficiency be damned. Tyrese Haliburton, welcome to the NBA Finals. He was a special guest star in Oklahoma City, but he's a full cast member now. He refused to wait for the cadre of Thunder defenders to load up on him, and for once, took the game to them — along with being aggressive on defense. 'This is a defense that you can't consistently give them the same look,' Haliburton said. 'If you try to hold the ball and call for screens, they crawl into you and pack the paint. It's not easy. It's really tough. That's why they are such a historical defense. They do such a great job of that. You just have to continue to give them different looks as much as you can.' Advertisement Haliburton came close to a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, but his effect went well beyond the tangible. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle bristles at the notion Haliburton should turn into some unabashed chucker, probably because he knows so many observers are watching his team intensely and intently for the first time all year, and he will remind anyone, at any time, its depth carries it as much as one star. 'I thought his approach tonight was exactly what it need to be,' Carlisle said. 'A combination of spatial awareness and aggression, and, you know, a real good feel for aggression to score along with getting his teammates involved at the right times.' Haliburton was helping to hound Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom the Pacers were way too reverential to in Oklahoma City. They defended him as if they'd be called for a foul just for breathing near him, and to be fair, they weren't wrong. But they at least made him think and consider some consequences — like Thomas Bryant earning an actual foul by grabbing his arm when the MVP caught him in one of those precarious positions that results in unflattering chants and trips to the foul line. Advertisement Gilgeous-Alexander had a traveling violation and some rare errant passes as part of his six-turnover performance, which hasn't happened often in his sterling playoffs. The terms the Pacers have to win on start with being physical and end with being fast. They found themselves on the brink of letting this game, this series, slip away so many times, and then a defibrillator would shock the system: T.J. McConnell doing his best Matthew Dellavedova impression from 10 years ago, minus the driving-at-legs part, with steals in the backcourt and passes knocked away from unsuspecting Thunder players. 'You guys know he's definitely a crowd favorite,' Haliburton said. 'I joke with him. I call him the 'Great White Hope.' He does a great job of bringing energy in this building. And I think people feed off that.' McConnell certainly gave the crowd plenty to cheer about with the first 10-point, 5-assist, 5-steal performance from a reserve in NBA Finals history. Advertisement 'We need all of our guys to bring whatever is their thing to our thing and have it be part of our thing, you know,' Carlisle said. 'But [McConnell's] a guy that inspires a lot of people. He inspires our team a lot.' Then there's Bennedict Mathurin, having the game of his life and not acting like it was at all a surprise. In Game 1, he was pulled after an early turnover during that sloppy first half (19 Pacers turnovers). In Game 3, he was decisive, and if you gave him any space, he was taking a midrange jumper. It didn't matter if it's supposed to be a great shot or not, because damn it, it was an available one, and the Pacers needed every one of Mathurin's 27 points off the bench. That's how they keep doing this. Advertisement The Thunder seemed to have an endless supply of good players, productive ones who'd pop up and do something impactful at a given moment in the Western Conference finals. But for some reason, in a track meet no less, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault only ran with seven for most of the night — with usual starter Isaiah Hartenstein playing just 18 minutes. Think about all the Pacers survived in this one. The Thunder getting off to a crowd-quieting 15-6 start. Starting center Myles Turner being under the weather, which wasn't revealed until after the game, but something was evident in watching Chet Holmgren beat him up and down the floor repeatedly for buckets in the opening minutes. Jalen Williams finally had a game after a shaky start, scoring 26 and bullying defenders on the way there. OKC's Big 3 showed up, combining for 70 points, but it didn't matter after 48 minutes. The Pacers' slim halftime lead built by the bench dissipated in 90 seconds. The lead they regained again slipped through their grasp to close the quarter, trailing by five. Advertisement Make no mistake, this was the series for Indiana. Losing this, in front of this rabid home crowd, would've sapped any optimism for Friday's Game 4, and all would've been lost. 'These guys see where important things are important, and hard things are hard,' said Carlisle, using the phrase that has become a mantra of his. The Pacers have chosen their hard just by getting here, and they don't plan on stopping now.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 On Today? Thunder-Nuggets Start Time, Channel, Where To Watch Thunder-Nuggets Live
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Thunder/Nuggets The top two MVP candidates collide as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder host Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of this exciting second-round matchup. C'mon. Of course this series was going seven games. Led by strong performances from Jamal Murray (25 points), Christian Braun (25 points), and Julian Strawther (15 points off the bench), the Nuggets were able to stave off elimination with a 119-107 Game 6 victory over the Thunder. Advertisement I didn't even mention Joker because his 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists didn't even qualify for a triple-double. Are you even trying, dude?! Kidding, obviously. Jokic continued his incredible postseason run that set up this must-see matchup against Shai, who had 32 points on 11-16 shooting in the Game 6 loss. Can the Thunder win at home, or will the Nuggets pull out the victory on the road? Anything can happen in Game 7. Here's how to watch all the fun online. Is Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 On Today (Saturday, May 17)? Nope. The game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18. What Time/Channel Is Thunder vs. Nuggets Game 7 On? The Nuggets/Thunder Game 7 matchup begins Sunday, May 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN2, and Watch ESPN. Thunder vs. Nuggets Game 7 Live Stream Info: Game 7 of the Nuggets/Thunder series airs on ABC. If you have a valid cable login, you can stream the game on the ABC app, website, or Watch ESPN. How To Watch Nuggets-Thunder Live Online Without Cable: You can also stream this must-see game with an active subscription to fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV, or YouTube TV. All of the aforementioned platforms offer an ABC live stream. FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV provide free trials for eligible subscribers.
Fox Sports
04-06-2025
- Business
- Fox Sports
2025 NBA playoff predictions, odds: Back Thunder to sweep underdog Pacers
After a lengthy layoff between rounds, the NBA Finals begin on Thursday. It will feature the upstart Indiana Pacers taking on the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder. These two teams have taken very different paths to get here. The Pacers were once 10-15 in the early stages of the season and looked like they might struggle to even return to the postseason after such a sluggish start. They eventually overcame that rocky start and captured the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference. The Thunder had no such struggles, as they enter the Finals with an absurd 80-18 overall record — including the playoffs. They even set the record for most double-digit wins as the 1-seed in the Western Conference this season. OKC not only had a record-setting 54 wins by 10 or more but won a staggering twelve games by 30 points or more. has some fascinating tidbits about this series. Betting on these two teams to meet in the Finals prior to the season would have paid 100-1 at BetMGM, while the Pacers were 25-1 to win the East and 66-1 to win the NBA title. This was an incredibly unlikely run, and considering the Pacers' 10-15 start, it's even more amazing. But can they finish the job? I'm skeptical. However, I am somewhat hesitant to underestimate this Pacers team, considering how impressive it has been through the first three rounds. Indy is led by Hall of Fame coach Rick Carlisle and the aptly-named Pacers want to run and gun, playing at a fast, frenetic tempo. But that's usually not the formula for pulling off an upset against a more talented team. The Thunder are young, deep, and outstanding defensively. They will thrive at playing a fast-paced style. What gave the Thunder the most trouble so far this postseason was when the Nuggets dragged them into a slow, half-court game. It also helped that Denver had three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. I think the underdog story comes to an end here. It'll be like when the aforementioned Nuggets quickly disposed of the underdog Heat in five games to win the championship in 2023. The Pacers are a fantastic story, but this is a brutal matchup, considering their style of play. The Thunder, on the other hand, have a plethora of viable perimeter options for defending Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton. FanDuel had "OKC to sweep" at +330 just hours before I wrote this, and it's now the best number on the market at +290. But it's still a bet that I would make. The Thunder are heavy -750 series favorites, and losing would be a historic Finals upset. But chalk should prevail here, as I expect the Thunder to make short work of the Pacers. PICK: OKC (+290) 4-0 Correct Series Score PICK: Total games Under 5.5 (-135) Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
The Guardian
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Thunder team I played for could have been a dynasty. This one still can
I was in Oklahoma City last month as the Thunder clinched their Western Conference semi-final against the Nuggets in Game 7, and saw first-hand the Thunder run Denver off the court. The game wasn't even close. The Thunder outplayed them on both sides of the court. Defensively, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault put the 6ft 5in Alex Caruso on in the 6ft 11in Nikola Jokić and, surprisingly, it worked. With Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein providing help-side support, I watched a frustrated Jokić struggle to get to his spots. His usual tricks – flopping, drawing fouls – didn't work. The Thunder defense moved in perfect sync, and it completely disrupted Denver's rhythm. It was absolutely beautiful to watch. The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named league MVP shortly afterwards, beating Jokić into second, and he thoroughly deserved the award. Their superior defense was on display again in the Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the Game 5 win that sealed the Thunder's progress to the NBA finals, I watched them destroy the Timberwolves and defense was once again the key. Minnesota's Anthony Edwards described the Thunder's defense as: 'One string, 15 puppets on one string.' That's what's driven their rise all year. In a league where defense is often overlooked or criticized, the Thunder have made it their identity. And now, they're just four wins away from an NBA title. But as I have been enjoying this current Thunder team, I can't help but think back to the Thunder team I played for in 2010. The Thunder are heavily favored to beat the Indiana Pacers in the NBA finals, which start on Thursday, and they are the youngest team to ever make the finals since … the Thunder did so with a whole different cast in 2012. But I can say with 100% confidence, that if the Thunder kept that team – with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka – they would have won multiple championships. Back in 2009-2010, when I was part of the roster, the Thunder were extremely young. Scott Brooks was the coach. It was James Harden's rookie year. I remember when I first met him, he shook my hand and said: 'Nice to meet you sir. I grew up watching you play in college with Syracuse. You was blocking everything and dunking everything' That's when I realized I was now the old man in the room. But it also hit me – Harden was in the same position I'd once been in when I joined the Washington Wizards as a rookie, meeting guys like Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Christian Laettner. Throughout that season, myself, Kevin Ollie and Nick Collison, who were some of the elder statesmen on the team, would sit and watch the younger guys, shaking our heads and saying, 'These young cats have no idea how good they are going to be'. It all started with KD. He was the youngest player to ever lead the league in scoring at the time. And his work ethic was something I had never seen before. I remember after one practice, KD was doing this drill he liked – playing one-on-one against an invisible defender. But he went at it with the intensity of someone competing in the NBA finals. Every move was as sharp and deliberate as possible. Everything was at game speed. After practice, we all went in – showered, ate, got treatment, talked. Some of the coaches watched film with players. Then we came back out to the court, and KD was still out there, going full speed with his one-on-one moves. Dripping with sweat. He'd been at it for nearly two hours. I had never seen that kind of focus before. But when the team's star is working that hard, everyone else falls in line-and that's exactly what happened. The whole team rose to his level. Even after someone had a big game, they were back in the gym the next day, working like they'd just lost. They were running defensive slides and drills in the middle of the season, when most teams were cutting practice time. Harden fell right in line and worked hard every day. Even when he made rookie mistakes, he picked up the work ethic quickly. It was clear – if KD didn't have a problem being criticized, Harden couldn't either. I watched Harden study KD closely – how hard he worked on his shot, his offensive moves, his cuts to the basket, how he moved without the ball. Even after dropping 40 the night before, KD went right back to work. And Harden noticed. Then there was Russell Westbrook – fearless, relentless. He trained harder than anyone and played like a Tasmanian devil, all intensity and energy. He'd pick up full court, never taking a play off. I remember Coach Brooks telling the staff, 'If we don't get this guy to slow down, he's going to wear himself out.' But he never did. He just kept going – full speed, all the time. Westbrook was being mentored by Maurice Cheeks, who really took him under his wing, guiding and encouraging him. I remember hearing them talk on the plane after games – you could feel the intensity and passion in Russ's voice. That hunger was real, and it was going to take him far. And it did. Then there was Jeff Green – one of the most underappreciated players on that Thunder team, in my opinion. He was an integral part of their success. He never complained about shots, touches, or a lack of recognition. He just showed up and did his job. Too quick for most power forwards, too strong for most small forwards, and incredibly efficient. He didn't back down from anyone. And his ability to guard positions 2 through 5 made him invaluable. Ibaka was young, athletic, and raw – but he was soaking everything in. He watched KD's work ethic, Westbrook's intensity, Green's professionalism, Harden's shooting (he even did all the shooting drills Harden did on his own time), and Thabo Sefolosha's defensive awareness. Thabo, by the way, was also a key part of that team. Let me be clear: I'm not placing blame on the organization or any player for why this group didn't stay together and become a dynasty. But the talent was there. And they were only going to get better. This will go down as one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history – not if they would've won a title together, but how many they could have won if they'd stayed together. This current OKC team has similar levels of talent. But this time, there's a real chance to finish what they started. And with the NBA finals starting Thursday, they have the chance to begin a championship run – one that could last for years. Etan Thomas played in the NBA from 2000 through 2011. He is a published poet, activist and motivational speaker
