Article written and published by Victor Sakou, independent journalist based in Philadelphia.
Oklahoma City Thunder is the first official finalist of the 2025 NBA Finals.
After a phenomenal season and an impressive playoff run, the Western Conference champions now wait to discover their opponent from the East: the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A Lightning-Fast Rise
The Thunder dominated the Western Conference with a 68–14 record, the best in the league.
Led by the *2025 regular season MVP, *Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they eliminated:
Memphis Grizzlies (4–0)
Denver Nuggets (4–3)
Minnesota Timberwolves (4–1)
This marks their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2012.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered outstanding numbers throughout the season, averaging *32.7 points, **6.4 assists, and *5 rebounds per game.
He was also named Western Conference Finals MVP.
Eastern Conference Battle: Pacers vs. Knicks
In the East, the Indiana Pacers lead the series 3–2 against the New York Knicks.
After taking a strong 3–1 lead, the Pacers dropped Game 5 (111–94), giving the Knicks hope.
*Game 6, set for *May 31 in Indianapolis, could decide the Thunder’s future opponent.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are driven by Tyrese Haliburton, who posted an epic triple-double in Game 4:
32 points
15 assists
12 rebounds
0 turnovers
Beside him, Pascal Siakam brings crucial playoff experience and versatility, though his recent comments stirred headlines after the Game 5 loss.
New York Knicks
The Knicks are not giving up.
With Jalen Brunson (32 points in Game 5) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24 points, 13 rebounds), New York is pushing hard to force a decisive Game 7.
The Road to the Finals
The Thunder will discover tonight who they’ll face in the NBA Finals starting June 5.
With home-court advantage and top momentum, Oklahoma City looks like a serious contender to claim its first NBA title since 1979.
And for you, who will face the Thunder in the Finals?
Will the Pacers close it out at home? Or will the Knicks keep the series alive?
Share your predictions in the comments below!
