Jalen Brunson ‘overconfident' Knicks can take next step
This was not about a moral victory.
It wasn't about taking solace in anything after a hard-fought series.
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Jalen Brunson wanted to make that clear.
He didn't view the Knicks reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years as any sort of achievement.
The Knicks captain, however, felt it was appropriate to acknowledge what went right this year for the Knicks, even if they fell six wins short of their ultimate goal.
'I'm not sure 'accomplished' is the word I would use here, but I think the way this team progressed this year, for me it was fun,' Brunson said after the Knicks were eliminated by the Pacers in six games Saturday night. 'There were a lot of people saying we couldn't do a lot of things. A lot of negativity around what we were trying to accomplish and the way we put blinders on and went to work, that's something I was proud of with this team. I'm proud of how we stayed the course.'
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Jalen Brunson reacts during the fourth quarter of the Knicks' Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31.
Charles Wenzelberg
The Knicks had a strong regular season, winning 51 games, their most since the 2012-13 season.
Despite that, they entered the playoffs mostly an afterthought as far as contenders go, largely due to their 0-8 record against the top two seeds in the East, the defending champion Celtics and Cavaliers.
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But the Knicks stunned Boston in the second round, rallying from 20-point deficits at TD Garden in each of the first two games.
They played deeper into the spring than expected.
In the losing locker room, there was frustration and disappointment, but also optimism for the future.
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Jalen Brunson drives with the ball during the Knicks' Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31.
Charles Wenzelberg
A belief that there is more to come from this group.
It was their first year together, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges joining the Brunson-led core that also included Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Miles McBride.
That entire group is under contract next season, and Brunson believes it can take the next step together.
'The most confident. Overconfident. Seriously,' Brunson said. 'There's not an ounce of any type of doubt that I'm not confident with this group.
'We have a lot of guys who are on this team, and I feel like you guys always ask, 'what do you work on whenever you come back?' and stuff like that,' he added. 'And from what I've seen, no one's really out there posting themselves about the things that they do. We have a lot of guys that just genuinely want to work hard to be better, and I like that, and I appreciate my teammates and everything they do and everything they believe in.'
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San Francisco Chronicle
31 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
SuperSonics fans feel no allegiance to the Thunder in these NBA Finals. Go Pacers, the scornful say
SEATTLE (AP) — It's logical to think someone like Danny Ball is a fair representation of Seattle these days. Ball, a hoops fan who runs an Instagram account called 'Iconic Sonics,' is pulling for the Indiana Pacers over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. There are no deep ties between Seattle and Indianapolis. The Seahawks play the Colts this December, so the cities will be foes that weekend. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever probably won't be warmly welcomed when they visit the Emerald City later this month to play the Seattle Storm. But right now, Seattle may as well be an Indy suburb. Seattle fans lost their NBA franchise, the SuperSonics, in 2008 when it was stolen from them and rebranded in Oklahoma City. For the scornful, that means one thing: Go Pacers. 'I'd love to see the Pacers pull it off in six games,' Ball said. The NBA Finals begin Thursday night. For some in Seattle, it'll be a heaping helping of fresh salt on the wounds that opened when the Sonics were taken away. And people like Ball, who was born in Seattle and heard stories of Sonics legends Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton from his father, aren't exactly rooting for Oklahoma City right now. The Thunder are heavy favorites to beat the Pacers. Should they pull it off, the Thunder would claim their first NBA title in Oklahoma City, but technically their second as a franchise after Seattle won the title in 1979. It's no secret the city wants the league to come back. Expansion is on the NBA's to-do list, and it's likely that talks — the first of many, many steps in this process — could start in earnest with interested cities in the next few months. Commissioner Adam Silver, however, hasn't fully committed to adding new teams. 'The issue I would not have anticipated at the time I sort of began talking about the timeline is how much unknown there is about local media right now,' Silver said earlier this year. 'Having said that, though, I would just say again to our many fans in Seattle, and I hear from them often, and the legacy of the Sonics is still very strong and it's a fantastic basketball market, is that we are very focused on it. … We don't take those fans for granted. We're thankful that the interest has remained over all these years.' Any mention of expansion sends fans into a tizzy. Steve Ballmer, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, spoke to the crowd before a preseason game in Seattle — his hometown — in 2023, and made a thinly veiled reference to how fans need to remind the league's New York office how much the city loves the game. 'All night long, it better be loud enough in this building to hear us all the way back in New York, if you get me,' Ballmer told the crowd. 'Let's make sure we're loud tonight.' And then came the Ballmer bellow: 'Go Seattle,' he screamed. It's something Seattle takes seriously, as Mayor Bruce Harrell learned earlier this year in his address to the city. 'Right now, at this moment, I have an announcement to make,' Harrell said, reaching into the lectern where he was standing and pulling out a basketball, spinning it in his hands as he displayed it to the crowd — which began roaring. 'Ah, I'm just kidding.' The crowd wasn't amused. Harrell later was interviewed by Seattle's KOMO News and apologized for the attempt at humor, getting reminded that residents of the city aren't happy that the NBA hasn't returned yet. 'Count me among them,' Harrell said. A very real void has been left in the SuperSonics' absence. The NHL's Seattle Kraken entering the fold has helped, as has the success of the WNBA's Seattle Storm, both of whom play at Climate Pledge Arena, which sits on the site of the SuperSonics' former home. That same arena received a significant remodel ahead of the Kraken arriving, which could make it suitable for NBA games. That would ultimately be up to the association to decide one day, but Ball hopes it would be the Sonics' former home in the Queen Anne neighborhood they get to triumphantly return to one day. 'A lot of Sonics fans that I know I'm sure never got over the wounds of what happened here 17 years ago with them leaving (for) Oklahoma City,' SuperSonics fan Eric Phan said. 'All of the Sonics fanbase (is) rooting for the Indiana Pacers.' Seattle seemed to have a chance at getting a team back in 2013 when the Maloof family put the Sacramento Kings up for sale. But investor Chris Hansen's bid to relocate the team to Seattle was rejected by the NBA's Board of Governors. For fans like Ball and Phan, hope lives on. Ball recognizes that's partially because he is an inherently positive person, and he's hoping for a Hollywood ending. 'It would be poetic if the year that OKC wins the finals — if that occurs — is in the same summer that the league comes out and says, 'Hey, we're forming an expansion committee to start really exploring this process,'' Ball said. 'I think that would help damper or therapize the feelings and emotions that would come along with seeing the Thunder hoist the Larry O'Brien.' Phan pointed out that just because the Sonics don't play in Seattle, it doesn't mean the team is truly gone. 'You can see people walking the sidewalks and streets of Seattle, and even the suburbs,' Phan said. 'People are wearing Sonics gear like they never really left.'
New York Post
32 minutes ago
- New York Post
Leon Rose's daughter shares ‘special' look at Knicks' playoff run in new video
As far as Brooke Rose is concerned, the journey is still unwritten for this Knicks team following their heartbreaking playoff ouster. One day after the Knicks fell to the Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday, the daughter of Knicks president Leon Rose recapped the 'special' run in an Instagram video that highlighted different moments throughout the postseason. Advertisement 'This chapter might have ended, but the story is far from over.. beyond proud of this team. truly something special,' she captioned Sunday's post. '🔒. forever.' The video captured wild celebrations at Madison Square Garden, along with scenes from the Knicks knocking off the Pistons and Celtics en route to their first conference finals appearance since 2000. 6 Knicks president Leon Rose with his daughter, Brooke Rose. Brooke Rose/Instagram Advertisement The Knicks opened the series against the Pacers at home by choking away a Game 1 lead within the final moments of regulation, paving the way for Indiana's 138-135 overtime win at MSG in May. 6 Scenes from Brooke Rose's Knicks recap video shared on Instagram. Brooke Rose/Instagram 6 The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Brooke Rose/Instagram Advertisement The Knicks then found themselves in a two-game hole entering Game 3 in Indiana, but rallied back in the second half to claim their first victory of the best-of-seven series, 106-100. Although they rebounded from a Game 4 defeat with a resounding 111-94 win at MSG in Game 5, the Knicks fell flat in the second half of Game 6 Saturday, ending their season with a 125-108 loss. 6 Leon Rose during the Knicks' playoff run in April 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 6 He high-fived Karl-Anthony Towns during the first round of the NBA playoffs in April 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement 'There were stretches where we played very good defense and stretches where we didn't,' coach Tom Thibodeau said. 'Once we dig into it and look at: Was it our defense, or was it our turnovers? Probably both.' Although it's going to take a beat to digest the loss, Knicks captain Jalen Brunson is 'overconfident' the team — which added Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this season — can take the next step. 6 Brooke Rose said she's 'beyond proud' of the team. Brooke Rose/Instagram 'There's not an ounce of any type of doubt that I'm not confident with this group,' Brunson said. '… We have a lot of guys that just genuinely want to work hard to be better, and I like that, and I appreciate my teammates and everything they do and everything they believe in.' Towns, who drew the ire of local sports personalities in the wake of Saturday's season-ending loss, arrived in New York in October following a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bridges joined former Villanova teammates Hart and Brunson following a trade with the Nets in June 2024 — a move Brooke hinted at on social media at the time.
NBC Sports
42 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview: 2025 NBA Finals prediction, schedule, who to watch
In a few weeks we will have a new NBA Champion — for the seventh straight year — and a first-time champion. Technically. The Pacers have three ABA titles from the 1970s before joining the NBA, and the Thunder's predecessors, the Seattle SuperSonics, had one, but we're not counting any of that. The 2025 NBA Finals are about change, led by a new generation of stars that have taken over the league, even if you wouldn't know it watching the NBA's national broadcast schedule — neither of these teams played on Christmas Day. Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 NBA Finals. When does the Pacers vs. Thunder begin? Indiana travels to Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the Finals on Thursday, June 5. This is a 2-2-1-1-1 format, but for the teams the travel isn't that bad between these Midwestern cities. The Pacers & Thunder have their home arenas 688.4 air miles apart. That is the shortest distance between the two teams' arenas in the NBA Finals since 1971 between the Milwaukee Bucks & Baltimore Bullets (641.6). (via G. Harvey) #NBA Indiana vs. Oklahoma City Finals Schedule 2025 All times are Eastern (* = if necessary) Game 1: Pacers at Thunder; Thu. June 5, 8:30, ABC Game 2: Pacers at Thunder; Sun. June 8, 8, ABC Game 3: Thunder at Pacers; Wed. June 11, 8:30, ABC Game 4: Thunder at Pacers; Fri. June 13, 8:30, ABC Game 5: Pacers at Thunder; Mon. June 16, 8:30, ABC* Game 6: Thunder at Pacers; Thu. June 19, 8:30, ABC* Game 7: Pacers at Thunder; Sun, June 22, 8 ABC* Players to watch Myles Turner Taking too much from regular-season meetings when assessing how a matchup impacts players and teams can be a fool's errand, due to the differing circumstances. However, regarding Turner, it's clear that he will need to be more productive against the Thunder than he was in Indiana's two regular-season defeats if the Pacers are to win their first NBA title. Shooting 6-of-19 from the field, he averaged 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game against Oklahoma City. And while Turner did shoot 56 percent from the field in the Eastern Conference Finals, he only averaged 3.2 rebounds per game. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam will be the headliners for Indiana in this series, but they'll need Turner to be at his best to win this series. —Raphielle Johnson, Rotoworld basketball analyst Andrew Nembhard Nembhard has been effective on both sides of the ball for Indiana over the last two postseasons, and he was the primary defender on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during their two regular season matchups. SGA scored 78 points across those games, and per tracking, he shot 11-of-18 from the floor and scored 27 points with Nembhard as his matchup. Nembhard averaged 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists against OKC this season, so he'll need to continue to be effective on offense, but he simply needs to be able to slow SGA down if the Pacers are going to have a chance to win this series. Aaron Nesmith could also spend time guarding SGA, but it was Nembhard's job during the regular season. As of now, a lot of responsibility will rest on his shoulders to give the Pacers an opportunity to pull an upset. —Noah Rubin, Rotoworld basketball analyst Keys to watch for in Indiana vs. Oklahoma City Turnovers & Transition The Indiana Pacers want chaos on the court. They want a game played at a breakneck pace, forcing defensive cross-matches (if the team even gets back, the Knicks too often didn't). They want to force turnovers and turn the game into a track meet. They make quick decisions with plenty of player and ball movement, even in their half-court sets. The energy and pace at which they played almost seemed to surprise teams at points in the East playoffs. Indiana's problem in the Finals: Oklahoma City thrives in chaos. The Thunder will not be surprised by the pace, they will welcome it — at points these NBA Finals will resemble the Olympic drill. The Thunder have been better in transition than the Pacers this postseason. OKC's defense is a turnover forcing machine that scores 1.42 points per transition possession — Haliburton and Indiana are very good at taking care of the ball, but that will be tested in the Finals. The Thunder have run more than the Pacers in these playoffs: The Thunder have started 15.6% of their playoff possessions in transition compared to 13.8% for Indiana, and the Thunder are scoring at a slightly higher rate on those opportunities. OKC brings the best transition defense in the league to the table. This postseason, both Finals teams have been good at stopping their opponents from running on them — just 11% of Thunder opponent possessions started in possession, that is 11.8% for the Pacers. What Indiana has done well is limit teams, even in transition, giving up less than a point per possession in transition against them (OKC allows 1.15 points per possession in transition, still an impressive figure). If Indiana is going to pull off the upset in this series, it must take care of the ball and not give the Thunder easy buckets going the other way. Indiana also is going to have to figure out how to score consistently in the half court against the best defense in the league because the easy transition buckets will not be there. The midrange game is back No player has attempted more midrange shots these playoffs than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and he is shooting 47.9% on them (according to the NBA's tracking stats). Indiana as a team has thrived in the midrange this postseason, taking 16.4% of their shots from there and hitting 48.7% of those. In a league dominated by 3-pointers, both the Thunder and Pacers are comfortable taking what the defense gives them from the mid-range. We'll still see a lot of 3-pointers in this Finals matchup, especially if SGA and Haliburton are touching the paint on drives then kicking out to open shooters, but both are more than willing to win from the midrange. It's going to feel like a throwback series at times. If one team dominates from there it will be a huge advantage. Haliburton vs. Thunder defense In the opening round, it was Ja Morant, who scored five points below his season average in the face of the Thunder's pressure defense and he was far less efficient, shooting just 41.5% (which was the same as the entire Grizzlies team). Next it was Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray, who shot just 40.5% against the Thunder (down from 47.4% during the regular season). Minnesota's All-NBA Anthony Edwards had an up-and-down series against the Thunder and when it was over described their defense as '15 puppets on one string.' While Tyrese Haliburton has had a brilliant playoffs, when the Knicks cranked up the ball pressure in Game 5 — picking him up out high and being more physical — Haliburton faded into the background for a game. While that game was an outlier this postseason, and he responded to the pressure in Game 6, Haliburton has had similar games before when teams get physical with him. Oklahoma City is going to get physical with him. And be relentless. Lu Dort is likely to start on Haliburton, but Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso will all get their turns. There will be swarming double teams and guys jumping passing lanes as he tries to outlet away from the pressure. For the Pacers to have a chance at the upset in this series, Haliburton has to rise above that and be able to orchestrate the Pacers' offense at the pace they want. That's a lot easier said than done, but Haliburton is playing at his peak. He's going to have to find a new level in this series for Indiana to pull the upset. —Kurt Helin, NBC Sports lead NBA writer Best Bets for Finals I went with the Thunder in 5 (+250) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win the Finals MVP in a landslide (-550). For lunch money, I played the series exact outcomes at +650 and +820. They involve OKC winning Games 1, 2, 4 and 5, with Indiana taking Game 3 (+650) and for the second, OKC winning Games 1, 2, 3, and 5, leaving Indiana to win Game 4 (+820). Those exact outcomes are the second and third favorites in terms of odds behind an OKC sweep (+330). —Vaughn Dalzell, NBC Sports Betting Analyst Predictions Indiana's unique, constantly moving offense and excellent coaching gives them a high floor in any series. They need a ceiling to beat a historic OKC team, though — and that is probably lacking. Obi Toppin, TJ McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Thomas Bryant and Ben Sheppard could all hang through the East — expect them to be Indy's downfall, though, against OKC's relentless pressure. My numbers support a clear advantage for the Thunder in these finals with the home team better by 9.5 points in Games 1 and 2 and 5 points to the good in Indiana. Overall, this gives OKC fair odds of -861, or an 89% chance to lift the Larry O'Brien. Considering this is new territory for a young team and because the Pacers present a few unique challenges, it's reasonable to expect we will see at least 5 games to decide our champion. Predicting the Thunder will clinch at home in Game 5 where they have been absolutely sublime this postseason. Fittingly, SGA completes the MVP sweep in doing so. Indiana has had one of the most memorable and miraculous runs to the NBA Finals over the last 25 years, but it's about to come to an overwhelming end versus Oklahoma City. OKC is the much deeper team with more three-and-D players that can stretch the floor and limit Indiana. Outside of Haliburton or Siakam, I have trust issues with the Pacers' role/bench players' ability to score in this series. There's a reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder (-700) are the biggest NBA Finals favorites since the 2018 Golden State Warriors. In the regular season, the Thunder had the third-highest offensive rating and the highest defensive rating. The Thunder have two players on the NBA All-Defensive Teams. That's not including Alex Caruso, who was the best defender on the team, but ineligible to make the squad. The NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also leads the Thunder's offense. Offensively stout, and they have depth to mix it up both offensively and defensively. The Pacers are insanely talented and deserve to be in the Finals. It's just the Thunder are playing on another level right now. Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In broad strokes, the Pacers and Thunder want to play a similar style of game — both prefer the game to feel chaotic. They spread the floor and move the ball, and both are happy to get out and run, all of which should make for an entertaining NBA Finals. Here's Indiana's problem: Tyrese Haliburton is outstanding, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just better; Indiana's defense is improved and can force turnovers, but OKC's is elite and just better; Myles Turner is good, but Chet Holmgren is just better (especially paired with Isiah Hartenstein); the Pacers bench was good enough for the East, but the Thunder bench is just better. And so it goes down the line. Indiana is a quality team that's about to get overwhelmed.
