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3 days ago
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Which NBA Finals matchups we're watching the closest in OKC Thunder vs Indiana Pacers
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The 2025 NBA Finals tip off Thursday night with Game 1 between the Pacers and Thunder in Oklahoma City. Here's what the USA Today Sports Network's two beat writers who cover their respective teams the most — IndyStar's Dustin Dopirak and Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman — view as the biggest matchup to watch in the NBA Finals: Advertisement Pre-order commemorative book on Thunder's run to NBA Finals MUSSATTO: SGA or Haliburton? Ranking 10 most important players in OKC Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals NBA Finals matchup to watch: Jalen Williams vs Pascal Siakam So far, Pascal Siakam has been capable of swinging a series to his versatile whims. His crossmatching and lengthy ways proved consistent versus the Knicks, in large part what stuck with the voters who deemed him worthy of East finals MVP. He's a positional problem, able to create off the dribble versus traditional big men and body smaller forwards. Consider Jalen Williams the mismatch for the mismatch. With a freakishly long wingspan, a stocky torso and his affinity for midrange jumpers, Williams has proved challenging for defenses for much of this run. Not to mention his attributes let him scale up or down to defend anyone from Siakam to Andrew Nembhard to Myles Turner. Advertisement Let the best forward win. —Joel Lorenzi, The Oklahoman More: How Chet Holmgren rebounded from hip injury to help power Thunder to NBA Finals NBA Finals matchup to watch: Luguentz Dort vs. Tyrese Haliburton The primary problem Tyrese Haliburton has had to find a solution for over the past two seasons has been top-level defenders who face-guard him and devote all of their attention to keeping the ball out of his hands or giving him no space to operate when he gets it. Early in the season he more than once took the approach of simply sitting back, taking a top-level defender out of the equation and allowing his teammates to play 4-on-4, but he's found that more often than not, that leads to defeat. So he and the Pacers have had to scheme ways to peel those defenders off Haliburton with on- or off-ball screening so that he can get the ball going downhill with space to function. Advertisement The best defenders don't make that easy, however, and no one makes it harder than Oklahoma City's Luguentz Dort. Dort was named first-team All-Defense this year and being defended by him is such a harrowing experience that it has earned the nickname "The Dorture Chamber." At 6-4, 220 pounds, he's built like a linebacker and he's one of the league's most physical defenders. That makes him particularly tough on Haliburton, listed at a spindly 6-5, 185. Dort took Haliburton out of the game almost entirely when the teams met on Dec. 26 in Indianapolis and Haliburton scored just four points on 2-of-6 shooting in the Pacers' 120-114 loss. On March 29, the Pacers were more intentional about screening Dort and Haliburton had 18 points, hitting 4-of-9 3-pointers, but he had just three assists and the Pacers lost 132-111. If Haliburton can't get out of Dort's grasp the Pacers are going to have a hard time making the offense work. — Dustin Dopirak, IndyStar MUSSATTO: Mark Daigneault's hometown always believed in Thunder coach, long before NBA Finals run All times are Central Advertisement This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA Finals: Indiana Pacers vs OKC Thunder matchups we're watching most
Yahoo
28-03-2025
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sends Clear Message After Thunder Make History
The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their historic pace during the 2024-25 NBA season against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night. They won a commanding 125-104 ball game over the Grizzlies, collecting their 61st win of the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was bound to field questions about the unprecedented heights for Oklahoma City. The Thunder superstar led the way for his team, dropping 37 points without even hitting a single 3-point shot in the win. It was business as usual for the Thunder, who made franchise history in the process. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after a win at Paycom Adams-Imagn Images 61 wins in a single season is a new team record for the Thunder, eclipsing the previous best mark of 60-22 by the 2012-23 team. It should be noted that the Seattle SuperSonics did have a 64-win season in 1995-96, so this record would only include the Oklahoma City years. That being said, the mark of 64 wins is very likely to be toppled before season's end too. Advertisement Joel Lorenzi asked Gilgeous-Alexander what the record meant to him. The response was predictable. "It's cool. My ultimate goal, our team's ultimate goal is not to set a franchise record, it's to hoist the trophy at the end of the season, and that's what we're after. So it's cool, but it doesn't feel like stuff." -Shai Gilgeous-Alexander When a follow-up question was asked about whether this was a sign of any sort, the MVP candidate added the following statement. "Yeah, absolutely [it's a sign]. Nothing that we didn't already know, though. We know we're a good basketball team, and we've done a really good job of staying the course this year, and we look up, and we're getting things done, because we're taking it day by day, and that's sort of just what that is." -Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Related: Bill Simmons Suggests Blockbuster OKC Thunder Trade for 2025 NBA Draft The Thunder continue to hold one of the best net ratings in basketball history. They're currently second all-time in the category. The four other teams in the top five have all won championships. Related: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Joins Elite NBA Company After Thunder's Win Over Kings
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27-03-2025
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OKC Thunder clinches No. 1 seed in Western Conference one month before NBA Playoffs begin
Oklahoma City could kick its feet up if it really wanted to. Because on Thursday night, with the Los Angeles Lakers' 118-89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Thunder clinched the Western Conference's No. 1 seed. It became the second youngest team to secure the top seed in NBA history, just behind last year's Thunder team. OKC secured the top spot three weeks earlier than it did a year ago, and just 24 hours after clinching the Northwest Division title. This comes just over a week after the Thunder clinched its playoff spot in a 118-112 win in Boston over the Celtics on March 12, a formality in a dominant regular season. Advertisement The Thunder sit at 57-12 as of Thursday night, 12.5 games ahead of the second-seeded Houston Rockets. It boasts the NBA's best defense (106.1 defensive rating) and fourth-best offense (118.7), complete with the league's best net rating (12.6). The NBA Playoffs begin April 19. Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@ or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at More: OKC Thunder still aiming for consistency with officiating and calls across NBA NBA standings: How Western Conference looks after games on March 20 Advertisement y-Clinched division; e-Eliminated from playoff contention This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder clinches No. 1 seed in Western Conference for NBA Playoffs
