The NBA will be entitled to an unprecedented final: two ever -titled teams will compete next Thursday at the best of the seven games. By beating New York last night (125-108), Indiana validated her qualification (4-2) and will join Oklahoma City, the winner of the West Conference.
In this confrontation that not many people were waiting for at the start of the season, it is the Thunder of Oklahoma which will leave growing favorite. But the Pacers of Indiana will have assets to assert, as shown by last night over New York Knicks who sold their skin dearly.
It was a full squad effort tonight for Indiana!
Toppin: 18 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK, 7-11 FGM
Nembhard: 14 PTS, 8 AST, 6 STL
Turner: 11 PTS, 4-6 FGM
Bryant: 11 PTS, 3 REB, 3 3PM
Nesmith: 10 PTSThe @Pacers clinch a Finals berth for the first time since 2000! pic.twitter.com/YfIe5s8e5J
– NBA (@nba) June 1, 2025
“These finals were very difficult,” says the coach of the Pacers Rick Carlisle. The knicks were very difficult to beat. Being able to win in front of our fans is huge. We didn’t want to play a game 7 outside. We decided that we were going to decide the course of the meeting, that we were going to make a quick match, with rhythm. Our group is very special. »»
Indiana led the dance and managed to take a good dozen points ahead of the third quarter which turned out to be decisive. The Pacers displayed an insolent success at 3 points (51 %), including players not necessarily endowed in this sector, such as Thomas Bryant (3/4) or Myles Turner (2/3).
Cameroonian Pascal Siakam designated MVP of conference finals
The Cameroonian Pascal Siakam (still 31 points yesterday) was elected by a panel of journalists best player of these Eastern Conference finals. “Congratulations to him, he deserves it so much,” said his coach Rick Carlisle. This guy was the pillar of our consistency throughout the season. “The opposing coach, Tom Thibodeau, explained what makes Pascal Siakam, crowned champion in 2019 with Toronto, so special:” He is extremely talented, he is able to be good on both sides of the prosecution, he was very good during these finals. »»
The Knicks have dragged like a ball These first two defeatsat home, on the occasion of the first two meetings of these finals. They don’t have much to blame themselves but will have to decide whether the option of a massive team is still to be preferred, while the training that wins, currently in the NBA, rather give pride of place.
“It will be a very important off -season for us,” admits Tom Thibodeau, one of the architects of reconstruction, in New York, in the company of the general manager Leon Rose. Knicks leader Jalen Brunson was asked, at a press conference, if Thibodeau was the appropriate man to bring the Knicks to the highest. “Is that a serious question?” Come on, ”replied the New York star before leaving the podium, annoyed.
In the meantime, it is from their TV that the Knicks will watch two unexpected teams compete in the most watched event of the NBA season. “Oklahoma City was dominant, in capital letters, all season, already anticipates the coach of Indiana Rick Carlisle. There is everything to have a super final, and from the point of view of a coach, two very pleasant teams to see playing. »»
