Demons

In a move first reported by Shams Charania, the Washington Wizards landed promising young forward Cam Whitmore from the Houston Rockets in exchange for two future second-round draft picks.
The picks are reportedly a 2026 pick via Chicago and a 2029 pick from Sacramento. The trade, finalized July 6, was part of a larger three-team deal involving CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk joining Washington from New Orleans, according to ESPN.
A Maryland native who grew up cheering for the Wizards, the 20-year-old Whitmore will return home as he enters his age-21 season, aiming to earn consistent rotation minutes. After averaging 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 16.2 minutes over 51 games last season &ndash; and flashing potential with a season-high 34-point outing &ndash; Whitmore was lost in Houston&rsquo;s packed wing rotation, and now most especially after the latest additions of Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith.
For Washington, this is a low-cost, high-upside gamble. With a youthful core of recently drafted rookie Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and others, the Wizards are stacking talent early in developmental windows. Whitmore has previously ranked among the top 10 in draft prospect analytics, and he could emerge as a future starter if nurtured properly.
Meanwhile, Houston adds draft capital, potentially valuable late second-rounders, as part of their shift from a youth-first experiment to a win-now strategy led by stars like Kevin Durant. Rockets GM Rafael Stone emphasized they are no longer in developmental mode and are focused on veteran consistency, signaling that Whitmore&rsquo;s next opportunity would be in a system built for contention.
ANALYSIS: This would be an inexpensive investment for the Wizards as they get a high-upside wing in Whitmore, with potential to develop into a rotation contributor. For the Rockets, this could maximize their current postseason window, freeing minutes and cap space while securing future draft depth. For Whitmore he enters an ideal environment to grow under less pressure and with more opportunity.
This trade marks a defining moment for both franchises &ndash; one leaning into youth and upside, the other into veteran readiness and competitiveness.

The Wizards have landed promising young forward Cam Whitmore from the Rockets in exchange for two future second-round picks.

Wizards acquire Cam Whitmore in trade with Rockets

The Oklahoma City Thunder have secured their franchise cornerstone by signing reigning MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander to a four-year, $285.4 million supermax extension, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
This new supermax is the largest annual NBA contract in history at approximately $71.35 million per season. The deal runs through the 2030-31 season, anchoring Oklahoma City&rsquo;s title-contending core.
SGA&rsquo;s 2024&ndash;25 campaign was historic. He led the league with 32.7 points per game, added 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals, earning both regular-season and Finals MVP honors while guiding the Thunder to their first NBA championship in Oklahoma City. In the Finals, he averaged nearly 30 points per game, solidifying his ascent into elite league company alongside legends like Jordan, O&rsquo;Neal, and Abdul‑Jabbar.
Thunder GM Sam Presti called the move a decisive step in sustaining the franchise's momentum: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s gotten better every single year,&rdquo; Presti said, acknowledging the player&rsquo;s cultural and competitive impact. The structure allows OKC to retain financial flexibility, keeping SGA locked in at historic value while preserving space to build a supporting cast around him.
ANALYSIS: This historical precedent allows SGA to join an exclusive group with Michael Jordan, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, and Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar as the only players to win MVP, Finals MVP, and a scoring title in a single season. With this extension, the Thunder secure their generational talent at least through his age-33 season, ensuring continuity after their breakthrough title run. Despite the record-setting deal, OKC remains positioned to leverage its youth, draft assets, and cap flexibility for future moves. 
This supermax extension solidifies Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander&rsquo;s status as the face of the Thunder for the next half-decade. At the peak of his powers, he ensures Oklahoma City&rsquo;s championship aspirations remain front-and-center &ndash; and the Thunder&rsquo;s window for dominance stays wide open.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have secured their franchise cornerstone SGAto a four-year, $285.4 million supermax extension.

Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander seals future with OKC after record $285M supermax

The WNBA has unveiled the ten starters for the highly anticipated 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All‑Star Game, set for July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Veterans Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever) and Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) have already been confirmed as captains, earning the most fan votes &ndash; 1,293,526 for Clark and 1,176,020 for Collier.
Joining Clark and Collier in the backcourt are Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), and Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty). Bueckers, the No. 1 overall rookie, leads her class in scoring and assists and becomes the first Wings rookie starter. Gray notches her third straight All‑Star nod, while Ionescu secures her fourth.
The frontcourt lineup showcases elite talent: Aliyah Boston (Fever), A&rsquo;ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart(New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), and Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury). Wilson and Stewart each earn their seventh All‑Star selection, while Ogwumike makes history with her 10th &ndash; a milestone tying legends like Tamika Catchings. Boston, in just her third pro season, maintains dominance with 15.9 PPG and 8.2 RPG. Sabally rounds out the frontcourt with her third nod.
The selection process combined fan (50%), player (25%), and media (25%) votes. Clark led guards in fan voting, while Wilson topped frontcourt tallies in player and media polls. Though star power in the voting was clear, several players, like Angel Reese, who are huge fan favorites, were snubbed, underscoring the high level of competition.
Looking ahead, All-Star reserves will be chosen by head coaches and announced on July 6, with team rosters revealed via a draft on July 8. The matchup kicks off All‑Star Weekend, spotlighting the WNBA&rsquo;s elite and celebrating its growing influence in women&rsquo;s sports.

The WNBA has unveiled the ten starters for the highly anticipated 2025 AT&T WNBA All‑Star Game, set for July 19.

Stars align: 2025 WNBA All‑Star Starters announced

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets made waves with two notable offseason moves: Cleveland acquired Lonzo Ball, while Charlotte landed Collin Sexton, both swaps addressing team needs and future direction. Both deals were reported separately by ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Cavaliers land Lonzo Ball
Cleveland secured Ball from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Isaac Okoro, aiming to boost their backcourt creativity. Ball, a former No. 2 overall pick, averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists over 35 games last season after returning from extensive knee surgeries. His career averages &ndash; 11.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.8 apg &ndash; highlight his value as a versatile facilitator and defensive prowess.
Cleveland is taking a calculated risk on Ball&rsquo;s health, but his size, playmaking, and defensive upside fit neatly behind Darius Garland as a backup PG. Meanwhile, Okoro brings defensive energy and youth to the Bulls, who are currently rebuilding and are collecting young talent.
Sexton finds new home in Charlotte
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have added veteran guard Collin Sexton from the Utah Jazz, sending Jusuf Nurkićand a 2030 second-round pick to Utah. Sexton averaged 18.4 points, 4.2 assists, and shot 40.6% from beyond the arc in 63 games, bringing proven scoring punch and his signature defensive, hustling game to a guard-heavy Hornets rotation.
The trade bolsters Charlotte&rsquo;s bench depth but tightens competition at guard, potentially impacting players they drafted in the recent draft, including Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley.
<h3>Trade Implications</h3>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Team
</td>
<td>
Gain
</td>
<td>
Loss
</td>
<td>
Key Impact
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Cavs
</td>
<td>
Lonzo Ball (playmaking)
</td>
<td>
Isaac Okoro (defense)
</td>
<td>
Enhanced ball-handling; health remains a concern
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Bulls
</td>
<td>
Isaac Okoro (young wing)
</td>
<td>
Lonzo Ball (injury-prone)
</td>
<td>
Youthful defense, salary matching
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Hornets
</td>
<td>
Collin Sexton (scoring)
</td>
<td>
Jusuf Nurkić + 2nd-round pick
</td>
<td>
Bench scoring boost, backcourt crowding
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Jazz
</td>
<td>
Jusuf Nurkić (frontcourt)
</td>
<td>
Collin Sexton + pick
</td>
<td>
More size inside, relief for guard development
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
ANALYSIS: Both moves reflect strategic recalibration: Cleveland boosts its offensive engine, Charlotte injects bench scoring, Utah shores up its frontcourt, and Chicago focuses on youth. These trades set the stage for a season defined by fit, health, and long-term planning.

The Cavaliers and Hornets made waves with two notable offseason moves, acquiring Lonzo Ball and Collin Sexton respectively.

NBA offseason moves: Lonzo Ball to the Cavaliers; Collin Sexton to the Hornets

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired veteran guard Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks, sources told ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Holiday, a two-time NBA champion and six‑time All‑Defensive Team honoree, averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season with Boston, while shooting a career‑high 42.9% from deep. At 35, he returns to a Blazers team seeking veteran leadership and defensive stability on the guard and wing spots.
Portland had originally traded Holiday in the blockbuster Damian Lillard deal of 2023, sending him straight to Boston. Now he&rsquo;s back, part of a push to mentor the Blazers&rsquo; younger core, particularly young guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, to try and elevate their competitiveness in the Western Conference.
Simons, 26, brings offensive firepower to Boston, where he&rsquo;ll slot into a 3‑point‑heavy rotation. He averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists over 32 minutes per game last season. Boston also received two future second‑round picks as part of the deal.
According to ESPN&rsquo;s Bobby Marks, the move shaves approximately $40 million in luxury‑tax burden from Boston&rsquo;s books and moves them roughly $18 M below the second apron, enhancing their financial flexibility.
ANALYSIS: Portland expects Holiday to fortify its defense and locker‑room culture &ndash; as the team eyes a return to playoff contention, his r&eacute;sum&eacute; and veteran presence could prove instrumental. His presence could prove to be vital for Henderson and Sharpe&rsquo;s development as they work their way to be stars in the league. Holiday can teach both young guys the defensive acumen and the championship pedigree needed to succeed in the NBA.
For Boston, acquiring Simons means a little bit of cap relief as they float around the second apron of the luxury tax. The 6-foot-5 Simons is also perfect for their system with his three-point shooting and rim pressure both essential elements of their offensive attack.
This move marks a strategic shift for both franchises: Portland prioritizes veteran leadership and defensive toughness, while Boston levers flexibility and younger talent to navigate an evolving roster landscape. Overall, this looks like to be a win-win trade for both teams as they both got what they wanted and addressed a specific need.

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired veteran guard Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons.

Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to the Blazers for Anfernee Simons

With the 2025 NBA Finals shifting back to Oklahoma City for a pivotal Game 5, the Thunder delivered their most complete performance of the series &ndash; blowing past the Indiana Pacers to take a 3-2 series lead. In a game full of defensive highlights, coaching decisions, and unexpected stars, it was Jalen Williams who stole the show and ignited Paycom Center with a breakout performance.
Here are four major takeaways from a statement win by OKC:
OKC&rsquo;s defense smothers Indiana&rsquo;s rhythm
The Thunder&rsquo;s defensive identity was the foundation of their Game 5 victory. They swarmed the ball, clogged passing lanes, and applied relentless pressure on Indiana&rsquo;s guards. OKC forced 17 turnovers, including 10 steals and 6 blocks, dictating the pace from the opening tip and never letting the Pacers find any offensive flow.
Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, and Alex Caruso led the perimeter charge, while Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren walled off the paint. The Thunder&rsquo;s switch-heavy, help-first scheme disrupted Indiana&rsquo;s ball movement and turned defensive stops into transition opportunities.
This wasn&rsquo;t just solid defense &ndash; it was a masterclass in suffocating execution that led to the victory.
The Jalen Williams takeover game
With the Pacers loading up on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all night, Jalen Williams seized his moment &ndash; and then some.
The third-year forward exploded for 40 points on just 24 shots, carving up Indiana&rsquo;s defense with drives, midrange jumpers, and timely three-pointers. Williams didn&rsquo;t just score &ndash; he controlled the game. His poise, pace, and precision punished every defensive coverage the Pacers threw at him.
This was no fluke performance. Williams had been growing into his role all postseason, but this was the official coming-out party &ndash; proof that the Thunder have a legitimate second star capable of taking over an NBA Finals game.
Indiana&rsquo;s puzzling decision to sit TJ McConnell
When the Pacers needed a spark, T.J. McConnell delivered &ndash; at least for a while.
With Tyrese Haliburton clearly hampered by a strained right calf, McConnell took over in the third quarter. He scored 18 points, pushed the pace, and helped trim a 20+ point deficit down to single digits. But in a head-scratching move, head coach Rick Carlisle opted to sit McConnell for the entire fourth quarter in favor of a struggling Haliburton.
Haliburton finished 0-for-4 from the field in 34 minutes and didn&rsquo;t look like himself at any point. Meanwhile, McConnell &ndash; one of the few Pacers with any rhythm &ndash; only saw the floor again near the end of the game. It was a questionable coaching decision that halted Indiana&rsquo;s momentum and left fans wondering what could&rsquo;ve been.
Haliburton&rsquo;s status looms large for Game 6
Indiana&rsquo;s hopes of extending the series hinge on the health of their All-Star guard. Haliburton was clearly limited in Game 5 due to the calf strain. While he tried to gut it out, his effectiveness was minimal, and his mobility looked compromised.
The Pacers will now face an elimination game at home, and Haliburton&rsquo;s availability &ndash; and effectiveness &ndash; could define the outcome. If he&rsquo;s unable to go or continues to play through pain, Carlisle may have to consider leaning more on McConnell or even Andrew Nembhard to stabilize the offense.
OKC, meanwhile, is one win away from capturing the franchise&rsquo;s first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma. And with Jalen Williams joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a legitimate Finals force, the Thunder look like a team peaking at the perfect time.

We break down OKC’s elite defense and Jalen Williams dropping 40 points on Game 5 takeaways.

Thunder-Pacers Game 5 Takeaways: Jalen Williams rises, OKC clamps down Indiana

In a series full of big moments and bigger performances, Jalen Williams finally had his. The 24-year-old wing exploded for a career-high 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink of their first championship since the franchise moved from Seattle.
For one night, the man they call JDub stepped out of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s shadow. He wasn&rsquo;t just the Robin to SGA&rsquo;s Batman &ndash; he became the Batman and carried OKC to victory. He initiated the offense, hit timely threes, attacked the rim with force, and defended like his life depended on it. It was a masterclass from a player once doubted as the long-term second option for this team. But as the confetti fell after OKC's Game 5 win, there was no doubt anymore: Jalen Williams has arrived.
<h3>The emergence of a true No. 2</h3>
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s ascension to the NBA&rsquo;s elite has largely been credited to Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s leap into MVP territory and top 5 player in the league conversation. But no team contends for titles with just one star. Throughout the season, Williams quietly established himself as that second cornerstone &ndash; an All-Star, a three-level scorer, and a swiss-army knife on both ends of the floor.
He averaged over 20 points per game in the regular season with 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, and earned All-NBA Third Team honors. But those accolades were hard-earned, especially after the questions that clouded him following last season's playoff exit.
Against Dallas in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals, Williams struggled to find rhythm. The Mavericks&rsquo; defense smothered him, taking away his drives and disrupting his midrange flow. He shot poorly, turned the ball over more than usual, and appeared unsure of when to assert himself. The Thunder were bounced in six games, and the spotlight turned on whether JDub could ever truly complement SGA as a playoff performer.
<h3>Williams&rsquo; redemption and resolve</h3>
Fast forward one year, and Williams is a different player. With Isaiah Hartenstein added to give OKC more interior toughness and Josh Giddey traded away for Alex Caruso, the Thunder leaned even harder into their identity: wings with size, skill, and smarts.
Williams fit that mold perfectly, using the offseason to refine his handle, sharpen his jumper, and study film to improve his decision-making. The result? An All-Star nod, a 68-win season, and OKC securing the top seed in the entire league.
But the playoffs would again test him.
Denver pushed the Thunder to the brink in the second round. Once again, Williams faced turbulence &ndash; his shot abandoned him at times, and the Nuggets&rsquo; physicality forced rushed decisions. But this time, he didn&rsquo;t unravel. He dug deeper. He impacted games with his defense and passing, then rediscovered his scoring touch just in time to help the Thunder close the series in Game 7.
In the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota, he was magnificent. He shot the ball efficiently, helped neutralize Anthony Edwards at times, and showcased his elite cutting and off-ball IQ &ndash; areas often overshadowed by his flashy isolation moves. By the end of the series, Williams had reclaimed full confidence in his offensive role.
But even that couldn&rsquo;t prepare the world for what he unleashed in Game 5 of the Finals.
<h3>A Finals performance to remember</h3>
With Indiana doubling SGA on every touch and trying to bait OKC&rsquo;s supporting cast into beating them in Game 5, Williams took full advantage of the defensive attention. He sliced through the defense with decisive drives, nailed tough step-back jumpers, and even initiated offense when Gilgeous-Alexander rested. His 40-point night wasn&rsquo;t just about scoring &ndash; it was about control. He looked every bit like a franchise pillar that would be in the city for years to come.
Williams&rsquo; ability to score at all three levels, his commitment to defense, and his feel for the game now make him one of the most complete young wings in basketball. He's not just a complementary piece anymore &ndash; he's a cornerstone.
<h3>Cementing his legacy</h3>
With the Thunder now one win away from an NBA championship, Williams is on the verge of etching his name into Oklahoma City lore. Not just as the guy who played beside SGA, but as the co-author of this team&rsquo;s historic run.
It&rsquo;s easy to forget this is his first NBA Finals. He plays with the poise of a seasoned vet, never rushing, always reading. His blend of patience and aggression makes him nearly impossible to scheme out of a game, and his confidence has caught up with his tools.
Of course, there&rsquo;s still work to be done. Game 6 awaits back in Indiana, and the Pacers aren&rsquo;t going quietly. But for Williams, this postseason has already validated everything the Thunder hoped he could become.
The doubts that loomed after last year&rsquo;s postseason struggles are gone. The idea that he couldn&rsquo;t rise to the occasion? Erased. This run &ndash; this journey &ndash; is proof of how perseverance and belief can reshape a career.
Whether he&rsquo;s cutting behind a ball-watching defender, dishing a no-look dime on the break, or drilling a stepback jumper in the clutch, Jalen Williams is playing with the kind of purpose that changes narratives and wins titles.
The Thunder may soon hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy. And when they do, know that it wasn&rsquo;t just SGA&rsquo;s brilliance that got them there. It was Jalen Williams, too &ndash; the sidekick-turned-superstar, who stepped up when it mattered most.

Jalen Williams delivered a 40-point masterpiece in the NBA Finals, cementing his status as the OKC Thunder’s true second star.

Jalen Williams rises from sidekick to star in Thunder’s NBA title push

This article is from the official press release of EASL
Los Angeles / Hong Kong, June 16, 2025 &ndash; The BIG3 &ndash; the premier global 3-on-3 basketball league &ndash; and East Asia Super League (EASL) &ndash; the Champions League of Asian basketball &ndash; today announced the beginning of a wide-reaching and first-of-its-kind strategic partnership to bring the best in global 3-on-3 basketball to fans across Asia in 2026.
The partnership marks a new chapter for both organizations, combining BIG3&rsquo;s world-renowned 3-on-3 format and entertainment-first approach with EASL&rsquo;s deep connections to Asia&rsquo;s professional basketball leagues, teams, and fan communities.
Beyond the competition, this collaboration is about cultural exchange. In addition to the pace, defense, and creativity that define the game, BIG3 integrates a level of entertainment not seen in other leagues, providing fans and players across Asia with a new way to experience basketball.
Known for its speed, physicality, and non-stop action, BIG3 has built a strong following in the United States and is now expanding its reach. Featuring current and former NBA players, the Hall of Fame coaches, and top talent from the international 3-on-3 circuit, the BIG3 fosters the highest level of competition, and this showcase will deliver a new experience and raise the bar for 3-on-3 basketball across the region.
&ldquo;BIG3 was built to change how people experience basketball,&rdquo; BIG3 Co-CEO Ice Cube said. &ldquo;Through this landmark partnership with EASL, we&rsquo;re taking that mission to Asia and inviting millions more to be part of it. The EASL has done an incredible job elevating the gameplay across Asia and, specifically, growing its popularity with young sports fans. This partnership will set the stage for the future of the BIG3, and we can&rsquo;t wait to bring our game there next year.&rdquo;
This announcement follows the debut of the BIG3&rsquo;s eighth season live in Chicago on June 14, 2025. The highly successful league debuted in 2017 to much renown and has cultivated an incredibly diverse, engaged, and active fanbase with audiences rivaling and topping that of NWSL, NHL, MLS, and MLB.
The league has previously brought its brand of basketball to fans around the world, with international matchups held in Nassau, Toronto, and London, where the 2023 BIG3 Champion was crowned at the O2 Arena in front of a sold-out crowd. Earlier this year, the BIG3 also entered into a partnership with the NaKonal Basketball League (NBL) in Australia to bring the BIG3 game to Australian Basketball fans in Fall 2025.
Since its founding, EASL has focused on raising the standard of competition in Asia by bringing together the top teams from the continent&rsquo;s leading domesKc leagues. This partnership with BIG3 marks the next step in EASL&rsquo;s growth, introducing a new style of basketball and creating additional connections between Asia and the global basketball community.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re here to push limits,&rdquo; EASL Chief Executive Officer Henry Kerins said. &ldquo;BIG3 brings a different level, a different style, and a different energy to basketball. Taking it to Asia with EASL shows how far the game can go. Fans are going to see something fresh and something real, and it&rsquo;s only the beginning.&rdquo;
EASL and BIG3 will continue to collaborate on event planning, fan engagement, and media rollout in the lead-up to 2026, with more announcements regarding sites and schedules to come.

The BIG3 and East Asia Super League today announced the beginning of a wide-reaching and strategic partnership set in 2026.

BIG3 and EASL Announce Partnership to Bring League to Asia in 2026

The Orlando Magic have secured a major offseason acquisition, landing sharpshooting guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
In a headline-making trade amidst the NBA Finals, the Magic sent Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first‑round picks (including this year&rsquo;s No. 16), and a pick swap to Memphis for the 6-foot-5 guard.
Bane, 26, arrives in Orlando on a five-year contract extension and recently averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 48.4% shooting (39.2% from deep). Known for his two-way impact, Bane provides the much-needed offensive spark and shooting consistency the Magic have lacked, particularly after ranking near the bottom in three-point efficiency last season.
ANALYSIS: However, the cost to acquire a player like Bane was steep. Magic General Manager Jeff Weltman traded significant draft capital &ndash; four first-rounders plus a pick exchange &ndash; alongside veteran wings Caldwell‑Pope and Anthony. Orlando views this as a calculated all‑in move, banking on Bane's elite fit alongside Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs to elevate them from a No. 7 seed into true Eastern Conference contenders.
For Memphis, the returns include veteran depth, a massive haul of draft picks &ndash; including future options and a swap &ndash; and flexibility to reset under new coach Tuomas Iisalo.&nbsp;
Bane adds perimeter shooting, playmaking, and defense, key to a deeper playoff run for the Magic. With the Celtics reeling and other teams in shakeups, Orlando aims to creep toward top-tier contention.

The Magic have secured a major offseason acquisition, landing sharpshooting guard Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies.

Magic land elite two-way guard Desmond Bane from Grizzlies in blockbuster trade

SGA takes over late as Thunder tie NBA Finals at 2-2 with tactical switches
The Oklahoma City Thunder are built on poise, patience, and principles. So when they found themselves staring down a 2-1 series deficit against the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals, they didn&rsquo;t panic. They adjusted, and they simplified. And then, they unleashed their superstar.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, already in the midst of a historic postseason run, delivered another defining performance in Game 4 &ndash; one that swung the Finals and cemented his status as the alpha on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage. Down late in the fourth quarter, SGA scored or created nearly every crucial bucket, finishing the night with 35 points, with one transcendent takeover.
But this wasn&rsquo;t just about a scoring outburst. This was high-level basketball IQ, surgical execution, and coaching precision from Mark Daigneault wrapped into a four-minute flurry that may ultimately define the 2025 NBA Finals.
The adjustment that shifted the game, and possibly the series
With 3:54 left in the fourth quarter and the Thunder trailing by five, head coach Mark Daigneault called a timeout. Up to that point, Indiana&rsquo;s defensive scheme &ndash; centered on Andrew Nembhard defending Gilgeous-Alexander &ndash; had largely held up. Nembhard, who&rsquo;s known SGA since their childhood days playing in Canada, was disciplined and physical without fouling, staying grounded against SGA&rsquo;s deceptive fakes and change-of-pace moves.
But Daigneault didn&rsquo;t overcomplicate things. Out of the timeout, he made one small yet powerful tweak: Oklahoma City began actively hunting switches to get Aaron Nesmith onto Gilgeous-Alexander.
It worked like clockwork. The Thunder ran repeated ball screens involving Jalen Williams, with Nesmith as the on-ball defender. Once the switch occurred, SGA went to work.
What followed was a brilliant stretch of controlled basketball dominance.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">3:35 left &mdash; SGA attacks Nesmith off a switch, draws a foul, and calmly sinks two free throws.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">3:01 left &mdash; With Williams initiating, SGA spaces out on the right wing. Nesmith switches onto him. One dribble pull-up three. Splash. Thunder cut the Pacers&rsquo; lead to one.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">2:23 left &mdash; In transition, SGA motions for an isolation. Williams clears out, Nesmith stays on him. Stepback fade from the left wing. Money. Thunder take the lead.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1:38 left &mdash; Thunder run the same switch at the midpost. SGA attacks again, drawing Nesmith&rsquo;s sixth foul &ndash; and he&rsquo;s done for the night.</li>
</ul>
This was completely broken down from a video by Steph Noh:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
With 3 min 52 sec remaining, Mark Daigneault called timeout and made the adjustment that won the Thunder Game 4. Nembhard had been guarding SGA extremely well. Thunder used the same action 3x to get Nesmith to switch, Shai kept scoring/getting the foul call. <a href="https://t.co/6g4GnhA0RU">pic.twitter.com/6g4GnhA0RU</a>
&mdash; Steph Noh (@StephNoh) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1933735227999810014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</blockquote>
These weren&rsquo;t just buckets and free throws &ndash; they were calculated, unhurried, and inevitable. And just like that, the Thunder took control of the game and the momentum of the series.
Daigneault&rsquo;s postgame comments echoed the calmness his team displayed during that decisive run, which has been the Thunder&rsquo;s blueprint all season. The Thunder rarely stray from their core principles. They space the floor, they move the ball, and they trust Gilgeous-Alexander to dissect whatever coverage comes his way. But this time, they leaned into the moment. They fed their MVP the exact looks he needed and let him take it home.
The beauty of OKC&rsquo;s late-game offense was in its simplicity. Instead of running elaborate sets or off-ball actions, they flattened the floor, used one screener to create the mismatch, and let their best player read the floor. No wasted motion and no hesitation, just straight up takeover from their superstar.
SGA's Finals legacy is taking shape
Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored 30+ points in three of the four Finals games, and he&rsquo;s doing it efficiently and under control. He&rsquo;s not just a volume scorer &ndash; he&rsquo;s manipulating defenses, managing pace, and bending the game to his rhythm.
Game 4 wasn&rsquo;t just a highlight reel of clutch plays. It was a masterclass in reading matchups, knowing personnel, and executing a plan. There&rsquo;s a reason why Indiana put Nembhard on him and not Nesmith. The moment the Thunder exploited that switch, it turned the game around, and possibly the series.
And it&rsquo;s worth remembering: this is Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s first trip to the Finals. Yet he plays like he&rsquo;s been here before.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
With the series now tied 2-2, the pressure swings back to the Pacers. They&rsquo;ve been remarkable all postseason, and Game 4 was no exception &ndash; they executed their game plan for 44 minutes. But when the game slowed down and turned into a star duel, SGA stood tallest.
Game 5 looms large. And if the Thunder keep finding ways to free their MVP, it&rsquo;s hard to bet against them.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took over late as the Thunder tied the NBA Finals 2-2, punishing switches to seal Game 4.

SGA TAKES OVER: How the Thunder overcame the Pacers in Game 4 to even the series

In a postseason filled with emotion, grit, and resolve, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has stood at the center of it all &ndash; he&rsquo;s calm, composed, and unrelenting. Now, two games into his first NBA Finals appearance, the Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s All-NBA superstar is putting the finishing touches on a masterpiece of a season, one that could go down as one of the greatest individual campaigns in league history.
With 34 points in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, following up a 38-point performance in the series opener, Gilgeous-Alexander has the Thunder in a great position to win a title, and he has cemented his place in rarified air. His 72 combined points are the most ever in a player&rsquo;s first two NBA Finals games, eclipsing a mark previously associated with some of the game&rsquo;s all-time greats.
And he&rsquo;s not done just yet.
<h3>Elite company, historic pace</h3>
In the postseason, every possession carries weight, and every moment is magnified. But for Gilgeous-Alexander, these moments don&rsquo;t appear to faze him. He&rsquo;s not just rising to the occasion &ndash; he&rsquo;s controlling it.
Game 2's 34-point outing marked his ninth consecutive home playoff game with 30 points or more, joining only Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history to accomplish that feat. In doing so, he also notched his 11th playoff game with at least 30 points and five assists, a stat line that only LeBron James and Michael Jordan have reached in multiple postseason runs.
LeBron did it in three separate years. MJ did it in two. Shai&rsquo;s doing it this year.
His consistent brilliance has propelled him to the top of the 2025 playoff scoring leaderboard. With 516 total points, he recently passed Jalen Brunson (514) for the most points scored in this year&rsquo;s postseason. He&rsquo;s doing it efficiently, artistically &ndash; and with the kind of poise that makes it clear: this is his moment.
<h3>The MVP is carrying like an MVP</h3>
The Thunder have been one of the NBA&rsquo;s most compelling stories all year &ndash; a young, unselfish team loaded with talent, built through the draft, and molded into a contender. But in the crucible of the playoffs, every great team needs that singular force &ndash; that player who can tilt the court, break a defense, and change the game&rsquo;s emotional temperature.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is that force for Oklahoma City.
After leading the league in scoring during the regular season and earning All-NBA First Team honors, he was named the 2025 NBA MVP &mdash; a recognition of his two-way dominance and night-to-night consistency. And now, as the lights burn brighter, he&rsquo;s gone from award-winner to tone-setter.
He&rsquo;s playing with a purpose that goes beyond personal accolades. He&rsquo;s the heartbeat of a team chasing history, and he&rsquo;s doing it in the most demanding stage of all.
What&rsquo;s perhaps most impressive is how SGA has handled each phase of the journey with equal parts humility and hunger. His playoff run has been defined not just by numbers, but by moments &ndash; dagger shots, crafty finishes, fourth-quarter takeovers, and calm in chaos. He hasn't just been great &ndash; he's been inevitable.
<h3>A season for the ages</h3>
Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s latest performance gave him over 3,000 total points on the season &ndash; combining regular-season and playoff scoring &ndash; another milestone in a campaign already overflowing with them.
To put this into perspective: he could complete the kind of six-for-six checklist that only a handful of players in NBA history have even dreamed of &ndash; league scoring champion, regular-season MVP, All-NBA First Team, Western Conference Finals MVP, NBA champion, and Finals MVP &ndash; all in a single season.
Each of those achievements alone is significant. Together, they form a portrait of a transcendent season &ndash; the kind of year that defines legacies and reshapes the league&rsquo;s power structure.
The Thunder&rsquo;s rise from rebuilding team to Finals frontrunner has been sudden to some, but internally, it&rsquo;s been calculated and patient. Still, without Gilgeous-Alexander, their timeline likely looks different. He&rsquo;s the player who made their future arrive early &ndash; and now, he might be the one who delivers their first title since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.
<h3>Beyond the numbers</h3>
What sets Gilgeous-Alexander apart, especially in this Finals run, is not just what he&rsquo;s doing &ndash; it&rsquo;s how he&rsquo;s doing it.
His game is quiet but surgical. He doesn&rsquo;t overpower defenders with brute strength or dazzle with deep threes. Instead, he picks his spots, manipulates angles, and imposes his rhythm. There&rsquo;s a jazz-like quality to his game &ndash; unpredictable, fluid, yet meticulously controlled.
In clutch time, he&rsquo;s been near automatic. Whether it&rsquo;s using his footwork to dance into mid-range jumpers or drawing contact for crucial free throws, SGA has been the ultimate closer for a Thunder team that continues to rise to every challenge.
It&rsquo;s that unselfishness, combined with his relentless work ethic and stoic demeanor, that has endeared him to teammates and fans alike. There&rsquo;s an old soul quality to SGA&rsquo;s approach &ndash; a maturity that belies his age and a leadership style rooted in accountability, not noise.
<h3>The final step</h3>
Now just three wins away from basketball immortality, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder find themselves on the brink of a championship. But the job&rsquo;s not finished.
The NBA Finals will shift to the opposing city for Games 3 and 4, where the pressure will mount, the crowd will roar louder, and the resistance will tighten. The margins will be razor-thin. But if this postseason has shown anything, it&rsquo;s that Gilgeous-Alexander has the heart, the game, and the will to push through.
This run has already carved his name into the record books. What comes next could define the start of SGA and the Thunder&rsquo;s era.
And for a Thunder team guided by youth and galvanized by Shai&rsquo;s leadership, the future isn&rsquo;t just bright &mdash; it&rsquo;s arriving right now.

SGA is delivering one of the greatest playoff runs in NBA history, leading the Thunder while making MVP-level history along the way.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivers MVP-level heroics in first NBA Finals trip

After falling short in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder responded in the best way possible by delivering a dominant performance in Game 2. Their emphatic 123-107 win over the Indiana Pacers was a display of strategic adjustments, improved production from key contributors, and continued mental toughness that has defined their season.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Game 2:
Aaron Wiggins makes the most of his moment
Every NBA Finals features a surprise contributor who seizes the spotlight, and in Game 2, that player was Aaron Wiggins. The 26-year-old wing delivered 18 points in just 20 minutes off the bench after only just playing 9 minutes in Game 1, giving the Thunder a massive lift. Whether it was spotting up for threes, slashing to the rim, or capitalizing on defensive lapses, Wiggins was relentless and efficient.
His energy, activity, and versatility on both ends allowed OKC to maintain momentum when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rested. Wiggins not only outscored every Pacers starter &ndash; he made it clear that he&rsquo;s more than a role player that can light it up whenever given the chance on this stage.
OKC&rsquo;s double big lineups make their mark
One of the most important adjustments from Game 1 was Mark Daigneault&rsquo;s decision to lean more heavily on the double-big look with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. That pairing proved dominant in Game 2.
Together, they posted a +16 in their minutes on the floor &ndash; a strong indicator of their effectiveness. The duo controlled the paint, altered countless shots, and even connected on a highlight-reel alley-oop that underscored their improving chemistry.
This look not only gave OKC a size advantage but also neutralized Indiana&rsquo;s interior scoring, a key difference from Game 1.
OKC defense stifles Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton struggled in Game 2 as he failed to make a significant impact against OKC&rsquo;s disciplined defense. The Thunder's perimeter defenders &ndash; especially Lu Dort and Alex Caruso &ndash; cut off driving lanes, forced tough shots, and made him work for every inch of space.
Although Haliburton finished with 17 points, he dished out only 5 assists and had 5 turnovers, which well below his usual standard. If Indiana wants to regain control of the series, they&rsquo;ll need their All-Star floor general to find ways to adapt and reassert himself.
The others step up big for the Thunder
What Indiana did so well in Game 1 &ndash; getting contributions from across the roster &ndash; was flipped completely in Game 2 by Oklahoma City. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to lead the way, the Thunder had four other players score at least 15 points.
Jalen Williams (18 points) and Chet Holmgren (17) played much more assertively as the No. 2 and 3 options, but it was the bench production that stole the show. Alex Caruso poured in 20 points and Aaron Wiggins added 18. Combined, they outscored every individual Pacers player, including Indiana's starters.
This kind of collective performance is what makes the Thunder so dangerous. On any given night, they have multiple players capable of swinging a game.
Resilient Thunder bounce back yet again
One thing has held true all season for OKC &ndash; they don&rsquo;t let losses linger.
With this Game 2 win, the Thunder improved to 18-2 following a loss this season (including the in-season NBA Cup, which doesn&rsquo;t count in official standings). Even more impressively, 12 of those 18 bounce-back wins have come by double digits.
OKC has yet to lose back-to-back games in these playoffs. In fact, they&rsquo;ve only lost two consecutive games twice all season. That kind of short memory and mental toughness has been one of their greatest strengths &ndash; and it showed up again on the league&rsquo;s biggest stage.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
With the series now tied 1-1, the Finals shift to Indiana, where the Pacers have thrived all postseason. But if Game 2 taught us anything, it&rsquo;s that this Thunder team has the personnel, the coaching, and the resilience to keep adjusting and keep fighting.
Game 3 promises to be a battle &ndash; but after this dominant response, Oklahoma City has firmly reasserted itself in the series.

Thunder dominate Game 2 of the NBA Finals: Aaron Wiggins steps up, OKC's double bigs shine, and Haliburton struggles.

Thunder-Pacers Game 2 Takeaways: What we learned from Game 2

Indiana overcomes 15-point deficit behind late-game brilliance to steal series opener
In their playoffs full of improbable comebacks, the Indiana Pacers added their most dramatic one yet &ndash; stealing Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-110.
For the 43 minutes and 59.7 seconds of game time, the Pacers never once led. But as they&rsquo;ve done all playoffs long, they clawed their way back from a daunting double-digit deficit and delivered a perfectly-timed knockout punch when it mattered most.
How did the Pacers do it? The shift began in the third quarter, when Indiana initiated a pair of offensive sets to get Benedict Mathurin involved. First, they ran simultaneous actions: a high pick-and-roll between Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam at the top of the key, while Thomas Bryant set a pindown for Mathurin on the wing. Mathurin caught the pass, drove middle, and dropped it off to Bryant for a thunderous one-handed jam.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Mathurin drop pass to Bryant <a href="https://t.co/mZAm4rIbJn">pic.twitter.com/mZAm4rIbJn</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021125523501159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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On the ensuing sideline out-of-bounds play, the Pacers simplified things &ndash; Mathurin ran a high pick-and-roll with Bryant at the top. He got downhill quickly and drew a foul on Isaiah Hartenstein. Though OKC challenged the call, the review was unsuccessful &ndash; costing the Thunder their last challenge and later proving costly. Mathurin knocked down both free throws, trimming the lead to single digits at 70-79 for the first time since the first quarter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Mathurin straight line drive, fouled <a href="https://t.co/zV7a8jB8da">pic.twitter.com/zV7a8jB8da</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021129893978546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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After an OKC three, Indiana immediately countered by Indiana as TJ McConnell pushed the ball on the other side right after the make. Using his quickness, McConnell blew past SGA on an empty corner downhill drive and got a paint touch off of it. Hartenstein left his man Bryant on the left corner to challenge the drive, then McConnell delivered a no-look pass to Bryant who then knocked down a three to answer, bringing the lead back to single digits again.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Bryant corner three <a href="https://t.co/nDmbPRjklx">pic.twitter.com/nDmbPRjklx</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021133664645510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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Those two Mathurin plays were important as OKC shifted their focus to him. With OKC now devoting more defensive attention, the Pacers continued manipulating matchups. On the final Indiana possession of the quarter, McConnell motioned for Mathurin to set a screen. The Thunder attempted a pre-switch between Caruso and SGA, trying to neutralize the threat. But the slight miscommunication allowed McConnell to zip a pass to Siakam, who was left alone in the right corner. Siakam calmly buried the three, bringing Indiana within six at 76-82. SGA answered with a buzzer-beater triple, but the Pacers had already shifted the tide.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Siakam corner three <a href="https://t.co/HuZStoN4Ps">pic.twitter.com/HuZStoN4Ps</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021139733783030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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Still, that was all Indiana needed &ndash; to cut the lead down to single digits before the start of the 4th quarter to make it a manageable deficit, as they try to conjure their signature end game runs that they have been doing all playoffs long.
OKC even pushed the lead to as high as 15 points, 94-79, after a turnover by the Pacers that led to a Jalen Williams breakaway jam &ndash; but Indiana never panicked.
The Pacers just would not quit and as they have been doing in these playoffs, fought and crawled back into the game.
A series of scores for the Pacers ensued: Mathurin attacked Caruso for a strong layup. Then, Andrew Nembhard blew by Caruso for a tough and-one. Myles Turner hit a corner three. Obi Toppin knocked down his fifth three of the game. In just a matter of minutes, the lead had evaporated to 91-98.
Indiana got even closer with yet another beautiful sideline out of bounds play: Nembhard got the ball to the middle off the screen from Myles Turner, then he turned around to set yet another screen for Haliburton (who inbounded the ball), but instead it turned to a flare screen and Turner popped out. He got Chet Holmgren off his feet and proceeded to drill a tough stepback three off the glass from the left corner to cut the lead to 4, 94-98, marking a 12-2 over the last three minutes for the Pacers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Turner stepback three <a href="https://t.co/eMowGKcsju">pic.twitter.com/eMowGKcsju</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021144095936685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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Next time down, Indiana went to Turner again as Nembhard found him again off the pick and pop action for a right elbow jumper. 96-100 OKC
Off another OKC miss, Haliburton grabbed the rebound, ran the length of the floor, surveyed it for potential passing options, before doing a hesitation dribble that confused SGA. It allowed Haliburton to blow past him and earn a layup on the break &ndash; something the Pacers had not had much of this game.
Oklahoma City responded with a tough SGA finish and four free throws to stretch the margin back to nine, 105-96. But Indiana came right back, with Aaron Nesmith burying a left-corner three off a broken play to make it 102-108.
Next play down, Indiana survived once again after Jalen Williams missed a wide-open three-point attempt. Nembhard brought the ball the other way and did a series of dribble moves on SGA before drilling the impressive stepback three from the left wing. The Pacers have now come all the way from 15 down to cut the lead to just 3, 105-108 with 2 minutes left in the game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Nembhard stepback three <a href="https://t.co/8WGH4gHHR5">pic.twitter.com/8WGH4gHHR5</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021149242364050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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The Thunder briefly steadied themselves with a Lu Dort block and an SGA layup to go up 110-105, but that would be their last field goal of the night.
Nembhard calmly sank two free throws, and Siakam followed a crucial block on SGA with a hustle play on the other end &ndash; putting back a missed three to make it 109-110 with under a minute to play.
After forcing two stops &ndash; one on Williams, another on SGA &ndash; the Pacers got the ball back off a rebound with the game on the line. Rick Carlisle trusted his team to find the right shot. It was when Haliburton delivered: an off-balance 18-foot jumper from the right wing that rattled in to give the Pacers their first &ndash; and only &ndash; lead of the game with 0.3 seconds remaining.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Haliburton for the win <a href="https://t.co/mWrlgNpFJf">pic.twitter.com/mWrlgNpFJf</a>
&mdash; Mon Anthony Valmoria (@MorvalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorvalNBA/status/1931021156833984600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a>
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OKC was not able to get a shot off for the final possession of the game and thus completed another wild Pacers comeback.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;&nbsp;
In the end, OKC missed their shots on offense as they had a hard time protecting the lead, while Indiana got to their offense more with flow and rhythm in the 4th.
The Thunder shot 5-of-17 in the final frame and they were not able to make shots as Indiana chipped away possession by possession. Meanwhile, the Pacers executed with precision and confidence. Whether through elaborate sideline plays or simple two-man actions, they kept creating looks &ndash; and more importantly, they kept converting them.
Game 1 was a microcosm of Indiana&rsquo;s identity in these playoffs: resilient, relentless, and fearless in the face of deficits. With the win, they&rsquo;ve now stolen home court and placed all the pressure on Oklahoma City to respond in Game 2.

Take a deep dive on how the Pacers came back once again this time against the Thunder in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Comeback kings strike again: How Indiana stole Game 1 vs OKC

In an NBA era defined by star-chasing, supermax contracts, and eye-watering luxury tax bills, the Indiana Pacers have defied every expectation &ndash; and the associated financial precedent. This isn't just a Cinderella story &ndash; it is a testament to the franchise&rsquo;s strategic planning, belief, and organizational cohesion. The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just sneak into the NBA Finals. They earned their way there, brick by brick, all while keeping their books clean and their identity intact.
When the final buzzer sounded in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it wasn&rsquo;t just a win for Indiana &ndash; it was a triumph for every small-market franchise searching for hope. In a league that often favors the big spenders, Indiana made it through without ever crossing into luxury tax territory. It&rsquo;s a feat that&rsquo;s not just impressive &ndash; it&rsquo;s unprecedented in today&rsquo;s NBA landscape.
This Finals appearance isn&rsquo;t an overnight success. What they lacked in payroll, they made up for in vision, development, coaching, and complete buy-in from the front office, to the coaching staff, and the players themselves &ndash; making this a culmination of the belief that you can build a winner through cohesion and culture &ndash; and not just cost.
<h4>A vision realized for Indiana</h4>
The foundation of Indiana&rsquo;s Finals run traces back to February 2022. The Pacers shipped All-Star Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and received a then-rising guard in Tyrese Haliburton.&nbsp;
At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. Many questioned the move and a few understood the vision.
However, Indiana did. They saw a lead playmaker who could evolve into the face of their franchise. Three years later, Haliburton has done exactly that &ndash; growing into an All-NBA-caliber PG, powering the league&rsquo;s fastest-paced offense and leading the Pacers with maturity beyond his years.
Haliburton was also someone who could not only run their offense but also carry the culture. The result was a floor general with a team-first mentality and elite passing instincts, now one of the NBA's most dynamic point guards, but at the same time has one of the energetic personalities and star vibe in the league. Haliburton&rsquo;s development into a full-fledged star wasn&rsquo;t accidental. It was intentional &ndash; nurtured by head coach Rick Carlisle, empowered by the front office, and amplified by the supporting cast that embraced his leadership.
The vision was clear from the start: make Haliburton the center of everything. Build around his IQ, his unselfishness, and his drive. That clarity allowed the front office to pursue players who complemented his skill set, not cluttered it.
One of those pieces came midseason in the form of Pascal Siakam, acquired from Toronto. Siakam brought championship pedigree, defensive versatility, and a scoring punch that balanced out Indiana&rsquo;s offense. While most teams searched for flash, Indiana sought fit. Siakam wasn&rsquo;t just a name &ndash; he was a need, and he filled it perfectly with all his traits that the team needed.
Pairing Haliburton&rsquo;s creativity with Siakam&rsquo;s downhill force turned Indiana into an offensive juggernaut. They didn&rsquo;t just outscore opponents, they overwhelmed them with pace, precision, and purpose.
<h4>Finding value in &ldquo;rejects and cast-offs&rdquo;</h4>
Indiana&rsquo;s roster isn&rsquo;t built on big names &ndash; it is built on belief.&nbsp;
Obi Toppin, once a lottery pick in New York, never got the role or runway he needed. In Indiana, he found freedom. In Carlisle&rsquo;s system, his athleticism became a weapon, not an afterthought.
Aaron Nesmith was viewed as a spare part in Boston, part of the return in the Malcolm Brogdon deal. Now? He&rsquo;s a defensive stopper, reliable shooter, and starter for a Finals-bound team.
Both were labeled as afterthoughts elsewhere but in Indiana, they were seen as untapped potential, and they have been vital pieces in this run to the Finals. These weren&rsquo;t lottery tickets. These were strategic buys; low-risk, high-reward acquisitions that paid off because the Pacers provided the right ecosystem for growth.
In a system that values spacing, ball movement, and grit, players like Toppin and Nesmith flourished. Their emergence wasn&rsquo;t just a bonus &ndash; it was necessary. The Pacers&rsquo; depth became one of their biggest advantages, and it was built on players most teams had given up on.
<h4>Myles Turner: The loyal soul that stayed after being through it all</h4>
If there&rsquo;s a symbol of Indiana&rsquo;s perseverance, it&rsquo;s Myles Turner. For years, he was in every trade rumor imaginable. Yet he never asked out, never wavered, and just kept working.
Now, the longest-tenured Pacer is finally on the biggest stage. Turner&rsquo;s elite shot-blocking, stretch/spacing ability, and leadership have anchored this team in every sense.&nbsp;
Turner is the defensive anchor and emotional pillar of Indiana&rsquo;s run, and on a team full of new faces, his presence provided continuity which he has embodied from day one.
His loyalty was rewarded and his patience paid off. And in a poetic twist, he&rsquo;ll play for a title in the only uniform he&rsquo;s ever known.
<h4>The right draft picks, the right roles, and the culture setters</h4>
The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just win the draft &ndash; they won the development battle. Andrew Nembhard, taken 31st overall in 2022, has become one of the best value picks in recent years. His poise, defensive tenacity, and timely playmaking have been invaluable throughout the playoffs next to Haliburton.
Then there&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin &ndash; flashy, fearless, and unafraid of the moment. He&rsquo;s not a volume scorer yet, but his playoff contributions &ndash; attacking off the bench, hitting momentum-swinging shots &ndash; have added another dimension to Indiana&rsquo;s attack.
Together, they reflect the front office&rsquo;s shrewdness. Indiana didn&rsquo;t just draft talent &ndash; they drafted competitors that can be brought to war.
On the other hand, people like TJ McConnell &ndash; veterans who show up, do the work, and demand accountability &ndash; have helped shape the culture in Indiana. McConnell may not stuff the stat sheet, but he sets the tone. Every loose ball, every second-unit possession, every moment of urgency, he&rsquo;s there &ndash; diving, scrapping, leading.
In the playoffs, when the margin of error shrinks, players like McConnell make the difference. His presence alone changes games &ndash; and reflects the kind of winning culture Indiana has quietly cultivated for years and it has absolutely paid off with this Finals run.
<h4>Brilliant coaching by veteran champion coach Rick Carlisle</h4>
However, none of this happens without Rick Carlisle. Over a decade removed from his legendary 2011 title run with Dallas, Carlisle has once again proven his genius. He reinvented Indiana&rsquo;s offense around Haliburton&rsquo;s strengths, managed egos without sacrificing cohesion, and made the right adjustments at every critical postseason juncture.
His calm demeanor, sharp tactical mind, and belief in player empowerment have given this group the freedom to grow &ndash; and the structure to succeed. He wanted to build something sustainable and something real. He didn&rsquo;t just install a playbook &ndash; he constructed a belief system. One that emphasized player development, ball movement, and defensive grit.
Carlisle has masterfully blended youth with experience, adapting his game plan series after series. He&rsquo;s out-coached more expensive benches and out-thought veteran counterparts. He&rsquo;s now one of the few head coaches to lead multiple franchises to the NBA Finals, and he did it again without a superteam &ndash; but by doing it with one of the most balanced rosters in the NBA.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
What makes Indiana&rsquo;s improbable NBA Finals run remarkable is the backdrop: a financial arms race across the league. Many are saddled with bloated payrolls and limited flexibility and have spent well into the luxury tax just to chase a title.
Through careful planning, smart contracts, and prudent investments, the Pacers have remained competitive without ever compromising their cap structure.
This is a reminder to the league that culture matters. That coaching still counts. That not every superstar needs to be acquired through chaos.
In many ways, Indiana has done the impossible: they&rsquo;ve built a Finals team without mortgaging their future or blowing up their balance sheet. They&rsquo;ve set a new standard &ndash;&nbsp; a proof that a franchise can win through culture, clarity, and consistency, not just cash.
The Pacers built something lasting. Something meaningful. And in doing so, they&rsquo;ve earned the respect of the basketball world. This is more than just a basketball success story. The Indiana Pacers didn&rsquo;t just get here. They earned it &ndash; methodically, intelligently, and without ever compromising who they are.
And now, the Pacers are four wins away from finishing the story on the sport&rsquo;s biggest stage.

The Pacers reached the NBA Finals without luxury tax, proving a sustainable, cap-smart approach can still build a title contender.

Sustainable Greatness: Indiana’s cap-savvy journey to the NBA Finals

In a series that began with questions and ended with a declaration, the Oklahoma City Thunder have officially arrived. With a 5-game takedown of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder are not only heading to their first NBA Finals since 2012 &mdash; they are ushering in a new era of basketball in Oklahoma City.
A dominant win in Game 5 encapsulated everything that makes this Thunder team different. They are fast, they are disciplined, and they are fearless. And more than anything, they are seemingly ahead of schedule, which is frighteningly so.
This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story about a young team making an improbable run. This is the crystallization of vision, patience, and long-term planning led by one of the game&rsquo;s most methodical minds in Sam Presti. The Thunder are now reaping the fruits of their asset-rich rebuild, led by a core that hasn&rsquo;t even hit its collective prime.
And that&rsquo;s the part that should terrify the rest of the league.
A core that is built to last for seasons
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, at 26 years old, is playing the best basketball of his life and has transformed from an under-the-radar guard into a bonafide MVP. His combination of pace, craft, and clutch-time brilliance has anchored OKC's offense throughout the playoffs. Around him, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have flourished &mdash; two-way threats who thrive in Mark Daigneault&rsquo;s egalitarian system.
Williams continues to grow as an all-around playmaker and defensive irritant, while Holmgren, in his just his sophomore season, has erased doubts about his ability to anchor a postseason defense. The 7-foot unicorn has shown a poise that belies his age, walling off the paint and hitting timely shots from beyond the arc. Isaiah Hartenstein's midseason acquisition added frontcourt depth and physicality, and Alex Caruso&rsquo;s peskiness on the perimeter rounding out a rotation that is as versatile as it is relentless.
At just 23.1 years of age on average, the Thunder are the youngest team to make the NBA Finals since the 2012 Oklahoma City team that featured Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. That team came up short against LeBron James&rsquo; Miami Heat &mdash; but it symbolized a turning point in the league&rsquo;s youth movement.
This year&rsquo;s squad? They&rsquo;re not just symbolizing change &ndash; they are engineering it.
Defense, Depth, and Daigneault
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s 68-14 regular season was no fluke. Their disruptive, swarming defense has suffocated opponents all year long, and it translated seamlessly to the playoffs. Against the Timberwolves &mdash; a team known for their physicality and paint dominance &mdash; the Thunder bent but never broke. They swarmed Anthony Edwards, frustrated Julius Randle, and turned every possession into a marathon.
This defensive success is no accident. It&rsquo;s a testament to head coach Mark Daigneault, who has masterminded a system that rewards effort, communication, and versatility. OKC doesn&rsquo;t just guard &mdash; they engulf teams. Guards switch onto bigs with no hesitation, wings play passing lanes like cornerbacks, and the backline is fortified by Holmgren and Hartenstein&rsquo;s presence.
By blending developmental patience with competitive urgency, Daigneault has found a way to make one of the youngest rosters in NBA history play with the poise of a veteran team.
That speaks volumes &mdash; not just about his coaching acumen, but about the culture being built in Oklahoma City.
Sam Presti&rsquo;s vision comes full circle with another Finals appearance
This Finals run is a crowning moment for Sam Presti, the executive who famously pulled the plug on the Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to initiate one of the most comprehensive rebuilds in recent memory. He was mocked for stockpiling draft picks like they were Bitcoin. He was kind of doubted when he traded away established stars. But now, with a mountain of assets still untouched and a Finals team on the floor, Presti looks like a genius.
OKC has more than a dozen first-round picks through the end of the decade. And unlike other rebuilding teams with a treasure chest of draft capital, the Thunder don&rsquo;t need to cash in just yet. They have a foundational core, a coach they trust, and flexibility that allows them to chase another star or double down on internal growth. This is what sustainability looks like and the Thunder have capitalized on it big time.
A defining moment for the franchise
For longtime Thunder fans, this moment is drenched in emotion. Since the heartbreak of the 2016 Western Conference Finals collapse and the eventual departures of Durant and Westbrook, OKC has wandered the wilderness. There were moments of promise, but no promise of direction.
Now, they&rsquo;ve found it and they&rsquo;re right back in it with perhaps the brightest future they can possibly have.
This run to the Finals doesn&rsquo;t just represent a basketball achievement &mdash; it represents emotional validation. The tears, the trades, the tanking &mdash; it all led to this. And while the job isn&rsquo;t finished, there&rsquo;s a renewed sense that something special is brewing in Oklahoma once again.
Even if they don&rsquo;t win it all this season, the message is clear: the Thunder are not coming. They&rsquo;re here, and they&rsquo;re built to last.

The Thunder defeat the Wolves in 5 games to reach the NBA Finals, signaling a new era built on youth, depth, and elite coaching.

Thunder dominate Timberwolves, usher a new era of Thunder basketball

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves is shaping up to be a defining moment in the series. With the Thunder up 2-1, the stakes are sky-high: a win would give Oklahoma City a commanding 3-1 lead and the chance to close out the series at home in Game 5. A Timberwolves victory, however, would tie the series and tilt momentum squarely in Minnesota&rsquo;s favor heading back to Oklahoma City. For both teams, Game 4 is a must-win, not just to improve their series odds but to psychologically establish control.
The Thunder have already demonstrated their potential dominance, capturing Games 1 and 2 behind strong defensive play and the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But their 42-point Game 3 loss &ndash; the franchise&rsquo;s worst in playoff history &ndash; shattered that narrative and gave Minnesota a jolt of confidence. Although it did not necessarily expose weaknesses that had been masked in earlier games, the Thunder are back in the drawing board.
Minnesota, meanwhile, needed that Game 3 win not just to stay alive in the series but to prove to themselves that they could crack Oklahoma City&rsquo;s defensive shell. Anthony Edwards&rsquo; explosive performance and a more balanced offensive attack were central to their blowout victory. The Timberwolves now face the challenge of sustaining that energy and focus, particularly in a pressure-filled Game 4 where every possession could shift the series balance.
<h3>The Thunder's adjustments:</h3>
Rekindling energy and intensity
Perhaps the most glaring issue in Game 3 was Oklahoma City&rsquo;s lack of energy from the opening tip. The Thunder were outscored 34-14 in the first quarter, and the deficit ballooned quickly. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted postgame that the team simply didn&rsquo;t match Minnesota&rsquo;s intensity. That kind of mental and physical lapse is especially surprising for a young, energetic team known for playing with urgency.
The Thunder have typically prided themselves on their fast starts and emotional edge, with their crowd feeding off their hustle. To correct this, Daigneault may need to emphasize establishing their pace and transition offense early in Game 4. Perhaps a quick substitution pattern or a motivational shift in pregame preparation could help reignite that spark. If they come out flat again, Minnesota is likely to capitalize with another early run.
It&rsquo;s not just about emotion &ndash; focus matters as well. The Thunder committed costly early turnovers and allowed second-chance points, putting themselves in a hole they could never climb out of. The best adjustment may simply be a mindset shift: play like your back is against the wall, because in a Western Conference Finals, it always is. How Oklahoma City starts Game 4 will set the tone for the rest of the series.
Containing Minnesota's role players
While Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were expected to be focal points, Oklahoma City was undone in Game 3 by Minnesota&rsquo;s role players. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 15 points, including aggressive attacks to the rim and timely threes; while others like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker provided scoring bursts and defensive energy. The Thunder defense, which was so stifling in Games 1 and 2, was repeatedly caught off guard by Minnesota&rsquo;s bench guys.
This speaks to a deeper issue: defensive rotations and scouting. The Thunder&rsquo;s game plan had revolved around containing stars, but it left openings for corner threes and off-ball cuts that the Wolves&rsquo; bench exploited. Oklahoma City needs to tighten its weak side help defense and better communicate on switches. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace will be vital in applying consistent pressure without over-helping.
One way to limit role players is to reduce their rhythm opportunities. That means rebounding better to end possessions, pushing the pace to limit halfcourt sets, and closing out with discipline. If OKC can neutralize Minnesota&rsquo;s bench and force Edwards and Randle to shoulder a heavier load, it could wear down the Wolves&rsquo; stars by the fourth quarter, a strategy that worked in Game 1 and 2.
Improving perimeter shooting
Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense lives and dies by its ability to stretch the floor. In Game 3, they shot just 31.8% from beyond the arc &ndash; a drastic drop from their efficiency in Games 1 and 2. Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe struggled to find clean looks, and the Wolves' perimeter defense closed out effectively. Without reliable spacing, Gilgeous-Alexander found it harder to penetrate and create.
Part of the problem was the Thunder&rsquo;s shot selection. Forced into late-clock attempts and contested threes, the ball movement that had fueled earlier wins stagnated. To fix this, OKC needs to reestablish its rhythm offense &ndash; using drives to kick out for open looks, and involving secondary playmakers and other bench guys like Aaron Wiggins to diversify the attack.
Hitting threes doesn&rsquo;t just boost the scoreboard &ndash; it changes the geometry of the court. If the Thunder regain their shooting stroke, it will pull Minnesota&rsquo;s defenders out of the paint and re-open driving lanes for SGA and Williams. A return to form from deep could be the single biggest factor in tilting Game 4 in Oklahoma City&rsquo;s favor.
<h3>The Wolves&rsquo; strategies:</h3>
Sustaining Anthony Edwards' Momentum
Anthony Edwards looked every bit the franchise superstar in Game 3, tallying 30 points in 30 minutes and setting the tone from the jump. His ability to attack in transition, create off the dribble, and knock down tough perimeter shots overwhelmed a Thunder defense that had kept him in check in some ways. But maintaining that level is the challenge.
Edwards has shown a tendency in past series to oscillate between brilliance and passivity. Minnesota needs him to be aggressive from the start of Game 4, particularly if OKC makes early adjustments to double or trap him. His decision-making, when to attack and when to pass, will dictate how the Thunder rotate defensively and could open up looks for teammates.
The other piece is Edwards&rsquo; defense. He played with renewed intensity in Game 3, helping disrupt OKC&rsquo;s ball movement and forcing turnovers that led to easy buckets. If he can continue to influence the game on both ends, he&rsquo;ll force Daigneault into tough matchup decisions. For the Timberwolves to even the series, they need their superstar to be the best player on the floor.
Consistency from Randle and McDaniels
Julius Randle gave Minnesota a much-needed offensive anchor in Game 3, finishing with 24 points and providing a physical counter to Chet Holmgren inside. His post-ups, face-up jumpers, and second-chance finishes is a powerful layer to the Wolves&rsquo; attack. It was a bounce back game after Randle&rsquo;s abysmal Game 2 performance, and consistency remains the key as we go deeper into the series.
Randle needs to continue exploiting mismatches &ndash; especially when the Thunder switch or play smaller lineups. If he can draw fouls and get to the line, it slows the pace and allows Minnesota to control tempo. Moreover, his ability to make quick reads as a passer will be crucial if OKC sends double-teams or crowds the paint.
McDaniels, meanwhile, doesn&rsquo;t need to score 20 points to be effective, but his timely threes and cutting lanes open up the floor. His primary value has come on defense, particularly in his effort to contain Gilgeous-Alexander. If he can provide his usual 10-12, 15 points while locking down one of OKC&rsquo;s stars, he becomes an x-factor that Oklahoma City has to account for every minute he&rsquo;s on the floor.
Bench production
The unsung hero in Minnesota&rsquo;s Game 3 romp was the bench unit. Terrence Shannon Jr. gave the Wolves a jolt with his confident scoring, while veteran Mike Conley played with the bench and helped steady the second unit. That depth allowed head coach Chris Finch to rest his starters earlier, preserving legs for what promises to be a grueling Game 4.
The Timberwolves&rsquo; bench not only scored, but also brought energy and defensive intensity. They helped build on the lead rather than merely maintain it&mdash;a luxury most teams don&rsquo;t have this deep into the playoffs. If players like Shannon, Reid, DiVincenzo, and Alexander-Walker continue producing, Minnesota can survive short lulls from their stars without losing ground.
What&rsquo;s more, the Wolves&rsquo; bench success forces OKC to go deeper into its rotation, potentially exposing weaknesses. The ability to trust non-starters with meaningful minutes is often the difference between a championship and a playoff exit. Minnesota&rsquo;s bench has a chance to turn this series around if they replicate their Game 3 performance.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
Game 4 will test both teams' resolve, adaptability, and poise under pressure. The Thunder are eager to erase the sting of a 40-point loss and reestablish dominance. The Timberwolves are riding high but know they can&rsquo;t afford a letdown. Whoever best applies these adjustments and wins the intangible battles &ndash; energy, focus, composure &ndash; will walk off the court with the series edge and momentum heading into Game 5.

Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals is pivotal as the Thunder and the Wolves battle for control.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Timberwolves aim to take control

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn&rsquo;t just win a Game 7 &ndash; they passed a rite of passage.
It was gritty, and it was emotional. It was everything that defines a turning point. On Sunday afternoon, inside a frenzied arena where the air was thick with tension, the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. The final buzzer didn&rsquo;t just signal the end of the series, but it marked the beginning of something bigger &ndash; something real.
For a team that&rsquo;s been slowly building in the shadows, amassing assets, developing talent, and waiting for its window, this series was more than just a playoff checkpoint. It was the moment where potential finally collided with performance under pressure. This win was necessary &ndash; an experience that fast-forwards a young team&rsquo;s growth in ways no regular-season run or early-round playoff series ever could.
Battle-tested by the one of the best
Oklahoma City didn&rsquo;t just beat anyone. They beat the team that has made it before and won it all. The Denver Nuggets came in with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, the NBA&rsquo;s three-time MVP, and a team that knows exactly what it takes to climb the mountain and hoist the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy. Jokic had carved up defenses all season and into the playoffs and Jamal Murray returned to his playoff form. This team was poised to win the deciding game with all their experience in their belt, and yet the Thunder were the ones left standing.
And they did it by growing up before our eyes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like the NBA&rsquo;s MVP all season, but this series demanded more. In Game 7, he wasn&rsquo;t just a scorer &ndash; he was a leader, a closer, a composed floor general in a storm. Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace all played beyond their years, taking hits, absorbing the moment, and coming back with even more fire.
There&rsquo;s no manual for winning a Game 7. There&rsquo;s no shortcut for the intensity that builds in every possession. Even SGA admitted to being nervous after the game going into his first ever Game 7. To play in one is one thing. To perform in one is another. To win? That takes something different. It takes nerve. And Oklahoma City just proved they&rsquo;ve got it.
A crucible that creates champions
This wasn&rsquo;t just about the win. It was about the journey &ndash; about facing adversity and coming through on the other side with a new identity. For most of this roster, this was their first taste of a Game 7, and it was nothing short of a trial by fire.
There&rsquo;s a type of emotional resilience that only emerges in these moments. The game slows down and speeds up at the same time. Every cut, every rotation, every decision matters. One mistake can send you home. One stop can etch your name in franchise history.
It&rsquo;s in these crucibles that bonds are formed. These are the games players remember in the offseason, in practice, in the next series when the legs are tired and the confidence wavers. You learn who can be trusted in the foxhole. You learn how far you can push yourself &ndash; and each other.
OKC will carry this Game 7 win for years. This is a foundational building block for a future contender.
Timberwolves await: The next test
Of course, the road doesn&rsquo;t get any easier. Next up are the battle-hardened Minnesota Timberwolves &ndash; another team on the rise, but one that has already been to the Western Conference Finals and is hungry for more.
Anthony Edwards is a force of nature. His rise mirrors that of SGA in many ways &ndash; two young stars trying to grab the torch and never let go. The Wolves have size, depth, and defensive versatility that will challenge OKC in ways even Denver didn&rsquo;t. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels form a frontcourt wall that will test Holmgren&rsquo;s poise and toughness.
But the Thunder come in with something new: belief forged in battle.
They now know what it takes to win under duress. They&rsquo;ve felt the pressure of the moment and responded with poise. That experience matters. It travels. And as much as Minnesota presents matchup capabilities, OKC presents a different kind of threat &ndash; a team that&rsquo;s fearless, well-coached, and now, proven under fire.
SGA vs Anthony Edwards is the kind of series that could define this generation of NBA stars. Two leaders, two teams, two destinies intersecting on the playoff stage.&nbsp;
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
For years, Oklahoma City was a patient rebuild. The Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to the Chris Paul chapters came and went, but through it all, Sam Presti stayed the course. He stockpiled picks, gambled on high-upside players, and trusted in internal growth. Many wondered when &ndash; or if &ndash; it would all come together.
Game 7 was the answer.
This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story anymore. This is real. This is sustainable. The Thunder are here, and they&rsquo;re not backing down from anyone &ndash; not even the moment.
So as the Western Conference Finals loom, one thing is clear: The Thunder have arrived. Not just as a team with promise, but as a team with proof.
And once you get that first taste of victory under playoff fire, it changes you. It elevates your standard. It fuels your hunger. And if you&rsquo;re Oklahoma City, it marks the start of something even bigger.
Because sometimes, the only way forward&hellip; is through the fire.

The Thunder defeat the Nuggets in Game 7, marking a defining moment in their rise. How OKC's gritty win fuels their playoff growth?

Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over Nuggets signals arrival of a contender

The New York Knicks didn&rsquo;t just beat the Boston Celtics. They unmade them.
It was never just about winning a series. It was about proving a point. About silencing the doubt that crept in after four straight regular-season losses. About validating every roster move, every inch of grit, and every ounce of sweat poured into this season. It was about showing the basketball world &ndash; loudly and unmistakably &ndash; that this team wasn&rsquo;t just trying to contend. They were trying to conquer.
When the final buzzer sounded in Madison Square Garden and the scoreboard read 119&ndash;81, the Knicks had done just that &ndash; burying the defending champions in a Game 6 demolition and clinching their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years.
But the mission is far from over.
A blueprint forged in Celtics&rsquo; green
From the jump, New York&rsquo;s front office operated with one adversary in mind: Boston. The Celtics were the gold standard, the defending champions, and the measuring stick for anyone serious about owning the East.
Leon Rose and company tailored this roster to match up directly with Boston&rsquo;s strengths. They re-signed OG Anunoby and traded for Mikal Bridges &ndash; two of the league&rsquo;s premier wing defenders &ndash; to neutralize Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Then came the blockbuster deal to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, who gave the Knicks a stretch big man to go toe-to-toe with Kristaps Porzingis.
Everything was calculated. Every move had Boston&rsquo;s name on it.
And yet, the regular season was a humbling reminder of how far they still had to go. The Celtics swept the Knicks 4&ndash;0, and did so with such ease that New York&rsquo;s grand design felt naive. What good was a plan if the execution failed? If Boston could anticipate every counter, every scheme, every attempt at disruption?
But that&rsquo;s the thing about belief &ndash; it doesn&rsquo;t disappear with setbacks. It adapts. It evolves. It waits for its moment.
A series that changed everything
Heading into the second round, the Knicks were underdogs by every metric. They had a seven-man rotation, an ailing Mitchell Robinson, and a superstar in Jalen Brunson carrying an enormous load. Boston had depth, pedigree, and the confidence of having dismantled them all season.
But the Knicks weren&rsquo;t interested in narratives. They were there to rewrite them.
New York stunned the Celtics by taking Games 1 and 2 in Boston &ndash; punctuated by two clutch defensive stops from Mikal Bridges. In Game 1, it was a strip of Jaylen Brown. In Game 2, it was a game-sealing closeout on Tatum. That was the turning point&mdash;when the Knicks wrestled control from the defending champs and refused to let go.
OG Anunoby was nothing short of sensational. His defense on Tatum was suffocating, but it was his offensive output that tilted the series. He punished Boston with timely threes, strong drives, and unrelenting pressure. By the end of Game 6, he had cemented himself as one of the best two-way performers of the postseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns reminded everyone why the Knicks traded for him. He provided invaluable floor spacing, softening Boston&rsquo;s paint defense and making their double-big lineups less effective. His rebounding and decision-making gave the Knicks versatility they sorely lacked in previous playoff runs.
Josh Hart, the team&rsquo;s emotional engine, played like a man possessed. He chased every loose ball, battled for every rebound, and made hustle plays that sent the Garden into a frenzy. In Game 6, he notched the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff triple-double since 1972. He was the spirit of the Knicks personified.
Mitchell Robinson, matched against the veteran Al Horford, was a force on the glass and in the paint. His size and activity made Boston work for everything. And the Towns-Robinson pairing &ndash; while unconventional &ndash;&nbsp; at times gave New York an edge in rim protection and rebounding.
Miles McBride, the fan favorite, was the exclamation point. His clutch shooting and relentless defense made the most of his minutes. The Garden roared every time he touched the ball, and in Game 6, he gave fans even more to cheer for with 10 points and relentless pressure on the perimeter.
And, of course, Jalen Brunson. The league&rsquo;s Clutch Player of the Year showed why he earned that title. Whether it was a floater in traffic, a step-back jumper, or a drive through contact, Brunson delivered in every critical moment. He averaged 26.2 points in the series and captained the Knicks with poise, toughness, and swagger.
He was, and continues to be, the heart of New York&rsquo;s renaissance.
More than just a win &ndash; it&rsquo;s a revival
The impact of this series win goes beyond the scoreboard. It reverberated through the city. New York, a basketball town starving for success, erupted in celebration. Celebrities poured out of the Garden. Streets were flooded with fans chanting &ldquo;Go New York Go New York Go!&rdquo;. Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet &ndash; yes, even the &lsquo;Lisan Al Gaib&rsquo; &ndash; joined in in support of his favorite NBA team
It lit up the NBA world. What was supposed to be Boston&rsquo;s coronation turned into a Knicks uprising. The defending champs were outclassed, outcoached, and outworked. And the league took notice.
It reaffirmed the Knicks&rsquo; vision. Every decision, every gamble &ndash; they were worth it. This wasn&rsquo;t just a team that got hot. This was a team that executed its plan to perfection when it mattered most.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
However, the job is not yet done.&nbsp;
The Knicks have their work cut out for them from here on out. Two series down, two series to go. Now, it&rsquo;s on to Indiana.
The Pacers are no easy out. Led by All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton and a deep, versatile supporting cast, they&rsquo;ve steamrolled through the playoffs with pace, ball movement, and shooting.
The Knicks, meanwhile, continue to rely on a tight, seven-man rotation. They&rsquo;ll enter the series with the same urgency, the same intensity &ndash; but also with heavier legs.
It&rsquo;ll be a clash of philosophies: New York&rsquo;s top-heavy, defense-first grind versus Indiana&rsquo;s spread attack and bench firepower. But if the Celtics series proved anything, it&rsquo;s that the Knicks are more than just a system. They&rsquo;re a team that believes &ndash; fiercely and completely.
They believe in each other. They believe in the plan. And now, for the first time in decades, the entire city believes alongside them.
So no, the job&rsquo;s not done, but the Knicks are exactly where they believed they&rsquo;d be.
And they're just getting started.

The Knicks finally beat the Celtics in a dramatic 6-game series, validating their season-long mission, but the job's not finished yet.

The Knicks were built to beat the Celtics – now they’re built for more

The 2025 Western Conference Semifinals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets have lived up to the hype, with the series knotted at 2-2. As the teams prepare for a crucial Game 5 in Oklahoma City, both squads face pressing questions and necessary adjustments to gain the upper hand. With a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line, every possession, coaching decision, and hustle play will matter more than ever.
-- -- --
Thunder's path to regaining control
Assert themselves on the boards
The Thunder&rsquo;s lack of consistent rebounding has emerged as one of their most glaring weaknesses in this series. Despite boasting athletic bigs and switchable wings, they&rsquo;ve repeatedly been outmuscled on the glass by Denver&rsquo;s physical frontcourt led by Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets have often out-rebounded the Thunder, securing offensive boards that led to multiple second-chance scoring opportunities. Those extra possessions have proven costly for OKC in close games.
Part of the issue stems from the Thunder often playing smaller lineups, which prioritize speed and switchability over size and physicality. While that identity served them well in the regular season, playoff basketball demands toughness in the paint. Oklahoma City will need to play more of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to go up against Jokic and Gordon, and commit more to boxing out and crashing the boards. Their guards must also help secure long rebounds and quickly push the ball in transition, turning defensive stops into offensive chances.
To win Game 5 and take control of the series, the Thunder cannot afford to give the Nuggets repeated second opportunities. Rebounding isn&rsquo;t just about size, it&rsquo;s about desire, positioning, and timing. If OKC can neutralize Denver&rsquo;s rebounding edge and limit their putback chances, it could be a decisive swing factor on their home floor.
Rediscover offensive fluidity
Oklahoma City has struggled to find its usual offensive rhythm over the past two games. The Thunder's offense is built on movement, ball-sharing, and improvisation &ndash; playing freely with joy and confidence. But as the series has worn on and the physicality has ramped up, OKC has looked more rigid and hesitant, settling for tough isolation plays instead of generating quality looks through movement.
In Games 3 and 4, Denver&rsquo;s defense disrupted OKC&rsquo;s pace by pressing up on ball-handlers and switching effectively on screens. The Thunder have sometimes become overly reliant on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bail them out in late-clock situations. While SGA is an elite shot-creator, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense thrives most when all five players are involved. Getting back to their roots &ndash; cutting off the ball, pushing in transition, and trusting each other&rsquo;s instincts &ndash; can unlock the offensive flow that&rsquo;s been missing.
Reclaiming that offensive identity also means trusting players like Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe to take open shots and make quick decisions. Jalen Williams, who has flashed brilliance at times, must stay aggressive and attack mismatches. If the Thunder return to playing free and fearless, as they did in their Game 2 blowout win, they&rsquo;ll be much harder to guard and far more dangerous heading into a pivotal Game 5.
MVP-caliber performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
While SGA has delivered solid numbers throughout the series, Oklahoma City needs a transcendent Game 5 performance from their MVP candidate. Through four games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 28.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists &ndash; but his impact hasn&rsquo;t always translated to late-game success. Denver has thrown multiple defenders at him, forcing tough midrange shots and limiting his trips to the free-throw line. For OKC to thrive, SGA must assert himself early and often, controlling the tempo and creating high-quality looks for both himself and his teammates.
This is the kind of moment where MVPs rise above the game plan. Whether it's hunting mismatches, collapsing the defense to kick out to shooters, or making timely defensive plays, SGA has the tools to take over. In Game 2, his 33-point performance was a reminder of what he&rsquo;s capable of when he&rsquo;s in attack mode and dictating the pace. The Thunder need that version of Shai to show up again in Game 5.
It&rsquo;s also about leadership. This young Thunder team looks to SGA not just for scoring, but for composure and direction in critical moments. With the home crowd behind him and the series on the line, this is his opportunity to put a stamp on his MVP-caliber season and carry his team one step closer to a conference finals berth.
Nuggets' strategies to steal Game 5
Elevate Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s impact
Nikola Jokic has not been his usual dominant self across all four games. While he&rsquo;s still managed to put up triple-doubles and impact the game in subtle ways, the Thunder have made him work harder than usual with their quick double teams and constant help defense. In Game 4, Jokic finished with 22 points on just 9-of-22 shooting&mdash;a rare inefficient night for the two-time MVP. For the Nuggets to win on the road, Jokic must return to the ultra-efficient playmaker and scorer who lifts everyone around him.
One adjustment could be to get Jokic more touches at the elbow and the top of the key, where he can orchestrate Denver&rsquo;s offense without dealing with immediate post pressure. From those areas, he can see the floor better and exploit mismatches or cutters. Additionally, running more two-man actions with Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon could help relieve pressure and force OKC to defend multiple threats simultaneously.
Jokic&rsquo;s presence alone bends defenses, but when he&rsquo;s assertive and efficient, it unlocks the Nuggets&rsquo; full offensive potential. Denver will need their franchise cornerstone to set the tone with physicality, precision, and poise in the hostile OKC environment of Game 5.
Improved Three-Point shooting
The Nuggets&rsquo; offensive success often correlates with their outside shooting. In the games where they&rsquo;ve played, Denver pulled away with convincing wins. But when the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, their offense has looked sluggish and overly reliant on Jokic or Murray to create something late in the shot clock. Getting back to crisp ball movement and creating open looks from the perimeter is a priority heading into Game 5.
Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun must convert the clean looks they&rsquo;re getting. Porter, in particular, has the shooting gravity to stretch OKC&rsquo;s defense and create spacing for Jokic&rsquo;s interior play. Even Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s willingness to take open threes can help Denver keep defenders honest. Making threes forces OKC to chase and rotate, which opens up driving lanes and cutting opportunities that Denver thrives on.
Expect head coach David Adelman to emphasize early ball reversals and inside-out play to generate quality three-point chances. If Denver shoots well from deep, it could swing momentum and silence the Paycom Center crowd in what promises to be a raucous Game 5 environment.
Boost bench production
In tight playoff matchups, bench production often makes the difference. For Denver, the second unit has been a mixed bag this series. They have a particularly shallow bench led by Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson, and the Nuggets need consistent contributions from both of them to keep pace with OKC&rsquo;s energetic rotations.
The key is maintaining offensive rhythm and defensive intensity when Jokic sits. Braun&rsquo;s ability to defend, rebound, and finish in transition adds a valuable spark. Westbrook&rsquo;s experience and steady playmaking can provide structure when Murray rests. And Watson&rsquo;s length and athleticism make him a disruptive presence on both ends. Each of them must be ready to seize the moment in what could be the turning point of the series.
Adelman might also consider tightening his rotation or staggering starters more effectively to ensure a balance of scoring and defense. With so much on the line, every possession from the bench unit carries weight. If Denver&rsquo;s reserves can sustain leads &ndash; or even swing momentum &ndash; it could give them the edge they need to take Game 5 on the road.
-- -- --
As Game 5 approaches, the series hangs in the balance. Both teams have demonstrated resilience and adaptability, but only one can emerge with a crucial win to take control. The adjustments made and executed in this game will likely determine who advances and who faces an offseason of questions. In a battle between the Thunder and the Nuggets, Game 5 promises to be a war of wills, strategy, and superstar moments.

With the 2025 NBA Playoffs series tied 2-2, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets prepare for a pivotal Game 5.

2025 NBA Playoffs: Key adjustments as Thunder, Nuggets look to seize series

Cooper Flagg is now set to take his talents to the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks after the franchise won the NBA draft lottery and the No. 1 overall pick on Monday night.
This is the first time the Mavericks have won the lottery in their 45-year history.
After losing franchise superstar Luka Doncic in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas will have an immediate replacement after lucking out with the 1st overall pick. The Mavericks entered the night with the 11th-best odds to land the No. 1 overall, at just 1.8 percent.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
COOPER FLAGG, YOU ARE A DALLAS MAVERICK. Dallas (1.8% chance) has won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/HzEIlg649i">pic.twitter.com/HzEIlg649i</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1922070620168233131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>

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The Mavericks are primed to almost certainly use the pick on Flagg, the Duke University freshman standout. The 6-foot-9 Flagg, who is regarded as one of the best prospects in recent NBA history, led the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance in his lone college season and won the national player of the year award.
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field, 38.5% from 3-point range, and 84% from the foul line. If the Mavericks end up drafting him, Flagg will join a core that includes Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and the injured Kyrie Irving.&nbsp;
San Antonio also moved up the draft boards to pick second, while Philadelphia and Charlotte rounded out the top 4.
Utah and Washington, which were tied with Charlotte with the best chances to land 1st overall with 14 percent, will pick fifth and sixth, respectively.
Full order of the draft lottery (according to the sequence announced by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum)
14th pick - San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta Hawks)
13th pick - Atlanta Hawks (from Sacramento Kings)
12th pick - Chicago Bulls
11th pick - Portland Trail Blazers
10th pick - Houston Rockets
9th pick - Toronto Raptors
8th pick - Brooklyn Nets
7th pick - New Orleans Pelicans
6th pick - Washington Wizards
5th pick - Utah Jazz
4th pick - Charlotte Hornets
3rd pick - Philadelphia 76ers
2nd pick - San Antonio Spurs
1st pick - Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg is now set to take his talents to the Mavericks after the franchise won the No. 1 overall pick on Monday night.