Oklahoma City Thunder has had a remarkable journey this season, spending the majority of the regular season at the top of the Western Conference standings and continually extending their lead. In contrast, the Indiana Pacers faced a challenging start, never reaching the top of the Eastern Conference standings and struggling to maintain a winning record as early as January. Despite their different paths, both teams have arrived at the same destination: the NBA Finals, set to begin in Oklahoma City this Thursday night. This matchup features two teams that have taken contrasting routes to reach this pinnacle of professional basketball.
“At this point in the season, it’s all about two teams with one goal, making it an all-or-nothing situation,” stated Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. He acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by the Thunder, who have been nothing short of dominant throughout the year. “Oklahoma City has been dominant all year long — with capital letters in the word ‘dominant.’ Defensively, they are historically great and possess a wealth of scoring talent. Both teams share similar structures, but their styles differ slightly.”
As preparations ramped up, the Pacers began their deep dive into analyzing the Thunder on Sunday, shortly after clinching the Eastern Conference title by defeating New York in six games. While the Pacers took a day off to regroup, the Thunder were busy practicing in Oklahoma City, focusing on their upcoming challenge. Thunder guard Jalen Williams emphasized the importance of taking it one game at a time, saying, “We always talk about human nature in our locker room, and the temptation is to think ‘four wins away.’ However, we know that we need to win one game to reach that goal. We need to stack wins, so our focus is entirely on preparing for Game 1 now.”
Interestingly, while the Pacers lost their 14th game of the regular season in early December, the Thunder only lost 14 games total throughout the entire season. This statistic might suggest that this finals matchup is a surprising one, but considering their performance since December 13, it becomes clearer. The Thunder boast the best record in the NBA over that span, with an impressive 61-13 record, while the Pacers follow closely with a strong 52-21 record in the same timeframe.
“We had expectations to be here, and this isn’t a surprise to any of us because of what we wanted to achieve,” said Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. He acknowledged a turning point for the team during December or January, but stressed the importance of focusing on the present: “We did a great job of staying present, not dwelling on the past, and not worrying about what’s next. Our focus is entirely on the now.”
Now, as the NBA Finals approach, it’s worth noting that the Pacers were considered a middle-of-the-pack team at the beginning of the season, with 50-1 odds to win the championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Thunder, with 9-1 odds entering the season, were seen as strong contenders, trailing only behind Boston, New York, Denver, and Minnesota, all teams they have since eliminated in the playoffs.
“We’ve learned a lot throughout this season,” noted Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein. “We’ve had to navigate various situations, and I believe these experiences will serve us well in the Finals.” With both teams prepared and focused, the stage is set for an exciting showdown in the NBA Finals.
