The NBA's parity era has officially commenced, setting the stage for an exciting postseason. As the conference finals kick off this Tuesday night, four different title droughts are poised to end — promising at least one franchise will celebrate a long-awaited championship next month during the NBA Finals. Among the remaining playoff teams, the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves have yet to capture a title in their current cities, while the New York Knicks haven't claimed a championship in over fifty years.
The New York Knicks, who last tasted championship glory in 1973, have not reached the NBA Finals in over 25 years. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have not made an appearance in the title series since 2012, can trace their championship roots back to the Seattle SuperSonics, who won it all in 1979 before the team's relocation to Oklahoma in 2008. The Indiana Pacers enjoyed success in the American Basketball Association during the early 1970s but have been unable to secure a championship since joining the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves, established in 1989, have never even reached the Finals, making this postseason particularly thrilling.
Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, acknowledged the unique opportunity this year presents after their series-clinching win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, stating, “It’s one of the most wide-open years that we’ve seen. We’ve got to look at this thing as just being very opportunistic.” The NBA has historically struggled with parity, with dynasties like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat dominating the landscape. Since the 1980s, 23 of the NBA's 78 champions have been back-to-back winners, with another 14 teams winning a title after losing in the Finals. However, this trend has plateaued since 2019, when the Toronto Raptors dethroned the Golden State Warriors.
Pascal Siakam, a forward for the Pacers, reminisced about his glorious moment with the Raptors in 2019, expressing a desire for more success now that he’s with Indiana. “I can sometimes sound like I’m trying to kill the party, where everyone wants to be excited and I’m just like, ‘Man, I want more,’” Siakam shared. The current Conference Finals feature a host of new talent, with no stars like Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, or James Harden in sight.
Instead, the spotlight shines on a younger generation of superstars, including 28-year-old Jalen Brunson from New York, 26-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City, 25-year-old Tyrese Haliburton from Indiana, and 23-year-old Anthony Edwards from Minnesota. Gilgeous-Alexander, who was still in high school during the Thunder's last Conference Finals appearance, spoke of the mounting pressure before the decisive Game 7 against Denver, stating, “I turned my phone off, honestly. I wanted to block out all the noise.”
The Thunder and Timberwolves will face off in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals this Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. On Wednesday, the Pacers will take on the Knicks to kick off the Eastern Conference Finals. The winners of these best-of-seven series will advance to the highly anticipated NBA Finals, set to begin on June 5.
