NBA playoffs 2025 – Rating each attainable Finals showdown

Whichever two groups emerge from the NBA’s convention finals will produce a Finals matchup we have by no means seen earlier than. However not all of them are created equal.

Because the convention finals warmth up heading into Friday’s Sport 2 between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers (8 p.m. ET, TNT) and Saturday’s Sport 3 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the potential Finals conferences the league’s 4 remaining groups might create to see which may be essentially the most compelling from a wide range of standpoints. These embody connections between the 2 groups, participant matchups and magnificence of play.

That is inevitably a subjective course of, however some mixtures of the 4 star guards main the remaining groups (Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, newly anointed MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton) carry extra weight from a story standpoint.

Nonetheless, the best choice is apparent due to the distinctive potential of an NBA Finals assembly between two groups (the Timberwolves and Knicks) that remade their beginning fives with a daring commerce on the eve of coaching camp. Let’s break down the Wolves-Knicks storylines and all 4 attainable collection.

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks: Sport Highlights

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks: Sport Highlights

• High storyline: Figuring out the commerce winner on the court docket

• Extra storylines: Tom Thibodeau revenge collection, star guards vs. wing stoppers

• House-court benefit: Knicks

• Common-season collection: Tied (1-1)

There’s by no means been an NBA Finals fairly like a possible Minnesota-New York matchup. Dan Feldman famous this week in the “Dunc’d On Basketball” NBA podcast’s Daily Duncs newsletter that not since 1977 have groups (in that case the Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics, each within the West) swapped starters after which each made the convention finals, not to mention the Finals.

Even that commerce — Paul Silas and Marvin Webster to Seattle for Bob Wilkerson — paled compared to the magnitude of the Knicks and Timberwolves swapping All-Stars.

To be clear, if these groups make the Finals, they will each have received the commerce whatever the end result. The deal has labored out as each hoped: Karl-Anthony Towns supercharged the New York offense, whereas Julius Randle has been a really perfect slot in Minnesota and Donte DiVincenzo has equipped mandatory perimeter depth regardless of a cold-shooting playoff run.

A Knicks-Wolves Finals would additionally pit Thibodeau towards his former group. Minnesota employed Thibodeau within the twin function of coach and president of basketball operations hoping to get up to now, however his tenure resulted in a single first-round exit earlier than being scuttled by Jimmy Butler’s commerce request.

On the court docket, there are many compelling matchups. New York must determine tips on how to greatest deploy OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart towards Randle and Anthony Edwards, each of whom depend on energy greater than the lithe Bridges. On the different finish, Minnesota has loads of choices to defend Jalen Brunson and would most likely stash Rudy Gobert on the light-shooting Hart to depart him free to roam defensively.

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Tyrese Haliburton’s double-double lifts Pacers previous Wolves

Tyrese Haliburton’s game-high 24 factors and 11 assists lead the Pacers to a win over the Timberwolves.

• High storyline: Matchup of high younger American guards

• Extra storylines: Unlikely finalists, Mike Conley‘s homecoming

• House-court benefit: Pacers

• Common-season collection: Pacers (2-0)

Edwards vs. Haliburton can be all kinds of enjoyable. Of the 5 American guards who made final season’s All-NBA groups (alongside Canada’s Gilgeous-Alexander and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic), they’re the lone two who’re at present beneath age 28. Haliburton is an extended shot to repeat this yr after a gradual first half that price him an All-Star journey, however he has performed at an elite stage through the playoffs. Past their abilities, Edwards and Haliburton are each showmen with a way of the second. A Finals matchup would cement each among the many high younger People in an more and more worldwide league.

Indiana and Minnesota can be the all-time “no person believed in us” NBA championship collection. There has by no means been a Finals and not using a top-three seed from both convention — all three different potential matchups would come with one — and the Pacers’ .610 win share can be the worst for a group with dwelling court docket within the Finals since 1978.

Lastly, the Timberwolves going through Indiana within the finals would produce a homecoming for the 37-year-old Conley, who performed at Lawrence North Excessive College 20 minutes northeast of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Conley’s 105 profession playoff video games (and counting) are among the many most ever for a participant with out reaching the Finals. Conley misplaced within the convention finals with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013 and with Minnesota final yr, and at last breaking by can be a fantastic story.

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Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Sport Highlights

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Sport Highlights

• High storyline: Battle of worldwide level guards

• Extra storylines: SGA’s Canadian guard gauntlet, high remaining offense vs. high protection

• House-court benefit: Thunder

• Common-season collection: Thunder (2-0)

If Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Haliburton feels acquainted, you may need watched the third-place recreation within the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 factors and 12 assists as Canada got here again to beat a USA group that began Haliburton (six factors, seven assists) reverse him at level guard. Given his age, Haliburton is probably going Workforce USA’s long-term starter on the place — that means extra clashes with Gilgeous-Alexander on the world stage.

Though Gilgeous-Alexander is undoubtedly the higher participant, Haliburton is on the controls of the highest remaining offense within the playoffs. Indiana has averaged 118.5 factors per 100 possessions to date, greater than three factors per 100 higher than Oklahoma Metropolis. That will be examined towards the Thunder’s protection, which is permitting greater than seven fewer factors per 100 possessions than anybody else.

Particularly, there are a few matchups the place unstoppable power meets immovable object. The Pacers boast the league’s third-best turnover fee in each the common season and playoffs, which is unlikely to proceed towards the highest group in forcing turnovers. Moreover, Indiana has shot 41% on 3s up to now within the playoffs. Oklahoma Metropolis opponents have shot simply 31% from deep within the playoffs after a league-low 34% through the common season, which could make the Thunder the uncommon protection that may constantly have an effect on opponent accuracy.

Gilgeous-Alexander could have his nationwide teammate Luguentz Dort alongside him within the backcourt, however he’d be going through a Canadian guard for the third consecutive spherical. After SGA defeated Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets within the convention semifinals and cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s Timberwolves within the convention finals, Pacers wing Andrew Nembhard would presumably defend Gilgeous-Alexander at occasions. Nembhard didn’t play for Canada in the newest World Cup however averaged 8.3 factors per recreation in three video games off the bench within the Olympics.

4. Thunder vs. Knicks

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SGA places up environment friendly 39 factors in Thunder’s rout of Knicks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 39 factors on 15-of-21 taking pictures within the Thunder’s 25-point romp of the Knicks.

• High storyline: Brunson vs. OKC’s protection

• Extra storylines: Isaiah Hartenstein‘s return

• House-court benefit: Thunder

• Common-season collection: Thunder (2-0)

No group within the NBA appears higher geared up to protect Brunson than the Thunder, who might throw a rotating collection of on-ball stoppers towards him. Dort would most likely get the decision when each groups had their starters on the court docket, adopted by the stress of Cason Wallace, with Alex Caruso‘s havoc creation as another choice.

Brunson averaged 24.5 factors per recreation in two conferences with Oklahoma Metropolis this season, each losses every week aside in January. However his .534 true taking pictures share in these video games was his third worst towards any opponent he confronted a number of occasions this season.

The Thunder are additionally set as much as gradual Cities. Hartenstein, going through his former group, would maybe begin the sport on Cities to be able to free Chet Holmgren to roam. And when Oklahoma Metropolis goes small, Holmgren can chase Cities across the perimeter.

Down the stretch, we might most likely see Caruso on Cities after the success he loved defending Nikola Jokic in Sport 7 of the Thunder’s convention semifinal collection towards Denver.

It is exhausting to name this a revenge collection for Hartenstein, who boosted his worth in two years in New York to the purpose the place the Knicks could not realistically re-sign him this summer time. Nonetheless, his return is an fascinating reminder of how a lot New York has modified from final season. Again then, Hartenstein was an indispensable playoff contributor, averaging practically half-hour per recreation within the Knicks’ two playoff collection.