Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown
USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals.
Sports Pulse
The NBA Finals are set following the Indiana Pacers‘ victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night.
It is just the second time that the Pacers have advanced to the NBA Finals. Indiana reached the finals in 2000.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder reached the finals after closing out their Western Conference finals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, 4-1.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the championship series:
NBA bracket: Playoff schedule, scores and results
All times Eastern. *-if necessary
2025 NBA Finals schedule
*-if necessary
- Game 1, June 5: Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 2, June 8: Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8 p.m.
- Game 3, June 11: Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 4, June 13: Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 5, June 16: Pacers at Thunder, ABC*, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 6, June 19: Thunder at Pacers, ABC*, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 7, June 22: Pacers at Thunder, ABC*, 8 p.m.
NBA playoff results: Conference finals
Eastern Conference
Pacers win series 4-2
- Game 1, May 21: Pacers 138, Knicks 135 (OT)
- Game 2, May 23: Pacers 114, Knicks 109
- Game 3, May 25: Knicks 106, Pacers 100
- Game 4, May 27: Pacers 130, Knicks 121
- Game 5, May 29: Knicks 111, Pacers 94
- Game 6, May 31: Pacers 125, Knicks 108
Western Conference
Thunder win series 4-1
- Game 1, May 20: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88
- Game 2, May 22: Thunder 118, Timberwolves 103
- Game 3, May 24: Timberwolves 143, Thunder 101
- Game 4, May 26: Thunder 128, Timberwolves 126
- Game 5, May 28: Thunder 124, Timberwolves 94
NBA playoff results: Second round
Eastern Conference
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers
Pacers win series 4-1
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks
Knicks win series 4-2
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets
Thunder win series 4-3
(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors
Timberwolves win series 4-1
NBA playoff results: First round
Eastern Conference
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat
Cavaliers win series 4-0
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic
Celtics win series 4-1
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
Knicks win series 4-2
(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks
Pacers win series 4-1
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies
Thunder win series 4-0
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors
Warriors win series 4-3
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
Timberwolves win series 4-1
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
Nuggets win series 4-3
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