![”[Billie Eilish] truly was made to be a performer and I hope everyone has a chance to see such an amazing show,” junior Nyelle Sarreal said.](https://nhpchariotonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_1108-e1749239774437-1200x860.jpeg)
The 2025 NBA playoffs have reached the final stage, as the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to face the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals.
“The series between the Thunder and the Pacers is the clash between the MVP and the ‘overrated.’ This series will define the legacy of SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] and Hali [Tyrese Haliburton],” senior Jash Mody said.
The New York Knicks entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, finishing the regular season with a 51–31 record. In the first round, they faced the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons and won the series in six games.
In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Knicks matched up against the second-seeded Boston Celtics. The Knicks won the series in six games, eliminating the defending Eastern Conference champions.
“This was and will be the most entertaining series of the playoffs. The Knicks, who everyone knew was a complete team but didn’t think they would take a game from the Celtics, won in six games,” senior Sahir Bhatia said. “[Jalen] Brunson proved why he was the clutch player of the year and the Knicks as a team showed the teamwork and compatibility they can harness.”
The Eastern Conference Finals saw the Knicks take on the Indiana Pacers. The series included several close games, including Game 1, in which the Pacers overcame a 14-point deficit in the final minutes to win in overtime. Indiana ultimately won the series 4–2, sending New York home short of their first Finals appearance since 1999. Following the elimination, the Knicks parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau after five seasons with the team.
In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves were led by guard Anthony Edwards. Minnesota eliminated the appraised NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry, in consecutive rounds. The Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and the Golden State Warriors in the second.
“Anthony Edwards is one of the best shows to watch in all of sports. His athleticism, confidence, and charisma make him the fan favorite. Ant [Anthony Edwards] is a player who I want to see develop as he is so young at 23,” senior Charlie Vasquez said.
Minnesota then met the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder won the series in five games, with guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continuing his regular-season performance that earned him the league’s Most Valuable Player award and Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player award.
The 2025 NBA Finals feature two teams that have never won an NBA championship before, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.
Oklahoma City will have home-court advantage in the series, which is scheduled to begin on June 5. The Thunder are led by Gilgeous-Alexander and supported by their center Chet Holmgreen and All-NBA selection, forward Jalen Williams, while the Pacers rely on All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Pascal Siakam, who was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the NBA and adding a title will make him the best Thunder player of all time. I have the Thunder winning in 5,” senior Aayan Ahmed said.
If the series goes the full seven games, it will conclude on June 22, and fans await to see which franchise wins their first ever NBA championship.
