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Oklahoma City, fancied by oddsmakers after an NBA-high 68 regular-season wins, will host sport one within the best-of-seven championship collection.
Both groups are fast-paced squads with younger star level guards, 26-year-old NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder and Indiana’s 25-year-old Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers search the primary NBA crown of their 58-year historical past whereas the Thunder, who moved from Seattle in 2008, took the franchise’s solely title because the SuperSonics in 1979.
“It’s a new blueprint for the league,” Pacers middle Myles Turner stated. “The years of the superteams and stacking, it isn’t as efficient because it as soon as was.
“The new trend now is kind of what we’re doing. OKC does the same thing. Young guys, get out and run, defend and use the power of friendship.”
Oklahoma City’s solely prior NBA Finals look was in 2012, when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook misplaced to LeBron James-led Miami.
Indiana’s solely prior journey to the NBA Finals got here in 2000, a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, however the Pacers additionally gained three Seventies titles within the American Basketball Association, which despatched 4 groups into the NBA in 1976.
Gilgeous-Alexander may develop into the primary league scoring champion to win an NBA title in the identical season since 2000, when Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers previous the Pacers.
“SGA” averaged 32.7 factors, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocked pictures a sport in main the Thunder to the NBA’s finest regular-season report at 68-14.
With forwards Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander has shaped a formidable trio. The Thunder swept Memphis within the first spherical of the playoffs, outlasted Nikola Jokic-powered Denver in seven video games then dispatched Minnesota in 5.
The Pacers went 50-32 behind 20.2 factors and 6.9 rebounds a sport from Pascal Siakam and 18.6 factors, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals a sport by Haliburton, who helped the USA win Paris Olympic gold final 12 months.
“What makes him very good is that he’s very confident,” Williams stated of Haliburton. “It makes him a very dangerous individual.”
Indiana eradicated Milwaukee and Cleveland in 5 video games every and took out New York in six.
Oklahoma City beat Indiana twice within the common season with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 39 factors, eight assists and 7 rebounds whereas Haliburton struggled, averaging 11 factors, three rebounds and 5.5 assists.
The Thunder dominate defensively, main the playoffs with 18 turnovers compelled and 10.8 steals a sport plus a 42.6% opponent capturing proportion from the ground.
The Pacers, nonetheless, common 117.4 factors a sport within the playoffs and personal the highest capturing proportion total at 49.7% and from three-point vary at 40.1%.
Each crew helped construct their present lineup by buying and selling NBA star Paul George. The Pacers despatched him to the Thunder in 2017 for gamers that have been later traded for Haliburton and draft picks that landed Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard.
“This franchise took a chance on me, saw something that other people didn’t see in me,” Haliburton stated.
The Thunder traded George to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019 in a deal that landed Gilgeous-Alexander and a draft choose that was used on Williams.
Oklahoma City has a participant who gained an NBA title in Alex Caruso, who helped the Lakers win the 2020 crown, whereas the Pacers boast Siakam from Toronto’s 2019 title run.
“You don’t have to do anything special,” Caruso stated of successful an NBA crown. “You just have to be who we are. That has worked for us throughout this whole year.”
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle gained an NBA title guiding the 2011 Dallas Mavericks and will develop into solely the fourth coach to win NBA crowns with a number of groups.
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