The 2025 NBA Finals thread - OKC vs Indy - louder, deeper, faster

[Elmer_Hauser]

Wish Tatum (pre injury) was looked after by the refs as much as SGA is ...

Refs Pet and its embarrassing for the league.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Got a feeling he isnt 100% fit myself. He basically cant run to his left

Jalen Williams is that guy also. Going on that Kevin Durant trajectory in his career

Oh please, I like J-Dub but he isn't even close to Durant when KD was the same age.

He is a top 20 player in the league yes but yeah he won't get to prime Durant territory (imo)

 

[AFDogs]

Ahh the NBA

Watch 15 seconds of gameplay and suffer through 3 minutes of commercials

We really are spoilt with AFL

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Spicy P is HIM !!!

 

[srobbo]

Gotta look after the ball Indy! Bad TO by Nembhard there

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

All over

 

[DT_35]

Not sure why Indy have gone away from TJ…

 

[srobbo]

Jalen Williams is that guy also. Going on that Kevin Durant trajectory in his career

He’s got some unique attributes that sets him apart from a lot. Him, Shai & Chet will win many chops together.

 

[mumblingpie]

Running hali instead of tj in the 4th wtf

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Oh please, I like J-Dub but he isn't even close to Durant when KD was the same age.

He is a top 20 player in the league yes but yeah he won't get to prime Durant territory (imo)

Trajectory is a key word. He isn’t there at this age but by 30 where will he be ?

 

[magpiemaniac44]

Pathetic last 5 minutes from the Pacers

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Trajectory is a key word. He isn’t there at this age but by 30 where will he be ?

Mark Hepburn and Adrian Barich levels.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

He’s got some unique attributes that sets him apart from a lot. Him, Shai & Chet will win many chops together.

Will depend a lot on if the Thunder can keep all 3 together

 

[mumblingpie]

Hali game 5 eh

 

[DT_35]

TJ not seeing a second in the 4th until the Indy bench was emptied late after scoring 13 points in the 3rd is diabolical

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Pacers were gone mentally after the position they were in last game. Inevitable.

 

[hamG]

Indy won't get this run of luck / fortune again, so win it now before back to toiling as a .500 team.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Will depend a lot on if the Thunder can keep all 3 together

Should be able to providing they are willing to go to luxury tax in 2027/2028 which I think they would and also move Wiggins/Joe on to shed some salary. You gotta do it on certain occassions and nows the time. In this off season they gotta move Joe/Wiggins for some expiring deals. Doing so would give them 2 contracted players (SGA + Caruso) with 6 team options but then 120 mill to spend so think they can make it work. They could also look to shed some salary this season and spread our Lugentz Dorts deal by giving him extra this off season.

 

[stewie griffen]

Ahh the NBA

Watch 15 seconds of gameplay and suffer through 3 minutes of commercials

We really are spoilt with AFL

Give me Doris talking about anything over Derm

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Indy won't get this run of luck / fortune again, so win it now before back to toiling as a .500 team.

Wouldnt go that far as Mathurin/Nembhard/Walker still got improvement in them. They also havnt had the best luck TBH with Nesmith and Hali both playing injured with it really showing today for both

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

How would this OKC team fare against the Warriors of old?

 

[stewie griffen]

How would this OKC team fare against the Warriors of old?

They'd probably get over Run TMC fairly easily

 

[Son of Skeletor]

Nembhard picked a bad time to lose his powers, had some awful turnovers in the 4th.

Hope there's a Game 7.

Will depend a lot on if the Thunder can keep all 3 together

They'll be able to.

They can keep adding talent via the draft with all their excess picks, will keep their costs down. Better placed than any other NBA team to navigate the new tax rules.

I think they would and also move Wiggins/Joe on to shed some salary. You gotta do it on certain occassions and nows the time. In this off season they gotta move Joe/Wiggins for some expiring deals. Doing so would give them 2 contracted players (SGA + Caruso) with 6 team options but then 120 mill to spend so think they can make it work.

They don't need to do a damned thing this off-season, and my guess is that beyond fringe moves, they won't. Will have no problems with their cap whatsoever in 2025/26.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Nembhard picked a bad time to lose his powers, had some awful turnovers in the 4th.

Hope there's a Game 7.




They'll be able to.

They can keep adding talent via the draft with all their excess picks, will keep their costs down. Better placed than any other NBA team to navigate the new tax rules.



They don't need to do a damned thing this off-season, and my guess is that beyond fringe moves, they won't. Will have no problems with their cap whatsoever in 2025/26.

They need to make moves this off season to plan for 26/27 by shedding that 20 mill now for expiring deals . If they can change Joe/Wiggins into say Clarkson and Niang they end up with 2 good players and salary cap space when they need it

 

[Son of Skeletor]

They need to make moves this off season to plan for 26/27 by shedding that 20 mill now for expiring deals . If they can change Joe/Wiggins into say Clarkson and Niang they end up with 2 good players and salary cap space when they need it

Nah, if they were worried about that at all they'd had never signed them to long term deals. Non issue. Clarkson and Niang isn't really an upgrade either.

If they need to trade someone in 12 months then fine, do it then. A lot of teams would be keen, including teams with cap room. I doubt they'd even need to attach a second round pick, the contracts are sensible.

They have 2 first round picks in this draft, and 15 players currently under contract for next season. IMO they'll only take one player at the draft, possibly two, punt some of those extra picks further down the road, and probably trade away one or two out of Ousmane Dieng, Dillon Jones and Kenrich Williams. That'll be it.