John Clay: Five reasons (plus one) why you should be watching the NBA Finals

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader on Jun 6, 2025

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Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC.

No LeBron. No Jokic. No Steph. No Giannis. No Celtics. No Knicks. No reason for the league or network executives to be celebrating this finals matchup.

And yet, here are five reasons (plus one) why you should be watching:

1. The Pacers

Indiana stole the first game of the Eastern Conference finals by rallying to defeat the Knicks, 138-135, in overtime in New York. The Pacers did the same Thursday night in the first game of the finals, rallying to beat the Thunder, 111-110, in Oklahoma City when Tyrese Haliburton hit the winning shot with 0.3 seconds left.

Aside from the late-game heroics, Indiana plays the same way coach Mark Pope wants to play at Kentucky. A fast pace. Lots of 3-point shots. Lots of substitutions.

Did we say fast pace? In its 4-2 series win against New York, Indiana continually beat the Knicks down the floor for quick buckets, including after New York’s made baskets. It’s a fun way to play.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The former Kentucky star is not just the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, his “old man’s game” is a joy to watch.

The Thunder guard can hit the 3-pointer, but he appears to be on a one-man crusade to bring back the mid-range jumper. One of Thursday’s highlights was a beautiful Shai drive to the basket in which the camera behind the backboard caught Gilgeous-Alexander’s eyes wide-open in amazement.

3. No Knicks

Did we mention that the Knicks didn’t make the finals? While we are not Pat McAfee fans — the ESPN shock jock told the New York celebrity fans to “go home” from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis — we grew a little tired of the constant shots of Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee sitting courtside.

After making but losing its first conference finals in decades, New York unceremoniously dumped head coach Tom Thibodeau. As more than one social poster summarized: The Knicks carry themselves like the Yankees, but are closer to the Nets.

4. The inside television network drama

Almost as intriguing as what is happening with the fellows in uniforms is what’s going on with the people who wear the headphones.

Sadly, this was the last season for TNT’s NBA coverage. From the iconic “Inside the NBA” program to the quality of their broadcast teams, the network set the standard for league coverage. Alas, in the end, the NBA cared more about money than quality.

ESPN’s coverage will continue next season — along with newcomers NBC and Amazon Prime — but who knows what that will look like. Reports before the season opener said that Doris Burke, a third of the network’s A-team on NBA broadcasts, was on thin ice.

Truth is, ESPN/ABC should have never broken up its best band of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. It’s all been downhill since.

5. The quality of NBA play

I, for one, believe the quality of college basketball has improved over the past couple of years thanks to NIL and COVID exceptions keeping older players in the game. Still, even as a huge fan of college basketball, there’s no comparison to the skill exhibited in the professional game.

And I don’t get the griping about the influx of 3-point shooting. So-called “modern offenses” have smartly spread the floor, allowing for more driving, playmaking and individuality. I’ll take that over packed painted areas, as the great Hubie Brown would say.

6. Roster-building

Not long ago, the prevailing opinion was that you needed more than one superstar to win a title. LeBron James needed Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Stephen Curry needed Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson in Golden State. Jayson Tatum needed Jaylen Brown in Boston.

Indiana and OKC have broken the mold. Both franchises built their rosters by capitalizing on draft picks and smart trades. The casual fan might not recognize many of the players on the roster, but they should appreciate the great basketball.

This year proves you don’t need a LeBron, or a Jokic, or a Steph, or a Giannis to win a title.