A New Kind of Finals? Thunder Await, Pacers Closing In — and the NBA Isn’t Ready

The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the NBA Finals. With a dominant 124-94 win over the Timberwolves in Game 5, OKC sealed a 4-1 series victory and reached the championship round for the first time since 2012 — when a young Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden fell to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh’s Miami Heat.

Thirteen years later, it’s a brand-new Thunder era, and their Finals opponent is still to be decided. But if you ask most media outlets, the likely matchup is against the Indiana Pacers, who currently hold a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And if that’s the case, it could quietly become one of the purest, most refreshing NBA Finals in recent memory — even if most casual fans aren’t ready for it.

Two Teams Defying the Modern NBA Blueprint

Multiple U.S. media outlets have noted that both OKC and Indiana have found success this postseason while deliberately avoiding many of the modern NBA norms:

• No ball-dominant, heliocentric superstars.

• No over-reliance on isolation plays.

• No extreme three-point volume.

• And no playoff-style 7-man rotations.

Thunder and Pacers rank just 11th and 13th respectively in isolation scoring this postseason, while placing 9th and 7th in three-point attempts. What they do have is deep, balanced rosters — both teams averaging 33.7 bench points per game, tied for 4th in the league.

They push the pace too. The Thunder lead all playoff teams in fast-break points (24.9 per game), with the Pacers right behind at 23.7. Indiana, in particular, is devastating on the break — averaging 1.34 points per fast-break possession on 66% shooting, while OKC isn’t far off at 1.17 points and 54%.

In short, these are teams built on cohesion, speed, depth, and trust — more reminiscent of elite NCAA squads than modern NBA powerhouses. And yet, they're thriving.

A Matchup for Basketball Purists, Not Ratings

If this Finals happens, it might not move the ratings needle.

Since the Warriors and Lakers were eliminated, TV viewership has plummeted. According to Sports Media Watch, Game 3 of Thunder-Timberwolves was the lowest-rated Western Conference Finals game since 2013.

And the NBA clearly would prefer a major market team like the Knicks, the league’s last remaining big-market hope, to sneak in. Knicks games have drawn huge national audiences throughout the playoffs, largely due to their massive fan base.

But for those who truly love basketball?
A Thunder vs. Pacers Finals would be a gift.

Two Small Markets, One Big Connection

There’s even a bit of poetry to it:

• Both teams built around star guards acquired via franchise-altering trades. OKC stole Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the Paul George deal; Indiana landed Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis.

• Both franchises are run by long-tenured, respected front office heads — Sam Presti in OKC and Kevin Pritchard in Indiana.

• Both rely on depth and ball security — they’re the two best teams in the league at avoiding turnovers, an underrated edge in the postseason.

And yes, fun fact: Paul George once played for both franchises but never took either as far as they’ve gone now.

The Road Ahead

The Thunder are already there. The Pacers are one win away.

If this matchup materializes, it won’t be about celebrity; it’ll be about pure, modern-yet-old-school basketball. And while much of the casual audience may tune out, those who stay will be treated to a masterclass in team basketball.

Sometimes the best basketball stories aren’t told in the bright lights of L.A. or New York — but in places like Oklahoma City and Indianapolis.