NBA Conference Finals
The East:
New York Knicks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (4)
Result: 4-2 Pacers
Series MVP: Pascal Siakam
Summary:
A wild Game 1 set the tone for this series as the Knicks just fell short, with Indiana kicking off their redemption tour on a high note. Tyrese Haliburton had the "what the Helly" on full blast after orchestrating an out-of-this-world comeback—draining a dagger three and putting the Knicks in a chokehold they never fully escaped.
The series was a cagey, neck-and-neck affair throughout, but Indiana proved it's better to be the Pacers than the chasers—always looking one step ahead as the series wore on. The city of New York came to play, but pieces of the Big Apple were eaten away game by game. Even with all the star power on and off the court, the top of the mountain remained just out of reach.
Plenty of questions swirled around whether star boy Tyrese was ready for superstardom... He certainly is! He dropped MVP-caliber performances and made the bright lights of MSG look like a pickup game in Central Park. Haliburton was electric all series long, but it was the silent assassin Pascal Siakam who went Super Saiyan in the finals—reminding the league that the former champion is still a big-man baller, earning him the Conference Finals MVP.
The Pacers have ended the run of the city that never sleeps and now approach their final leg—one step away from NBA immortality.
The West:
Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (4)
Result: 4-1 Thunder
Series MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Summary:
The Thunder rolled in, and the Wolves went running. A near-perfect series for OKC, sealed in emphatic fashion in Game 5. Minnesota came ready to hunt, but once the Thunder struck, the Wolves quickly turned from predator to prey.
The Oklahoma squad played like a firing squad, shooting the Wolves down from every angle. Once the series got into the trenches, the Timberwolves had no answer. Anthony Edwards may have shown flashes of why many believe he's the future face of the league—keeping the hunt alive—but it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s complete body of work that separated first from second.
SGA—Mr. Consistent and now your new MVP—showed exactly why the title belongs to him. He delivered career-high playoff stats and walked the walk while others just talked. This team has all the ability and aura to match. Their coronation after conquering the West feels like foreshadowing for what’s next. The league is officially on notice: the Thunder made the conference finals feel like a lightning round. This unstoppable force is heading to the final station—and they’re in the driver’s seat on the road to the crown.
