NBA’s Final Four: Pacers, Knicks, Timberwolves, Thunder Face Off

NEW YORK, NY — The 2025 NBA playoffs have brought excitement, with four teams — the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder — set to compete in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

The Pacers, after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks and upsetting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs, will face the Knicks in the East Finals starting Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers are riding momentum from their conference finals appearance last season, even though they were swept by the Boston Celtics.

Indiana struggled early in the regular season but turned around their performance by securing a record of 42-16. Star player Tyrese Haliburton has been pivotal during their playoff run, averaging 17.5 points and 9.3 assists. The Knicks, who haven’t reached the Eastern Conference finals since 2000, overcame a challenging season, winning decisive games against the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics to get to this point.

In the West, the Thunder will take on the Timberwolves. Oklahoma City dominated the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the semifinals and is looking to build on their franchise-best 68-win regular season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a key contributor, averaging 32.7 points this season, and his performance will be crucial as the Thunder aim for their first championship since 1979.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are making their second consecutive appearance in the conference finals after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. The team’s confidence has grown, fueled by their dynamic play and recent acquisitions like Julius Randle, who has averaged 23.9 points in the postseason.

The games are set to kick off on May 20 for the Western Conference Finals and May 21 for the Eastern Conference Finals, with both series promising thrilling matchups. Fans eagerly await to see which team will advance to the NBA Finals starting June 5.