Andy Bailey

The 2025 NBA Finals are set. Everything has led to this matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. And now it's here.

The NBA is a copycat league, so plenty of teams are likely looking at the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers for ideas of how to reshape their own rosters.

Despite winning 51 games, finishing third in the Eastern Conference and taking his team to the conference finals, the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday.

The New York Knicks had the worst record in the league from 2001-02 through the end of their last season without Tom Thibodeau. Over the last five seasons, all under Thibodeau, they've made the playoffs four times, advanced past the first round three times, won 50 games twice and been to the conference finals once.

As the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to tip off the 2025 NBA Finals, the rest of the league is surely stewing over ways to be in their shoes a year from now (or shortly thereafter).

For much of this 2025 NBA postseason, big-name pundits and fans all over the internet have spent hours debating who will be the next the next face of the league. They've argued who deserves to be tagged as a superstar. They've talked in circles trying to avoid what became even more obvious in Thursday's Game 1 win for the Indiana Pacers:

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2025 NBA Finals as minus-750 favorites to win the series (giving them implied odds of 88 percent). But after losing to the Indiana Pacers, 116-107, on Wednesday, they're down 2-1 and on the ropes against this postseason's most dynamic offense.

Following the Oklahoma City Thunder's 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, the 2025 NBA Finals are tied at two games apiece.

Throughout NBA history, few teams have reached the mountaintop without a bona fide superstar in the No. 2 role.

Tyrese Haliburton has had an incredible 2025 postseason. He's averaging 17.9 points, 9.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds.