The NBA Finals continue tonight in OKC!
Indiana Pacers @ Oklahoma City Thunder – 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET
- Series is tied 2-2
NBA Finals Open Thread – Monday, June 16
Get your popcorn.
By Tony Xypteras | 26 Comments | Jun 16, 2025
Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) and forward Chet Holmgren (7) react after defeating the Indiana Pacers in game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
The Kings Herald Newsletter
To prevent spam, our system flags comments that include too many hyperlinks. If you would like to share a comment with multiple links, make sure you email editorial@kingsherald.com for it to be approved.
I still think OKC wins it, but props to the Pacers for what they’ve done so far. They keep shocking everyone except maybe themselves.
Been a great series so far. Can’t believe OKC won on Friday shooting 3-16 on 3’s, only 11 assists and basically a wash on steals and TOs on the road.
Think this thing might go 7.
well, it’s going 6, as it’s a best of 3 series now. A game 7 is pretty likely – and the Pacers have carried themselves well. I think they have looked the better team for at least half the series.
That said, the traditionalist in me wants to see the regular season champs win it all. The Thunder had a fantastic regular season with 68 wins and a point differential of historic proportions and I like seeing that best team with the best record win “The Larry O.B.”
It makes the regular season so much more meaningful. It’s not just that as a Kings fan that the regular season is the whole season. The Thunder as the champs just makes “good sense”, if that makes sense.
I admire the Pacers and would be delighted to see them take home the crown, but I would prefer that the MVP and the regular season #1 seed OKC Thunder prevail.
Half? Through their 2-1 lead they lead for like a total of 3 minutes lol
To me.
(there, fixed it for you)
I am rooting for coach Jenny.
But OKC in 7.
The Bane trade : Orlando way over paid. Bane got that , what did Monte get for Fox ? Peanuts.
If this is the market, maybe time to trade them all.
and what is now the Garland cost?
Yes, Orlando did overpay, but they did so because Bane fits their system perfectly and they will benefit greatly from it. It’s an all in move. You got to respect that considering the windows of teams are smaller now with the new CBA.
I don’t gamble, but whatever the odds are of Orlando coming out of the East next year, may be worth a bet.
Arm’s race in the East this offseason. It’s a wide open conference. I hope Perry is listening.
Could be. Boston is gonna have a gap year, Bucks have no Lillard, Cavs are capped out. Philly has PG hanging over their cap sheet. NY is an unknown with coaching, and Indy is going to have to overpay for Turner.
Orlando seems all in so maybe Miami are buyers with the window they have with Bam and Herro? Detroit going to follow Orlando’s model?
Yeah I think DDR, KM, and MM will have a nice market if the Kings are willing to deal.
Funny enough, assuming the Pacers lose the Finals, I could seem them looking at a DDR or Monk, they need another scorer that can get a bucket.
What about the Raptors as a sneaky Domas team?
I don’t see DDR fitting anything the Pacers do offensively. He is slow with the ball, grinds to a halt, and isn’t a real threat from 3. He also doesn’t play defense.
Monk? Yeah, he seems more their speed. Higher pace, not afraid to jack 3s, plays well off-ball/secondary facilitator.
Does he? They needed a PG/primary ball handler, and I don’t Bane is that. Bane does a lot well offensively, which will help, but they have a similar issue the Kings have, not having more of a “true PG”.
My gut says whoever wins this one is gong to win the series. There might be the slimmest of possibilities that if Indy wins tonight and OKC wins two in a row, but it’s highly doubtful.
New rumblings on X –
Sacramento is going to trade into the 1st round of this year’s draft.
Somehow I expect it to be next year’s Charlotte 2nd rounder (likely 31 or 32) for OKC’s 1st rounder this year (30).
It would be so very Kangz.
What do y’all think?
Meh, That’s basically giving up the unguaranteed low 30’s for a fully guaranteed high 20’s. It helps OKC more than it helps the Kings. Smells very Vivek as he can call it a win to the casuals.
I think it’s going to take more resources than the Kings should probably spend. Unless it’s a very late first, it seems like it would take one of Keegan, Ellis, Monk, Carter or Sabonis, or a future first. I don’t think anyone else on the roster is worth a first.
Nembhard has a little Buddy in him. Makes the goofiest, boneheaded plays.
I didn’t get a chance to watch this one, but the box score reads as if Tyrese didn’t even show up. I’m the first guy to praise him when he has a great game or hits a game winner, but all credit due to OKC, there’s no excuse not to show up in game 5 of the NBA Finals.
As amazing of a run as he’s had these playoffs, he’s had some no show games. Kind of perplexing.
It’s been his whole career, it’s why he will never be a 1a, great second/third option
I agree. SGA is clearly the best player in this series and the team with the best player almost always wins the Finals.
Hali is a tier below the top tier elite players and as much as I like him I don’t think he can reach the top tier.
He’s a little injured. Calf? But yeah, needs to show up. Turner too. J-Will with a huge game!
Another classic non superstar performance by hali.
the guy is a really good player, he is NOT the star people in the media want him to be, this is why the players voted the way they did
It appears Haliburton has some spacing issues when taking his 3pt shot this series. His shot is slow, and the Thunder are in his space every possession.
Solid player, has some crazy good games and plays, then some stinkers that make ya wonder what the heck is he thinking on the court.
He’s a limited star player and always will be. Which is perfectly fine. He’s in the 2nd tier of stars but is a winning player.
Assiming the Pacers lose this series, it’ll be interesting to see how they address the roster this offseason, they need another established bucket getter.
A trade crafted around Monk for either Mathurin or Nembhard?
Badge Legend