Sat May 24 00:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Pacers, Thunder Off to Hot Starts in Conference Finals

**[City, State] -** The race to the NBA Finals is heating up as the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have established early leads in their respective conference final series.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP award, have jumped out to a commanding 2-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gilgeous-Alexander, who received the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday, is leading the charge for the Thunder.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers stole Game 1 on the road against the New York Knicks in a thrilling overtime victory. Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton delivered a sensational performance, dropping 31 points and dishing out 11 assists to go with four rebounds. Haliburton’s clutch play, including a crucial basket late in regulation to force overtime, silenced the Madison Square Garden crowd after the Knicks controlled much of the fourth quarter.

Despite Jalen Brunson’s game-high 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 35 points and 12 rebounds, the Knicks and Timberwolves find themselves trailing early in their series. Brunson struggled from beyond the arc, going just 1-for-6 from three-point range.

The conference finals are set to continue, with the potential to extend through June 2nd. Here’s a look back at how each team made it to the final four:

* **(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers**
* **(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks**
* **(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets**
* **(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors**
* **(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat**
* **(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic**
* **(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons**
* **(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks**
* **(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies**
* **(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors**
* **(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves**
* **(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers**

Fans can anticipate intense matchups and high-stakes basketball as these teams battle for a coveted spot in the NBA Finals. Stay tuned for updates and broadcast information as the series progress.

Read More