Can Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves squeeze past the Thunder to reach the NBA Finals?
There’s one word that fits the 2024-25 playoffs: Compelling. The games have demanded suspense, heroes, series that go seven games and thrilling finishes. Yes, compelling is right.
This is largely the result of the work of and performances delivered by the final four teams — Knicks, Pacers, Timberwolves and Thunder. Each are bringing core players who are thriving on the big stage and rotations that are supplying the necessary help.
And now it’s down to Pacers vs. Knicks in the East, Timberwolves vs. Thunder in the West.
Here’s the one word that best describes each of the last four teams standing in this NBA postseason:
New York Knicks
> “Thirsty”
As you might have heard, this is a big-market, long-time franchise that hasn’t sipped champagne in a while. To be specific, not since 1973, and if this math is mathing correctly, that’s five long decades. Heck, even more graphic? This is the Knicks’ first Eastern Conference finals appearance in nearly 25 years when, coincidentally, they were eliminated by the Pacers the last time.
So, yes, the Knicks and their fans are … is desperate the word? They want to cash in, especially since this team appears to hold a whiff of destiny. Jalen Brunson was the game-changer when he arrived three years ago; he has exceeded expectations and is a clutch and gritty player with cut-throat competitiveness in tense situations.
The other arrivals of the last few years — Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges — have had their big moments during this playoff run. New York City has fallen in love with the Knicks all over again. Just see how the corner of 33rd and 7th is clogged after playoff wins. The next street the citizens want to shut down is Broadway in mid-June.
The Knicks have electrified the city with their playoff run in 2025.
Indiana Pacers
> “Plucky”
These aren’t the Reggie Miller-era Pacers who were known to bring an attitude, but there’s a big-city swag with this mid-city franchise. It starts, of course, with Tyrese Haliburton, who doesn’t back down from the challenge, who inspires his teammates to achieve — overachieve, even?
Consider that Haliburton and the Pacers caught their second breath after a sloggy start (10-15) to the season. They won 15 of their last 19 games, and since the playoffs began, Indy is seeing substantial growth from Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith. Meanwhile, Pascal Siakam, who won a title in Toronto in 2019, is shooting 54% overall, 44% from deep and is leading the team in scoring.
Did the Pacers take advantage of key injuries suffered by the Bucks and Cavaliers in the first and second rounds? Fair enough. Still, the Knicks would be foolish to believe Indy can’t beat a healthy team. You can call them lucky, but also label them plucky.
Minnesota Timberwolves
> “Hot”
Hard to believe, but at February’s end, the Wolves were fighting for a playoff spot. They were 32-29 in the unforgiving Western Conference as they sat on the edge, hoping a gusty wind would blow them in the right direction.
And now? If the belief that the hottest and healthiest team has the best chance to win an NBA championship holds, then pencil in the Wolves as a strong favorite. Minnesota has lost only three times since March 28, playoffs included, and is 25-6 since March 1. It had to finish strong in the regular season, then kept the fire burning through the first two rounds.
Julius Randle’s scoring average is up five points since the regular season. And he’s healthy — unlike his past playoff runs with the Knicks. Plus, we haven’t even mentioned Anthony Edwards yet.
The Wolves need to tap into additional offensive resources, given they’re averaging just 108 points, which their defense is allowing them to get away with.
Oklahoma City Thunder
> “Restless”
As in, The Young and the Restless. The long-held and conventional basketball thinking is that young teams like OKC’s must wait their turn, pay their dues and go through the fire before sniffing a championship. The Thunder want to debunk that with a sledgehammer, and they’re capable of doing so.
OKC is growing up on the fly and had a necessary coming-to-Earth experience when the Nuggets took them to seven games in the semis. A 68-win regular season team can only get stronger from that, and maybe after such a dominant season, the Thunder needed to learn what stress tasted like.
It could be that no team will test OKC like that again the rest of the way. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the cornerstone that every would-be champion needs, and the depth and defense of OKC is the envy of all remaining playoff teams.
It could be that youth is about to get served … a title.
Jalen Williams and a trio of reserves helped key the Thunder's closeout win over Denver.
* * *
Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.
