NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana

[Matrim55]

Gonna have a new, first-time champion, which is fun.

No UConn guys on either roster, but Rick Carlisle played high school (Worcester Academy), college (Maine) and pro (Celtics) in New England.

For OKC, Mark Daignault is a UConn guy who got his start in coaching as a student manager for the here from 2003 to 2007. Calhoun & Blaney saw something in him and really pushed him to go for it. And his team plays defense like an old-school Big East team, so there's that.

Playoffs have been insanely great this year. Even as a heartbroken Celtics fan it's been an amazing postseason.

 

[UCLJ0211]

OKC’s defense is scary good. Don’t know if the Pacers have enough answers on offense outside of Haliburton and Siakam. I’ll bet on OKC in 5.

 

[HooperScooper]

Two markets that aren’t going to interest the average NBA fan. OKC is a nice story and has the league MVP but are people going to watch? I’ll be curious to see what the ratings are.

 

[aceboon]

Pacers are one scorer/shot creator short and probably one more big man short from winning a title but I'm looking forward to this Finals, I think it's going to be more competitive than people think

 

[Matrim55]

Two markets that aren’t going to interest the average NBA fan. OKC is a nice story and has the league MVP but are people going to watch? I’ll be curious to see what the ratings are.

Really weird to me that people care about this, especially since the NBA's now locked into a 10-year media rights contract. The ratings couldn't possibly matter less.

 

[Northbound]

Really weird to me that people care about this, especially since the NBA's now locked into a 10-year media rights contract. The ratings couldn't possibly matter less.

Agree. Plus ratings are old news it’s really about viewership across platforms.

 

[blkknight1]

Thunder just as deep as the pacers but way more physical on offense and defense. Pacers go from the worst defensive team in the playoffs to the best. Thunder are a younger team though, pacers do have championship experience in siakam and carlise.

Thunder in 6 though. The old saying proves true once again "offense gets the glory but defense wins championships."

 

[JB75]

Two markets that aren’t going to interest the average NBA fan. OKC is a nice story and has the league MVP but are people going to watch? I’ll be curious to see what the ratings are.

Have no interest. Might first nba finals I don’t watch since I was 8 yrs old. Two tuff markers with minimal star power. Told my wife last night after Knicks lost that I won’t be moving my schedule around for a sporting event now until football starts. Lollll. Also sucks that nba on tnt is now over after all these years. Those guys were great.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Gonna have a new, first-time champion, which is fun.

No UConn guys on either roster, but Rick Carlisle played high school (Worcester Academy), college (Maine) and pro (Celtics) in New England.

For OKC, Mark Daignault is a UConn guy who got his start in coaching as a student manager for the here from 2003 to 2007. Calhoun & Blaney saw something in him and really pushed him to go for it. And his team plays defense like an old-school Big East team, so there's that.

Playoffs have been insanely great this year. Even as a heartbroken Celtics fan it's been an amazing postseason.

I'm looking forward to this matchup. If you are heartbroken now about the Cs next year may be a back breaker.

 

[mauconnfan]

It’s funny I’ve watched many of the games, certainly not full but checking in on them. Heck I’m a Celts fan and can’t watch them in a full game mode it’s painful to me. But having seen enough I guess, this is the one match up that would be the most fun. Both can pass, run and score as well as defend. I think OKC wins but there should be some fun games.

Knicks had a nice year but please can anyone get away with more BS than Brunson and Towns? Hart as well but it’s not magnified as much. And when will NBA refs actually call fouls on a defender does he need to hold on for over 10 seconds? lol between the holding on D and the moving screens being acceptable it’s hard to watch for long don’t care who’s playing. What is the point to where the actual foul that is occurring is no longer acceptable?

 

[Deepster]

Well. It sure ain’t Magic vs Bird.

 

[huskyfan224]

Pacers don’t have the bigs unfortunately, hope I’m wrong. I’ll be going to a game though, which is gonna be pretty sweet.

They’ve got the guards/wings to compete with OKC, but Myles is definitely the weak link. If he plays like his normal average self, they have a chance. He got put in a blender by the Knicks, OKC with Hartenstein and Chet will do the same. If Jackson and Wiseman didn’t get hurt, I would have loved their chances.

 

[Greathusky]

I am a Knicks fan. Interesting to see how a big money market team investing in big contracts got beat by a small market team who develop players through drafts.

 

[UCFan1513]

I like that it’s two small markets with bottom 10 payrolls, not riding washed up stars. That’s fresh, and maybe a harkening back to older days

 

[navery12]

I am a Knicks fan. Interesting to see how a big money market team investing in big contracts got beat by a small market team who develop players through drafts.

They have some nice rotation pieces they've developed, but Haliburton and Siakam are the reason they're in the Finals and they're both trade acquisitions, same with Nesmith

 

[superjohn]

Happy for both cities. Nap town is only really known for the Indy 500 and conventions. OKC is only really known for Timothy McVeigh.

 

[HCCForever]

I'm not a huge NBA fan like some but I enjoyed watching the way Indiana passes and plays. Especially compared to the Celtics who I follow.

I will be watching the Finals if convenient. Too bad about TNT losing the NBA but life goes on. Unfortunatly, I was watching game in a bar, so I missed the send-off by Ernie and the crew.

 

[HooperScooper]

Really weird to me that people care about this, especially since the NBA's now locked into a 10-year media rights contract. The ratings couldn't possibly matter less.

Since I don't share in any of the money from the contract my only interest is whether NBA fans would rather watch this final or say one that has the Celtics or Lakers or the Knicks. Indianapolis and Oklahoma City are probably 2 of the smaller markets in the NBA so I'm just curious how interesting the series is to the average NBA fan. You have an issue with that?

 

[aceboon]

I'm not a huge NBA fan like some but I enjoyed watching the way Indiana passes and plays. Especially compared to the Celtics who I follow.

I will be watching the Finals if convenient. Too bad about TNT losing the NBA but life goes on. Unfortunatly, I was watching game in a bar, so I missed the send-off by Ernie and the crew.

In "classic" Shaq fashion he just had to get the last word in and couldn't let Ernie's last message be the send-off

 

[BigTenFan]

Rick Carlisle has had quite a career.

 

[Drame]

Have no interest. Might first nba finals I don’t watch since I was 8 yrs old. Two tuff markers with minimal star power. Told my wife last night after Knicks lost that I won’t be moving my schedule around for a sporting event now until football starts. Lollll. Also sucks that nba on tnt is now over after all these years. Those guys were great.

I have the complete opposite feeling. Two teams that have never won before makes this more exciting. Plus, having two great teams play each other is more interesting than a a few stars battling each other. Plus you dont know how many future superstars are playing anyhow.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

They are definitely the two most deserving finalists but I’m likely not watching unless it goes 7

 

[Jaydumo20]

Since I don't share in any of the money from the contract my only interest is whether NBA fans would rather watch this final or say one that has the Celtics or Lakers or the Knicks. Indianapolis and Oklahoma City are probably 2 of the smaller markets in the NBA so I'm just curious how interesting the series is to the average NBA fan. You have an issue with that?

Agree 100%
The money they make off of TV contracts will not be a consideration in any fans' decision to watch these finals.

To take it a step further,
Do we research our favorite bands'royalty agreements with their record labels? Or a labels distribution agreement with streaming services? We have no clue. We just know if we like the song or not.

 

[superjohn]

Agree 100%
The money they make off of TV contracts will not be a consideration in any fans' decision to watch these finals.

To take it a step further,
Do we research our favorite bands'royalty agreements with their record labels? Or a labels distribution agreement with streaming services? We have no clue. We just know if we like the song or not.

If my favorite teams aren't in it I'm always rooting for the small market teams. It means more to those cities and states.

I'm sad my Knicks lost but I'm happy it's two small market teams in the finals. It would mean a great deal to both Oklahoma and Indiana if their team won it all.

I couldn't care less about TV ratings.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

David Stern would have never allowed an NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City.