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There are two reasonable ways to evaluate the Minnesota Timberwolves as they enter the 2025 offseason, fresh off another Western Conference finals defeat.

This team has reached consecutive Western Conference finals. The only other team to do that within the past decade was the dynastic Golden State Warriors, and the Timberwolves did it around a 23-year-old Anthony Edwards. There is plenty of youth around him, as Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are all rotation fixtures who are 26 or younger, and Jaylen Clark, Terrence Shannon and Rob Dillingham are all promising prospects between the ages of 20 and 24. This is one of the best and most dependable teams in the Western Conference and figures to remain competitive for years to come.
The team that reached the 2024 Western Conference finals died the moment it traded Karl-Anthony Towns, and the 2025 team only got back there because of a weak bracket. The Timberwolves beat a Lakers team without a center and a Warriors team without Stephen Curry to win its first two series, and then, the moment they tried to play with the big boys, they got a slap in the face from a true contender in Oklahoma City. Even if there is youth on the team, it is outweighed by the older players who appear set to decline. Mike Conley is 37. Rudy Gobert is 32, was borderline unplayable on offense in the playoffs, and is now set to begin a three-year contract extension. Julius Randle is 30 and, thanks to his player option, has the leverage to demand a long-term deal that the Knicks didn’t want to give him. This team has peaked.
The truth, as with most things, is probably somewhere in between. What’s so concerning here is that it might not even matter because of who just beat them in five games. The Thunder raised the bar. For all of the talk of parity and seven champions in seven years, Oklahoma City isn’t going away.

We already know that the Timberwolves, as presently constructed, are not equipped to beat the Thunder. They probably aren’t equipped to beat them moving forward either, because the Thunder aren’t divided between youth and age. Everyone they have figures to get better, they’re loaded with draft picks Minnesota doesn’t have, and they’re much further away from a financial crunch.

Who should Timberwolves target in NBA Draft? Danny Wolf, Cedric Coward among players that could land at No. 17
Cameron Salerno
Who should Timberwolves target in NBA Draft? Danny Wolf, Cedric Coward among players that could land at No. 17
Avoiding that crunch was the entire point of the Towns trade. The idea was to escape his long-term supermax contract and maximize their long-term flexibility with Randle’s shorter deal. That wasn’t just flexibility they needed for future improvement. It was flexibility they needed just to keep the rest of this core together.

Strip the Timberwolves down to their guaranteed contracts for next season (and their favorable team options), and they have $150.1 million owed to 12 players. Not bad, right? Well, that doesn’t include Randle or Reid, who have player options, or Alexander-Walker, who is an unrestricted free agent. The projected second apron for next season is $207.8 million. That leaves them less than $58 million to re-sign all three below the line, or around $27 million if Randle picks up his $30.9 million option.

The Timberwolves aren’t necessarily bound by the second apron. They could exceed it. For the moment, we’re only talking about re-signing their own players with Bird Rights. They are not (yet) hard-capped. But the Timberwolves already exceeded the second apron this season. A team can do so twice in a five-year period without penalty. Do so a third time and a frozen first-round pick — in this case, Minnesota’s 2032 selection — automatically drops to No. 30 overall. This system was designed assuming teams wouldn’t be willing to risk that, and Minnesota likely won’t. If the Timberwolves go above the second apron next season, they’re probably not going to be able to do so again for several years. The Western Conference finals suggested that they probably aren’t close enough to risk their last second-apron season quite yet.

Even if they are, will this new ownership group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez be willing to? In 2024, ESPN reported that the Lore-Rodriguez group planned to try to duck the luxury tax entirely for the 2024-25 season, an almost impossibly cheap maneuver. As they fought with former owner Glen Taylor for control of the team, they reportedly added several high-profile investors: Michael Bloomberg, Eric Schmidt and Blue Owl Capital. We don’t know how focused investors like that are going to be on the budget compared to the on-court goal of trying to compete for championships. In short, we have no idea just how high their payroll even can get, independent of basketball concerns.

So even if Minnesota wants to run it back, it would be doing so in all likelihood with someone leaving. Maybe that’s a younger player like Reid or Alexander-Walker in free agency. Maybe they trade an older one like Conley or DiVincenzo instead. But the odds of the core eight all returning next season, for purely financial reasons, are pretty low. If this group wasn’t good enough to beat the Thunder, a weakened version of it won’t be next year, either.

Only time will tell how ambitious these Timberwolves really are. Some teams are content to hang around the second or third round every year and hope that circumstances take them over the top. A sprained ankle here, a cold shooting streak there, make it that far and anything can happen.

But nothing Tim Connelly has done in running this team suggests he’ll be comfortable sitting on his hands. Between the Gobert and Towns deals and his draft night swing on Dillingham, there hasn’t been a more aggressive general manager in basketball in recent years. You have to be aggressive in a market like Minnesota. Edwards is still a long way away from free agency, but that clock always starts ticking faster than a team might realize. The moment he feels he can’t realistically compete for titles in Minnesota is the moment that everything this organization has built around him starts to crumble.

If the team here and now isn’t good enough to compete with the Thunder, something drastic is going to have to be done to change that. They’ll either need to push even more chips in here and now to try to catch up to Oklahoma City, or they’ll need to take a step back to give themselves a chance to do so later.

Given how little draft capital the Timberwolves have remaining, the win-now upgrade options are going to be limited. They’re not getting Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’re not getting someone healthy and in their prime. If they want to get a big name now, it will be one that comes with some associated risk. There’s really only one name that makes sense on that front. The Timberwolves were linked to Kevin Durant at the deadline. Durant was Edwards’ childhood idol, and the two played together for Team USA last summer. Odds are, the Timberwolves sniff around Durant again.

McDaniels is probably off of the table entirely. The question is whether or not Phoenix would demand Rudy Gobert in a deal. He’s the NBA’s ultimate defensive floor-raiser and their defense is a mess. Of course, Minnesota’s would be too without him. Reid is not a full-time rim-protector and part of the reason the Knicks traded Randle was because they knew he couldn’t play center. If the Suns would cooperate on a swap built around, say, Randle, Conley and DiVincenzo? This might make sense. It would be a high-risk bet on the youngsters filling in for the lost depth, but it would be a way to vastly increase their offensive upside without sacrificing the defensive identity Gobert gives them.

Of course, any potential Durant trade shortens Minnesota’s window substantially. He’s 37. At best, he’s looking at another few years as an All-Star. Is this really the window the Timberwolves want to bet on? At the peak of Oklahoma City’s powers? Or might it make sense to take a step back here and go the other way. What if the Timberwolves went all-in on the young core, traded Gobert and elected not to give Randle a long-term deal?

This is yet another risk, but a different sort. The maneuverability this approach would create could be quite beneficial. If the young players shine, they could perhaps even refill the coffers enough to take another swing at a younger star down the line. But this approach wouldn’t pay off immediately. As frustrating as Gobert’s offense was in the playoffs, this is not a Western Conference finals team without him. Remove him and suddenly the Timberwolves might be a play-in team — a fate they avoided by only a single victory this season. That’s a precarious place to be as Edwards comes of age. Would he accept stepping back for a few years? What if they aren’t contending in a few years, as his free agency approaches? Is avoiding Oklahoma City’s window all that valuable with San Antonio’s looming afterward?

These are tough questions, but there are no easy answers for a Timberwolves team that is much further from contention than its Western Conference finals berths suggest. Reaching the mountaintop means beating teams like the Thunder, and if the series we just watched is any indication, that’s not feasible for Minnesota right now. There are going to be changes here. They might be minor cost-cutting maneuvers or they might be wholesale, but this year’s team is not returning in its entirety. It’s up to the Timberwolves to figure out what exactly that means moving forward.

The NCAA’s NBA withdrawal deadline came and went Wednesday night, but not without some drama. In the final days and hours, numerous teams waited with bated breath as several major college stars debated — and in some cases delayed — their professional pursuits.

That theme carried throughout the deadline period, which featured major risers and fallers among draft prospects, momentum swings for programs and a reshaped draft landscape. Over just a few weeks, the pre-draft process moved players through interviews, team workouts and the NBA Draft Combine, solidifying what this year’s talent pool will look like when the draft begins June 25.

There’s plenty to take away from the past month — especially how things have shifted on both the college and draft fronts. And you’re in luck: I’ve got thoughts on all of it.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest takeaways and standout moments from the deadline.

Best NBA prospect returning to college: Yaxel Lendeborg
Heading into NBA Draft Combine week, the belief was that UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg needed a strong showing in Chicago to consider staying in the NBA Draft and backing off his previous commitment to Michigan. Then he delivered exactly that — and was left weighing a tough decision.

Ultimately, Lendeborg stuck with his commitment and — in something of a surprise — put his NBA future on hold. He bypassed the chance to be a potential late first-round pick to join the Wolverines under new coach Dusty May.

He’s the highest-rated player on my board returning to college next season. At Michigan, he’ll have the opportunity to step into a starring role — one that nearly produced an out-of-nowhere lottery pick in Danny Wolf. Lendeborg is on a similar trajectory for the 2026 NBA Draft, though his rise won’t catch anyone by surprise. He’s a defensive menace who should impact winning early and often in Ann Arbor — and he’ll be a household name in no time.

Why Yaxel Lendeborg withdrawing from the 2025 NBA Draft to play for Dusty May at Michigan is right decision
Cameron Salerno
Why Yaxel Lendeborg withdrawing from the 2025 NBA Draft to play for Dusty May at Michigan is right decision
Biggest late-cycle riser: Cedric Coward
No player climbed higher in a shorter span than Washington State star and Duke commit Cedric Coward, who rose from a potential second-round pick to a near-lock for the first round in just the past 30 days. His draft range now projects from the back end of the lottery to the mid-20s.

Coward announced earlier this week that he is staying in the draft, capping a meteoric rise that few anticipated a month ago, but one nearly everyone saw coming after his recent surge.

Returner most likely to swing NCAA title outcome: Milos Uzan
Purdue’s Braden Smith and St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor have cases here, but for my money, Milos Uzan’s decision to return to Houston will have the biggest impact on the 2025-26 NCAA title race.

Houston won 35 games and finished as the national runner-up last season. Now, Uzan headlines of a returning core that includes Emanuel Sharp and JoJo Tugler. For good measure, the Cougars are also adding five-star freshman Chris Cenac Jr. and four-star prospects Isiah Harwell and Kingston Flemings. Good gravy.

Gary Parrish doesn’t quite agree with my stance — he has St. John’s in the top spot and Houston at No. 2 in his latest Top 25 and 1 — but there’s no denying that Uzan running it back will heavily influence the championship picture next season. He’ll be a potential preseason All-American and a first-round pick candidate in the 2026 NBA Draft.

WATCH: Houston’s Milos Uzan hits last-second layup on inbounds play called ’51’ to beat Purdue in Sweet 16
David Cobb
WATCH: Houston’s Milos Uzan hits last-second layup on inbounds play called ’51’ to beat Purdue in Sweet 16
Team most impacted: Florida
Coming off a program-best 36-win season that wrapped with its first men’s basketball national title since the Billy Donovan era, Florida, incredibly, may have pieced together a team nearly as formidable as the one that cut down the nets in San Antonio earlier this year. That’s because despite losing Superman reincarnate Walter Clayton Jr., coach Todd Golden is bringing back Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon from the team’s core and adding in Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee, among others.

Fland, Condon, Haugh and Lee are all future pros — and I’d have guessed six months ago that three of those four would have been almost certainly NBA-bound, with Fland and Condon tracking at one point toward being top-20 picks.

Now they’re all Gators. And good grief their prospects for next season just in the last week went from good to great.

Alex Condon returns to Florida: Gators may have top frontcourt after big man withdraws from 2025 NBA Draft
Austin Nivison
Alex Condon returns to Florida: Gators may have top frontcourt after big man withdraws from 2025 NBA Draft
Most likely to be a future transfer portal star: PJ Haggerty
Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty announced he is withdrawing from the draft and transferring to Kansas State to land him with his fourth school in four seasons after previous stops at TCU, Tulsa and Memphis. If this trend continues. … He’ll be a big name to watch in the portal again next year.

He’s a big get for Kansas State after finishing as the third-leading scorer in college basketball last season and earning All-American honors. He elevate K-State’s backcourt talent and shot-making right away.

Silkiest gamer set for star turn: Tahaad Pettiford
With a robust NIL package believed to be north of $2 million, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford announced he’ll run it back with the Tigers on deadline day. Pettiford played well at the Combine and might’ve done enough to be a first-round pick after a stellar freshman season. Instead, he’s back in the college ranks for at least one more run, locking up the distinction of being my preseason pick for Most Silky Breakout Star in 2025.

He’s going to be cinema next season leading a revamped Tigers roster.

Team we’re not hyping up enough: Kentucky
Otega Oweh’s announcement of returning to college was a splashy win. But I’m not sure it was appreciated enough, given the other noisy decisions that came near the deadline. Oweh led Kentucky in points, minutes and steals and was generating second-round interest.

He’s a very good player bubbling as a potential All-American candidate!

And it’s like none of you care!

UK has a ton of good pieces on the way, and Oweh is set as a foundational element for what coach Mark Pope builds into his second year at the helm.

Otega Oweh withdraws from NBA Draft: Kentucky’s top player returns, gives Mark Pope a loaded roster for Year 2
Matt Norlander
Otega Oweh withdraws from NBA Draft: Kentucky’s top player returns, gives Mark Pope a loaded roster for Year 2
Most curious pre-draft process: RJ Luis Jr.
Coming off an All-American season at St. John’s, Luis entered the transfer portal but, somewhat curiously, announced this week that he will remain in the NBA Draft. The decision came after he struggled to generate significant traction as a draft prospect.

He could still be selected in the second round — especially with so many top players returning to school — but given his college résumé and the likelihood of earning a seven-figure NIL deal, it’s surprising to see him commit to the draft and bypass what appeared to be a substantial financial opportunity by returning to college.

Most likely to have the best dunk reel in the NBA: Drake Powell
North Carolina wing Drake Powell posted modest numbers in his lone season with the Tar Heels, but he tested off the charts at the NBA Draft Combine. He led all participants in both the max vertical leap and no-step vertical leap.

Clearly, Powell felt he showed enough during the pre-draft process to fully commit, which he announced recently. It’s only a matter of time before he’s flying high and throwing down highlight-reel dunks at the next level. He’s a mega-leaper who can soar — and among the wings in this class. He might just produce the best dunk reel by the end of his career.

Most surprising decision: Labaron Philon
Late into the night on deadline day, Alabama guard Labaron Philon stunned the world and reversed course, flipping from a definitely-staying-in-the-draft commitment to a shocking return back to Alabama. Philon went on record at the Combine saying he was two toes into the draft and didn’t plan to return to college, but it seems the Crimson Tide brass put together a last-minute NIL package to coax him back to Tuscaloosa for at least one more season.

Rarely do we get truly surprising news on deadline day; full disclosure, Pettiford, Oweh and Uzan all seemed to be trending toward a return to school. But Philon’s qualifies as a stunner after maintaining he would stay in the draft and flipping in the final hour.

The NBA Finals are a week away, and once a champion is crowned it’s full steam ahead to free agency. With a few stars possibly on the move, we could have a crazy offseason of trades, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo does orchestrate an exit from the Milwaukee Bucks. If he’s moved to a different team it will reshuffle the NBA landscape, but by no means is the Greek Freak the only domino we’ll be on the lookout to fall to kickstart this offseason.

Several teams who have already been eliminated will be looking to upgrade or retool, with the Boston Celtics mentioned most frequently as a team looking to overhaul a roster that is trying to cut their tax bill while still remaining competitive.

We’re about a month away before teams can start talking about trades and looking at free agents, but there’s plenty of chatter out there to keep us wondering how this is going to play out. With that being said, here’s the latest intel from the rumor mill.

NBA trade rumors: Cavaliers will consider potential deals on two of their core four players
Sam Quinn
NBA trade rumors: Cavaliers will consider potential deals on two of their core four players
Could Kevin Durant be headed to the Spurs?
Aside from Antetokounmpo, Durant is the biggest name that has been mentioned in the rumor mill. His tenure with the Phoenix Suns has been marred by injuries both to Durant and other stars around him like Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. There was also the issue of the Suns lacking any real depth for practically his entire time there, so Phoenix was always a tier below the legitimate championship contenders in the West.

Now, after missing the postseason entirely, firing another coach and with a top heavy roster that carried the highest tax bill of any other team in the league, there’s been hints of change on the horizon for the Suns, specifically with Durant. There were reports at the trade deadline that Phoenix entertained the idea of trading Durant to the Warriors, but the MVP superstar nixed that idea. But Golden State wasn’t the only team with interest in the NBA champion. The San Antonio Spurs and Durant had mutual interest in each other, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, which is potentially notable for how this summer may play out.

What could a Durant-Spurs trade look like?
It’s unclear to what extent that interest was, and perhaps San Antonio doesn’t hold Durant in that same regard after landing the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft. However, if the interest is still there on San Antonio’s side, there’s plenty of assets the Suns would find intriguing in a return. Aside from a treasure trove of future draft picks the Spurs have of not just their own, but the rights to swap with teams like the Mavericks, Hawks and Celtics, San Antonio has a few young guys that may interest the Suns.

Unless the Spurs would consider trading the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft — which is incredibly unlikely — San Antonio is going to have a crowded backcourt if they take Dylan Harper, which means someone could be on the move. Devin Vassell could be the odd man out, and he certainly should be of interest to the Suns as he’s only 24 years old, is about a 15 points a game scorer and still has room to develop.

Spurs get: Kevin Durant

Suns get: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan

Vassell could be the starting package for a return for the Suns, who should also be asking for the No. 14 pick in next month’s draft in any deal with San Antonio, as well as multiple other first-round picks. Adding Johnson and Sochan not only works monetarily, but gives Phoenix the kind of depth on both ends of the floor that they didn’t have in previous years. It also ensures that the Suns still have a somewhat competitive roster around Booker. The Suns could also swap Johnson and get Harrison Barnes if they value his veteran presence, that also works financially, though Johnson has more upside at 25 years old.

Clippers eyeing Jrue Holiday?
The Celtics are widely considered to break up its championship team in some form, in part to cut down on a payroll that is third highest in the league, but also to retool around the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Holiday has been one of the most-mentioned names as someone who could be on the move, with several other teams as potential suitors, like the Mavericks. But the Clippers could also be in line for trying to nab Holiday from Boston, according to Mass Live’s Brian Robb.

The Clippers tried to get Holiday back in 2023 when the Celtics originally acquired him from the Portland Trail Blazers but struck out. But now they could try for a second time to acquire the two-time champion. The major issue here, though, and this is true of any team that wants to acquire Holiday, is his $104.4 million owed over the next three years, making it difficult to work up a trade for him.

What could a Holiday-Clippers trade look like?
This would be a difficult framework to think up because the Clippers are also a team that wanted to avoid the luxury tax, which is in part why they were fine parting ways with Paul George last summer. So taking on Holiday’s contract, who is another aging player with injury issues, doesn’t seem like the best fit initially. But thinking about the defensive prowess Holiday will bring, and when you think about pairing him with James Harden in the backcourt and combining his defense with Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers would be a stalwart.

Celtics get: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn, Drew Eubanks

Clippers get: Jrue Holiday

This deal works financially, though it’s unclear if both sides would be OK with this return. There’s been reports suggesting that the Celtics would have to attach a first-round pick to a Holiday trade, so perhaps the Clippers would be more inclined to do this if that were the case. For Boston, this is about getting money off the books in the short and long term. Eubanks will be an expiring contract next season, Bogdanovic has a club option next summer and Dunn could be a potential trade chip next season for a team looking for a point of attack defender.

The Indiana Pacers secured a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals earlier this week, thanks to a 130-121 victory in Game 4. Tyrese Haliburton stole the show with a triple-double, putting up 32 points, dishing out 15 assists and securing 12 rebounds in 38 minutes played, but he wasn’t the only Indianapolis sports star that stole the spotlight.

During a stoppage in the fourth quarter, former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee was handed a microphone and embarked on a WWE-like promo that slammed some of New York’s biggest stars/fans.

McAfee announced that Knicks fans Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothee Chalamet were in the building, which of course was met with boos from the Pacers faithful. McAfee then encouraged Indiana fans to “send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing,” while using some other colorful language.

Grammy-Award winning artist John Mellencamp, who is an Indiana native, was also in attendance, and he did not appreciate McAfee’s comments. In fact, Mellencamp was so bothered that he published a statement on the matter on social media two days after the fact.

pic.twitter.com/fscxusrh3D

— John Mellencamp (@johnmellencamp) May 29, 2025
“The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis.

“Hoosier Hospitality” … I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don’t know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team. The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve lived here my entire life.

“On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I’m sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.”

Perhaps Mellencamp was bothered by McAfee’s profanity, or the fact that he called out these famous Knicks fans by name. The “Hurts So Good” singer says he believes the Pacers had nothing to do with the stunt, despite McAfee being handed a microphone to broadcast his message.

The Pacers have a chance to eliminate the Knicks in New York on Thursday night, and secure their second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.

The Indiana Pacers have been the must-watch team of the NBA playoffs. They have dazzled us with impossible comebacks, jaw-dropping game winners, scoring barrages and fastbreak clinics. Now they are just one win away from a trip to the NBA Finals.

They’ve done it as a No. 4 seed following their conference finals run as a sixth seed in 2024. But we’ve seen enough of this team to know this isn’t just another cute ‘Cinderella’ run. They are legit title contenders, even with the Thunder lurking. Indiana can close out the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night.

Knicks vs. Pacers: Where to watch Game 6, stream series, schedule, odds, game times, NBA playoff updates
Sam Quinn
Knicks vs. Pacers: Where to watch Game 6, stream series, schedule, odds, game times, NBA playoff updates
For the Pacers and their leading scorer, Tyrese Haliburton, this is an offensive juggernaut with production and flair that rivals the ‘Showtime’ Lakers, who owned the league in the 1980s. It’s not hyperbole, either.

The ‘Showtime’ Lakers are the (purple and) gold standard for offensive success. They led the NBA in offensive rating five times during a nine-season stretch from 1979-80 to 1987-88, when they won five NBA championships.

It’s hard to believe the Pacers are anywhere in their stratosphere, but the numbers don’t lie. Indiana has played 31 games over the last two playoff runs. This is enough data to know the numbers they are putting up night after night are no fluke.

Postseason scoring
The Pacers have averaged 116.0 points per game in the last two postseasons, the most by any team in a span of two postseasons (minimum 20 games) since the 1986-87 Lakers, who put up 118.3.

Indiana has also taken it up a notch in 2025 after putting us on notice last postseason. The Pacers are averaging 118.5 points per game this postseason. The last two teams to hit that figure in a single postseason (minimum 10 games) were the 2017 Warriors and 1987 Lakers.

You better not blink, because the appropriately named Pacers have been putting up points in a hurry. They scored 80 in the first half of Game 4 against the Cavaliers in the last round. Aaron Nesmith made six straight threes in the fourth quarter of Game 1 at the Knicks to pull off a historic comeback as they trailed by nine points in the final minute.

The Pacers have won three games this postseason when trailing by at least seven points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. All other teams have one win in those spots since play-by-play data was first kept in 1998.

How else could any team overcome impossible odds to win not once, not twice, but three times?! It’s this historic offense.

Historic shooting
The Pacers are shooting 50.4 percent from the field in the last two postseasons, the best rate by any team in a span of two postseasons (minimum 20 games) since the 1987-88 Lakers (50.9 percent).

That’s insane. It’s been 37 years since we’ve seen a team hit half its shots during two playoff runs, and the Pacers have done it in an era when 3-pointers account for 38 percent of their shot attempts. Shooting from beyond the arc accounted for just under eight percent of the shots by the 1987-88 Lakers.

The Pacers have also shot over 50 percent from the field in each of the last two postseasons. Prior to that, no team has made half its shots in a playoff run (at least 10 games) since the 1991 Bulls.

The Lakers hit 50 percent of their shots in six straight postseasons from 1982 to 1987, so Indiana has its work cut out to match that streak.

Powered by pace and passing
The Pacers are averaging 29.3 assists per game in the last two postseasons, the most by any team in a span of two postseasons (minimum 20 games) since … you guessed it … those ‘Showtime’ Lakers from the 1987-88 season.

Indiana’s passing prowess is evidenced by its 16 games with 30+ assists in the last two postseasons. No other team has more than five in that span. They have seven games with 30+ assists and fewer than 10 turnovers. No other team has that many playoff games with those numbers in their franchise history.

By some measures, this Pacers offense surpasses not only the ‘Showtime’ Lakers but any other team. They have the highest offensive rating (119.6) by any team in a span of two postseasons since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77 (minimum 20 games).

No, the Pacers aren’t the ‘Showtime’ Lakers, but at least on offense, they possess the firepower to do what Los Angeles did five times in the 1980s — win a championship.

Plus, the cherry on top here is the trigger man for each offense. In many ways, Haliburton is playing like a modern-day Magic Johnson. The numbers, clutch play, showmanship and flair for the dramatic all back that up.

Many people view the Thunder as inevitable after a historic season led by a relentless defense. But the Pacers are showing they would be worthy competitors, and their offense vs. the Thunder defense would make for one heckuva matchup to watch.

Tyrese Haliburton has the Indiana Pacers on a historic offensive pace during the NBA playoffs, and his stellar play came on the heels of a conversation with WNBA legend Sue Bird, to whom he turned for advice on balancing his scoring ability with his facilitator role. Few mentors are as well-versed in that field as Bird, who accumulated three WNBA assists titles throughout her legendary career as a superstar point guard.

The advice Haliburton received from Bird seemingly paid dividends. The Pacers star logged eight double-doubles across 14 playoff games and improved on his regular-season averages with 19.4 points and 9.8 assists per game. That is more than half a point and assist greater than he logged on a per-game basis prior to the postseason.

“Clearly he’s figured it out,” Bird said on the “Taylor Rooks X” podcast. “I think my favorite part about watching Tyrese in this run is, yes, the clutch play, the big moments. But it’s been a little up and down at times, and that’s the reality. I think a lot of times, you talk about top players, you talk about All-Stars and you see their great play, but it always comes with a bad quarter, a bad game, a bad stretch. It’s really how you respond to that. To me, that’s always the differentiator between good players and great players.”

Not every game has been a masterful performance, but Haliburton bounced back from his rare off nights to put the Pacers in position to reach the NBA Finals. In the second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, for example, Haliburton responded to a four-point clunker with an average of 22 points over the ensuing two games to clinch the series.

“Who can respond to the tough stretches?” Bird said. “Because we all have them. And I think you’re seeing it in real time — not just in series, but in games — where he may not have the best stretch ever, but he’s finding ways to win the game, he’s hitting the big shot, he’s finding his teammates.”

By the numbers: How Tyrese Haliburton and Pacers offense stack up against ‘Showtime’ Lakers of 1980s
Douglas Clawson
By the numbers: How Tyrese Haliburton and Pacers offense stack up against ‘Showtime’ Lakers of 1980s
Haliburton again notched a bounce-back effort in Wednesday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. On the heels of a loss to the New York Knicks, Haliburton sparked a victory with the first 30-point, 15-assist, 10-rebound triple-double in playoff history.

With Haliburton directing traffic, the Pacers averaged 118.5 points per game this postseason. That is the second-highest scoring mark since the 1987 Los Angeles Lakers. They have yet to score fewer than 100 points in a game in the 2025 playoffs, and the last time they failed to hit the century mark was all the way back on Feb. 4.

The Indiana Pacers have won six straight road games since dropping their first away contest in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and given their dominance on the road, away from Indiana would be a poetic place to send the Pacers to their first NBA Finals since 2000. Pair Indiana’s road dominance with the Knicks being 3-5 at Madison Square Garden this postseason, and the SportsLine model is projecting value in the Pacers to cover their 4.5-point spread as underdogs on betting sites on Thursday for Game 5 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals with an 8 p.m. ET start.

The Pacers lead the series 3-1, and despite Josh Hart being removed from the Knicks starting lineup, he still played 36 minutes and the model projects him to be a major part of the game plan for Game 5. The model expects Hart to be a viable piece for Thursday Pacers vs. Knicks same-game parlay plays for online sports betting. The Knicks are favored by 4.5 points, and the over/under is 221.5 points in the latest Knicks vs. Pacers odds from DraftKings, and the latest DraftKings promo code gives users $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. See more Pacers vs. Knicks props here and Knicks vs. Pacers first basket predictions.

SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh is the expert behind the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model is 23-11 (68%) on top-rated NBA against-the-spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns. You can find more analysis from Oh and other SportsLine data analysts on their Inside The Lines blog.

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Here are the model’s top-three picks in the Knicks vs. Pacers SGP on Thursday:

Indiana +4.5 (-113)
Myles Turner Over 19.5 points + rebounds (-122)
Josh Hart Over 13.5 points + assists (-118)
SGP pays out +534 at DraftKings (odds subject to change)
Indiana +4.5 (-113)
The Pacers have been underestimated throughout the postseason and they are one game away from emerging as the best team in the Eastern Conference. The 3-point disparity and turnover margins have been two key differences in this series, with the Pacers shooting better than 40% from deep in their three wins compared to 20% in their one loss this series. They’ve been a combined +16 on the turnover differential in their three victories this series as well and the model projects the Pacers to shoot 37% from beyond the arc Thursday compared to New York’s 34% projection from deep. The Pacers have won six straight road games, including the first two at Madison Square Garden, and the model projects Indiana to cover the spread well over 50% of the time.

Myles Turner Over 19.5 points + rebounds (-122)
Turner has played at least 33 minutes in each of the last three games and although he’s coming off his lowest points + rebounds total of the series in Game 4 with 13 points and three rebounds, he’s had at least a 19 points + rebounds total in the other three contests. Turner finished at exactly 19 in two of those affairs, which wouldn’t win this wager, but he’s been right at or Over this number the majority of the series. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam each scored 30 points in Game 4, which the model doesn’t expect to happen again on Thursday, and it projects Turner for a 23.7 points + rebounds total after he averaged 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds (22.1 total) during the regular season. Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is questionable and if he plays, he’ll likely be less than 100%, which could give Turner a matchup edge for scoring and rebounding.

Josh Hart Over 13.5 points + assists (-118)
Well, some Knicks fans got what they wanted in Game 4 with Mitchell Robinson starting over Hart, however, coach Tom Thibodeau made it clear he still values Hart as a crucial part of the team. Hart played 36 minutes off the bench, nearly double Mitchell Robinson’s 19 minutes, as the majority of the game featured the same five players it has all season long. Hart had 12 points and one assist to finish just below this number. Despite coming off the bench, he still played his second-most minutes of the series and given some of Thibodeau’s stubborn tendencies in the past, don’t be surprised if Hart returns to the starting lineup on Thursday. The model projects Hart for 16.3 points + assists on Thursday as he’s averaged 19.4 points + assists over his last 20 home games when playing against a team with a winning record.

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Want more NBA picks for today?
You’ve seen some of the model’s top NBA playoff best bets for Thursday. Now, get spread, total and money-line picks for every game here, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.

Also at SportsLine:
You can also see today’s top NBA picks from expert Bruce Marshall, who’s on a sizzling 140-110-2 (+1905) roll on his last 252 NBA picks. Visit SportsLine to see his best plays for today, all from the expert who’s up more than 19 units.

Finally, SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora, who is 106-79-1 (+1795.5) over his last 186 NBA picks, has a pair of NBA picks locked in for Thursday. He is 5-2 over his last seven Pacers ATS picks and has picked a side for Game 5. Visit SportsLine to see his best plays for today, all from an expert who’s up nearly 18 units.

Pascal Siakam had strong performances against the Knicks this week, so the Pacers forward won’t be underestimated. Siakam is coming off his second 30-point outing of the series as the Pacers travel to New York for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday with an 8 p.m. ET start. The model projects Siakam to go Over his 29.5 points + rebounds + assists total on betting sites in its Thursday NBA player props with the Pacers having a chance to close the series in Game 5 and advance to the 2025 NBA Finals against the Thunder. He’s gone Over this total with just points alone in two games, so Siakam could be a popular piece in a Knicks vs. Pacers same-game parlay at online sports betting sites. You can also check out our Pacers vs. Knicks SGP for Game 5 and Knicks vs. Pacers first basket picks.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. One of the Data Scientists behind the model, Stephen Oh (@StephenOhCBS), analyzed the sim results and broke down the supporting evidence to reveal which player props have the best value for today’s slate. The NBA odds could change, so act now for maximum value. You can find more analysis from Oh and other SportsLine data analysts on their Inside The Lines blog.

Best Knicks vs. Pacers Game 5 NBA props (odds subject to change):

Myles Turner Over 19.5 points + rebounds (-122)
Pascal Siakam Over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists (-118)
Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists (-128)
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Myles Turner Over 19.5 points + rebounds (-122)
Although Turner has gone Under this total in three of four games, he finished with exactly 19 points + rebounds in two contests, so he’s rarely been far from the number. The model projects Turner for a 23.4 points + rebounds total after he averaged 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds (22.1 total) during the regular season. The Knicks are in desperation mode and moving Mitchell Robinson from the bench to the starting lineup didn’t lead to a Game 4 victory, so Oh wouldn’t be surprised to see Robinson return to a more limited role, which gives Turner better opportunities at rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable following a knee injury suffered late in Game 4, and even though it seems unlikely Towns would miss the game, his defense could be hindered. bet365 is offereing this at -122 odds and a bet365 bonus code gives new users $150 in bonus bets with their first $5 wager, win or lose.

“Mitchell Robinson starting and playing more minutes has helped New York build big rebounding advantages, but in Game 4, his +/- was -20, so maybe that leads Thibs to go back to his ‘beloved’ strategy of running the Villanova players into the ground,” Oh said. “If Robinson is not on the floor more than 18 minutes, then that gives Turner some opportunity to operate down low more than usual.”

Pascal Siakam Over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists (-118)
Siakam is averaging 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists this series for a 33.9 PRA total. He’s been near-unstoppable in two of the four games in this series, including Game 2 in New York with 39 points to go well Over this total in points alone. He had a 28 PRA total in Game 1 in New York, finishing just Under this number, but after having 30 points on Tuesday and with the Pacers being one win away from wrapping up the series and advancing to the NBA Finals, the model projects another big-time performance from Siakam.

The model projects Sikam for a 33.6 PRA total for Thursday. He’s also gone Over his PRA number in 12 of his last 18 road games against a top 10 defense, averaging a 33.2 PRA score over that stretch. The 31-year-old averaged 21 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists (30.3 PRA) on the road this season over 32.3 minutes per game and Siakam is averaging 37 minutes per game this series. FanDuel is offering the best odds at -118 for Over 29.5 as other sportsbooks have moved the prop line to 30.5 points, and a FanDuel promo code can help build your bankroll.

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Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists (-128)
The Knicks’ offense is often only as successful as Brunson makes it, and in a win-or-go-home Game 5 in their home arena, you’d expect Brunson and the Knicks to come out Thursday aggressive. Brunson has at least seven assists in six of seven home playoff games this year, including 11 assists in Game 2 against the Pacers. He has only six total assists over the last two games, but that provides some buy-low opportunity on the New York point guard who averaged 7.3 assists per game this season, the eighth-most in the league.

The model projects Brunson for 7.8 assists on Thursday as he’s averaging 7.5 assists per game over his last 10 home contests. The 28-year-old guard will still look to score often as he’s averaging 33.3 ppg this series, but the Pacers know that and will also challenge to get the ball out of his hands. Brunson is a proven finisher and creator, so with New York’s season on the line and the Knicks looking to avoid going 0-3 at Madison Square Garden this postseason, the model projects Brunson to be an all-around factor on Thursday. DraftKings Sportsbook is offering the best odds at -128, and with a DraftKings promo code, you can earn $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins.

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Want more NBA picks for Knicks vs. Pacers, Game 5?
You’ve seen some of the model’s top NBA props for Pacers vs. Knicks on Thursday. Now, get spread, total and money-line picks for every game here, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.

Also at SportsLine:
You can also see today’s top NBA picks from expert Bruce Marshall, who’s on a sizzling 140-108-2 (+2120) roll on his last 250 NBA picks. Visit SportsLine to see his best plays for today, all from the expert who’s up more than 21 units.

Finally, SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora, who is 106-79-1 (+1795.5) over his last 186 NBA picks, has a pair of NBA picks locked in for Thursday. He is 5-2 over his last seven Pacers ATS picks and has picked a side for Game 5. Visit SportsLine to see his best plays for today, all from an expert who’s up nearly 18 units.

The New York Knicks are on the brink of elimination as they host the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference finals on Thursday. The Pacers were able to bounce back after dropping Game 3 on their home court. On Tuesday, Indiana defeated the Knicks 130-121 behind a zero-turnover, triple-double from Tyrese Haliburton and a 30-point outing via Pascal Siakam. New York is 3-5 at MSG this postseason, while the Pacers are 6-1 as the road team in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is questionable for New York, while Aaron Nesmith (ankle) is questionable for Indiana.

Tipoff is at 8 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Pacers vs. Knicks odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 221.5. New York is priced at -180 on the money line (risk $180 to win $100), while Indiana is listed at +150 (risk $100 to win $150). Before locking in any Knicks vs. Pacers picks, make sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters the conference finals of the 2025 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 159-117 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning nearly $4,000. It is also 23-11 (68%) on top-rated NBA against-the-spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Pacers vs. Knicks 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Knicks vs. Pacers:

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Why the Knicks can cover
New York will enter this game with a 22-15 against the spread record after a loss. It is also 22-20-1 against the spread as the home favorite. Guard Jalen Brunson continues to be the most consistent offensive force for this team. In his last outing, Brunson tallied 31 points, five assists, and two steals. That was his third game this series with 30-plus points.

Forward OG Anunoby is a fierce defender with great instincts. He can also score the ball from all three levels. In the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, he’s averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and two blocks per game. On Tuesday, he had 22 points and four boards. This was the fourth straight game with at least 16 points. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Pacers can cover
Guard Tyrese Haliburton scans the floor as a playmaker while being a smooth scorer. In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, he’s leading the team in assists (9.8) with 19.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. In the Game 4 win, Haliburton had 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and zero turnovers. He became just the third player in NBA playoff history to post at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists.

The Pacers are 23-16-1 against the spread and 10-4 against the spread in the postseason. They are also 18-10 against the spread as the away underdog. In addition, Indiana has covered the spread in five of its last six playoff games. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Pacers vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Knicks vs. Pacers and is leaning Over the total, projecting 225 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.