Through two exhilarating rounds of NBA playoff basketball, three former Gonzaga standouts and their respective teams are set to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals.
Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) prepare to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) in the Western Conference Finals, while Andrew Nembhard and the Indiana Pacers (50-32) battle Anton Watson's New York Knicks (51-31) in the Eastern Conference Finals.
After four former Zags entered the postseason, Gonzaga remains one of the most well-represented schools this deep into the 2025 NBA Playoffs. In fact, only two other Division-I programs in the country have three or more alumni rostered on conference finals teams: Kentucky (six) and Villanova (four).
Holmgren, OKC overwhelming favorites to win title
Following a hard-fought seven-game series with the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder and its young nucleus led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have emerged as the overwhelming favorites to take home the 2025 NBA championship.
OKC is listed on FanDuel Sportsbook at -180 odds to win the title, followed distantly by the Knicks (+500), Timberwolves (+550) and Pacers (+750).
OKC's title odds are backed in large part by its stout play on the defensive end of the floor this season, boasting the league's highest efficiency margin while swallowing up its opponents' best offensive player with a hound of defensive-minded wings and forwards. Holmgren and his 7-foot-1 frame are key to the Thunder's ability to effectively protect the rim, with the former No. 2 overall pick's help side defense and length playing pivotal roles in OKC's success against the Nuggets in the second round.
Coming off averaging 14.1 points and 10.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game against the Nuggets, Holmgren hopes to have similar success when he goes up against Minnesota's frontcourt tandem of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert in the conference finals. Randle has enjoyed a renaissance with Minnesota lately, averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists during the postseason, while Gobert's rim protection and rebounding have been serviceable next to Randle's offensive output.
So far these playoffs, Holmgren is putting up 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.1% from 3-point range.
Nembhard, Indiana fly under the radar once again
Nembhard's calmness under pressure throughout these NBA Playoffs has vaulted the former Gonzaga guard into postseason lore status among the league's biggest followers.
"Playoff Nembhard" has once again helped guide Indiana to the conference finals, nailing big-time shots against the 5-seed Milwaukee Bucks and the 1-seed Cleveland Cavaliers en route to the Pacers' second consecutive trip to the NBA's final four.
Nembhard's confidence in his shotmaking hasn't wavered to this point in the postseason, and for good reason — he's shooting 50.5% from the field and 50% from 3-point range in the playoffs after posting splits of 45.8% and 29.1%, respectively, across 65 regular-season games. In fact, only Stephen Curry has been a more productive scorer from the midrange areas and from behind the arc during the playoffs.
If Indiana is to advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history, it'll need more steady production on both ends of the floor from Nembhard for that dream to become reality. Through two playoff rounds, he's averaging 14.6 points, 6.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals while logging 32.8 minutes per game.
Watson, Knicks sit eight wins away from New York basketball immortality
It's been 25 long years since the Knicks made it to the conference finals, and if they get past the Pacers in their best-of-seven series, Tom Thibodeau's squad will be one step closer to hoisting the franchise's first Larry O'Brien trophy in 52 years.
New York basketball is certainly having a moment right now, and it's ironically coming behind the efforts of three former Villanova players. Jalen Brunson leads the charge with 28.8 points, 7.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds in the playoffs, while Mikal Bridges (15.4 ppg) and Josh Hart (13.2 ppg) have stepped up at numerous points to provide their star an extra lift. Of course, Karl-Anthony Towns has been huge for New York as well — that is, when he's not dealing with foul trouble that he's inflicted upon himself.
Watson won't be logging any minutes for the Knicks this postseason, as players under two-way contracts aren't eligible to play in the playoffs. He did, however, appear in nine regular-season games with his new team, with the first points of his career coming against the Miami Heat on March 17.
MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS
More must-reads: