Former NBA All-Star's Thunder Comparison Should Worry Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are set to participate in what will be their second-ever NBA Finals appearance. The Pacers were last in the NBA Finals 25 years ago, falling two games short of the title, as they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

It’s been a long time coming, but the Pacers will look to collect four wins and be crowned the new champions of the 2024-25 season. Their opponent, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, has another plan in mind. 

The Thunder entered these playoffs as one of, if not the favorite, to win it all. The Thunder are also four wins away from earning the title. On top of that, the Thunder are the overwhelming favorites to win it all. In their way are the Pacers, who will attempt the impossible. 

The Pacers will have their hands full, and at least according to former NBA All-Star, DeMarcus Cousins,  ​​they are facing a future dynasty. 

Cousins is fully bought in on this Thunder group—so much so that he didn’t hold back during his latest appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. The former All-NBA center boldly claimed that this Thunder squad has the potential to build a dynasty even greater than the Golden State Warriors of the 2010s.

"I think we're looking at the beginning of a dynasty anyway," Cousins said. "Let's say they don't win it this year. You're gonna say they're not gonna be the favorite next season? It's absolutely the start of a dynasty. I think it's a dynasty that'll be even more powerful than what we saw with the Warriors.

"When the Warriors were in the heyday and they had everything rolling, they never had the assets that this Thunder team has. This Thunder team is probably built to be successful for the next 10-12 years, which is unheard of in the NBA."