The Indiana Pacers are just one game away from making the second NBA Finals in franchise history. They have a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks and now will be playing in Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder already advancing to the NBA Finals, they are waiting for their opponents. It looks likely that it will be Indiana, assuming they can win one of the next three games.
If that does happen, it will showcase the best offense in the playoffs against the best defense in the playoffs. It will be a juxtaposition of styles.
Indiana does know the schedule moving forward if they do move on to the NBA Finals, which will start on June 5th. The times of the games have been announced.
NBA Finals schedule pic.twitter.com/Fp8xIjLJVd
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) May 29, 2025
The games that fall on Sundays are set for 8 pm ET. All of the other games will start at 8:30 pm ET, and all of the games will be broadcast on ABC.
Indiana will also have more rest in between games if it advances to the Finals. Only once will the two teams in the Finals play after just one day of rest.
The last time the Pacers played in the NBA Finals was back in 2000. They ended up losing that series in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.
More Pacers news: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Sought Advice From Surprising Basketball Great to Prepare for Postseason
Indiana has to focus on closing out the Knicks before it can turn their attention to any schedule for the NBA Finals. They have to win either of the next two games to avoid things getting hairy.
In each of the last two series, the Pacers have closed out their opponent in five games. They are hoping to do the same to the Knicks on Thursday night in Madison Square Garden.
Getting another massive game from Tyrese Haliburton would go a long way to helping them do that. He continues to drive the success that this team has game in and game out.
More Indiana Pacers news: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Was Hyped for Dad’s Return But This Guest Meant More
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Hit With Major Criticism Despite Monster Game 4
For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.
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Damian Lillard’s agent took an apparent shot at the Milwaukee Bucks following the star guard’s return to the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard’s longtime agent Aaron Goodwin suggested that Lillard’s failure to perform to his peak abilities in Milwaukee had to do with the team’s system. Goodwin suggested that the Bucks did not play to Lillard’s strengths, and that he sacrificed for the good of the team. “He never really had an opportunity to play as he has played the first 12 years of his career,” Goodwin told Jamal Collier of ESPN. “He played to win in the system that he was in.” Lillard’s scoring numbers did drop after being traded to Milwaukee, but that was inevitable now that he was sharing the stage with Giannis Antetokounmpo. In two seasons with the Bucks, he still averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game, but the Bucks never quite meshed as a unit. His latest severe injury ultimately gave the Bucks reason to move on as they try to maximize their championship window. Based on Lillard’s reaction to being waived by the Bucks, it is pretty clear that he never completely settled into Milwaukee. His move back to Portland, in that context, may not be all that surprising after all.
Over the past couple of years, the WNBA has seen a major uptick in ratings and overall fan engagement. Unfortunately, that has also come with negative attention. It may have reached a new low, as there have now been three separate incidents in which a fan has thrown a sex toy on the court. This time, it nearly hit Indiana Fever veteran Sophie Cunningham during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. Cunningham had already joked about it on social media, and given her outspoken nature and reputation as a bit of an instigator, she didn't shy away from it: She also laughed it up on her Instagram story: Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, however, didn't think it was a laughing matter. Following the game, she put the fans on blast for their "stupid" behavior. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Roberts said, per Yahoo Sports. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." There's no place for any of this in sports, much less in women's sports. The league needs to crack down on this and take the necessary measures to prevent it from happening ever again. The WNBA is finally thriving after years of surviving, and while the fans will eventually grow to respect the product, not all publicity is good publicity.
The Dallas Cowboys have a big problem on their hands right now. Micah Parsons has formally requested to be traded, and he took to social media to vent his concerns and frustration with his contract extension situation. However, team owner Jerry Jones isn't ready to budge. If anything, the controversial business mogul doesn't sound too worried about that. Talking to the media, he implied that he had already shaken hands on an extension with Parsons, so he just has to wait now: "I bought the Dallas Cowboys with a handshake," Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later." Jones, one of the most successful businessmen of his generation, pretty much stated that he wouldn't change the way he does business. "Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that I negotiate with. Let's leave it at that," Jones continued. "There's is no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we're still talking about renegotiating, so so much for that." Parsons has every right to feel frustrated. He's one of the best pass-rushers in the game, and he's the youngest in the short list of superstars at the position. The Cowboys have a long history of dragging out negotiations for as long as they can, and that's usually rubbed their players the wrong way. Parsons is still under contract, and the Cowboys can technically wait to give him an extension because the market isn't likely to go any higher after T.J. Watt already got a deal done. But sometimes, it's not just about money, and these power struggles are terrible for team morale.
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