Joel Lorenzi

2 days ago | indystar.com | Dustin Dopirak |Joel Lorenzi

NBA Finals Game 1: Pacers at Thunder, 8:30 p.m., Thursday; TV: ABCHow about Tyrese Haliburton bringing home Indy's first championship since its ABA days? NBA Finals predictions: Indy, OKC writers make their championship picksNeed a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The Indiana Pacers will win NBA Finals if... They play fast while still keeping their turnovers low and hit 3s.

3 days ago | oklahoman.com | Joel Lorenzi |Dustin Dopirak

The 2025 NBA Finals are almost here. That means the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are just four wins away from the NBA championship. Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead the Thunder to its first title in OKC? How about Tyrese Haliburton bringing home Indy's first championship since its ABA days?

4 days ago | oklahoman.com | Joel Lorenzi |Justin Martinez |Jenni Carlson |Joe Mussatto

It's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. Who will win? Here's how The Oklahoman sports staff see the NBA Finals playing out:Thunder in 5: I'm on the fence about whether it'll be five or six games, but I'll go five out of selfishness for Thunder fans. Winning the title at home would be way cooler than having it happen on the road. The Pacers will be a challenge, no doubt about that.

6 days ago | oklahoman.com | Joel Lorenzi

Here they are again, waiting a week to try their hand at fate. No one has grown more accustomed to this gnawing period between series quite like the Oklahoma City Thunder. Three times this postseason this crew has had roughly a week before its next series began. This time feels different, though. This is not the week it spent spinning in a swivel chair, waiting for which play-in opponent it would drop into the guillotine. These aren’t quite like the days spent before the date with Denver.

1 week ago | oklahoman.com | Joel Lorenzi

Mark Daigneault thought he’d walk away unscathed, unbothered to deliver his signature platitudes on the biggest night of his young team’s lives. As he spoke to ESPN’s Lisa Salters at midcourt, his reward for helping the Oklahoma City Thunder reach its first NBA Finals since 2012 on Wednesday, he was reminded of the nature of the group he’s coaching. The Disney Channel vibes they emanate. These PG-13, bought-in 20-somethings whose defense is rated R.