Haliburton vs SGA: the key to the NBA Finals
The time has come for the 2025 NBA Finals to get going; the Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The long-awaited 2025 NBA Finals are finally here, featuring an historic matchup: the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Indiana Pacers for the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy—a pairing few would have predicted at the start of the season.
The Thunder punched their ticket to the Finals by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. On the other side, the Pacers earned their spot by overcoming the New York Knicks 4-2 in the East.
PACERS. THUNDER. 🍿
— NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2025
The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV are officially set!
Game 1: Thursday, June 5th at 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/vkBIUyf8UO
Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP, receiving the Larry Bird Trophy. Although his teammate Tyrese Haliburton also delivered a strong performance—and has become the face of the franchise in recent years—Siakam edged him out in the voting.
This week’s #StateFarmAssists Leaderboard!
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2025
For every assist made on the court, @StateFarm and the NBA will donate $5 to drive assists off the court and improve youth-serving programs during key NBA moments. pic.twitter.com/MlopaZPlh1
In the West, Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claimed the Magic Johnson Trophy as Western Conference Finals MVP after averaging 30.5 points, 8.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals over four games.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been the cornerstone of the Thunder’s offense all season. His stellar play also earned him the 2024–25 regular season MVP award, as he led Oklahoma City to a league-best 68 wins—a new franchise record.
Elite defense vs. explosive offense in the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV 🍿@Powell2daPeople previews the matchup fueled by star guards, unique depth and exceptional efficiency. Pacers-Thunder Game 1: Thursday at 8:30pm/et on ABC!
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2025
📰 https://t.co/AK0x1OzjLz pic.twitter.com/DKtWUMlyqa
Tyrese Haliburton vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: overall stats
| Haliburton | vs. | SGA |
|---|---|---|
| 18.8 | PPG | 29.8 |
| 5.7 | RPG | 5.7 |
| 9.8 | APG | 6.9 |
| 1.4 | SPG | 1.6 |
| 58.2 | TS% | 58.0 |
On one side, you have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. A smooth scorer putting up 30 a night ⚡️
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 3, 2025
He gets to his spots, controls the tempo, locks in on defense, and does it all with quiet dominance.
▪️ 29.8 PPG
▪️ 5.7 RPG
▪️ 6.9 APG
▪️ 1.6 SPG
▪️ 58.0 TS%
On the other hand, Tyrese… pic.twitter.com/as6KRVJSjE
Tyrese Haliburton vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stats: playoffs
| Haliburton | vs. | SGA |
|---|---|---|
| 19.4 | PPG | 29.5 |
| 5.9 | RPG | 5.6 |
| 9.8 | APG | 6.9 |
| 47% | FG % | 46% |
| 34% | 3PT FG % | 29% |
Who's having the more impressive playoff run: Tyrese Haliburton or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?@stephenasmith and @MadDogUnleashed are both rocking with Hali 🤝 pic.twitter.com/HPoDng05Om
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 28, 2025
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