The Indiana Pacers aren't strangers to being underdogs after winning each of their last two playoff series as such. But after topping the New York Knicks to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2000,

So, the matchup is set. It’s the Paul George finals, albeit without Paul George — who had arguably the best season of his career with the Thunder, averaging 28 points and finishing third in the MVP voting for 2018-19 — starting at OKC on Thursday.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers prepare to square off in the 2025 NBA Finals, they could make like a pair of divorced parents and share that honor with Paul George. In Game 1, he could be courtside at OKC.