The 2025 NBA Finals are lastly right here, with Sport 1 tipping off between the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET on ABC). And it has been an eventful highway to get there.
With high-flying slams and a primary spherical that featured two seven-game collection, shining moments this postseason have not been troublesome to search out.
The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics had a memorable second-round collection. The drama was excessive between the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets, too. The Pacers surprised the Cleveland Cavaliers to achieve their second consecutive Japanese Convention finals.
Here is a photographic take a look at the very best moments of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
An unbelievable game-winner
Dealing with a 2-1 deficit on the highway within the first spherical, the Nuggets had an important Sport 4 towards the Clippers. Denver gave the impression to be in management because it headed into the fourth quarter with a 20-point lead. However LA stormed again to make it a tie recreation with eight seconds left.
The ball discovered Nikola Jokic with an opportunity to win, however he overshot his 3-pointer. Fortunately for the three-time MVP, his teammate, Aaron Gordon, was in the correct spot on the proper time.
Gordon slammed the rebound residence as time expired to win the sport. In line with Basketball-Reference, it was the primary game-winning buzzer-beating dunk in NBA postseason historical past.
Smashing slams
Sport 7 of that collection featured one other sensational dunk, because the Nuggets took care of enterprise as soon as once more, successful 120-101 to advance to the semifinals.
Former Clipper Russell Westbrook had an necessary function in that victory with 16 factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals off the bench. He additionally rocked the rim to place Denver up 31 factors with 6:54 left within the recreation.
Westbrook held on the rim for emphasis, leading to a technical foul — and an iconic photograph.
The Knicks’ Sport 1 victory over the Celtics within the semifinals required additional time, and their first basket of the additional interval was an and-1 dunk from OG Anunoby.
It gave him 29 factors on the night time, and a snapshot to recollect: Anunoby’s Skechers kicks crusing over Celtics star Jayson Tatum.
A stunning comeback
Holding a seven-point lead with 57.1 seconds remaining in Sport 2, the Cavaliers had been within the driver’s seat for an necessary win within the semifinals. Nonetheless, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had different plans.
He led the Pacers to a outstanding comeback victory — their second win this postseason when trailing by seven-plus factors within the last minute of fourth quarter or additional time. Heading into the playoffs, groups had been 3-1 in that situation, in accordance with ESPN Analysis.
Haliburton’s step-back 3-pointer gave Indiana the win and prompted a passionate celebration from everybody besides the ice-cold All-Star guard.
Events 25 years within the making
The Knicks’ return to the Japanese Convention finals was a very long time coming — 25 years, to be actual. New York defeated Boston in six video games, clinching a convention finals berth for the primary time since 2000.
The 119-81 win at Madison Sq. Backyard was the Knicks’ largest margin of victory in franchise playoff historical past, and it sparked wild celebrations in New York, particularly on seventh avenue and West thirty third road, simply outdoors the Backyard.
A troll for the ages
T.J. McConnell serves as an integral piece of the Pacers’ depth, averaging 8.4 factors in 16.3 minutes per recreation this postseason. He scored in double digits within the first three video games towards New York and had one basket that stood out amongst many.
In Sport 5, McConnell celebrated a bucket with a gesture towards celeb row at Madison Sq. Backyard, prompting reactions from Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner and Ben Stiller, amongst different Knicks A-listers.
Recreating an iconic second
New York confronted the Pacers within the East finals, the identical group they final confronted the final time they superior that far within the postseason. The Knicks appeared to have Sport 1 wrapped up as they led by 9 with 58.8 seconds left within the fourth quarter.
Then, pandemonium ensued. Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith caught fireplace with three 3-pointers and the Knicks cut up free throws twice. After the second time they went 1-for-2 from the charity stripe, Haliburton nailed a step-back jumper to ship the sport to additional time.
The All-Star guard thought he had received it and replicated Pacers legend Reggie Miller’s choke celebration. Miller aimed his well-known taunt at director and Knicks fan Spike Lee after scoring 25 factors within the fourth quarter to come back again and win Sport 5 of the 1995 Japanese Convention finals.
Nonetheless, an official evaluation confirmed Haliburton’s toe was on the 3-point line, making it a 2-pointer. Indiana wound up successful in additional time to take a 1-0 collection lead, and in the end received the collection in six video games to make the Finals for the primary time since 2000.
ESPN senior photograph editor Kacy Burdette contributed to this report.
