The defending champion Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers are meeting for the second consecutive year in the Stanley Cup Final.

Same old, same old, right?

Not quite.

Though the core players, coaches and goaltenders are the same, both teams have made important additions, most notably the Panthers.

They were aggressive at the trade deadline, adding All-Star forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones to join their offseason depth acquisitions. The Oilers have surrounded their stars with a few different depth players and the team has honed its defensive game.

‘It’s going to be an incredible battle again,’ said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, who scored last season’s series-clinching goal.

Here’s what’s intriguing about the Stanley Cup Final, which opens on Wednesday in Edmonton, Alberta (8 p.m. ET, TNT, truTV).

Last year’s Final was exciting

It didn’t start that way with the Panthers taking a 3-0 lead in the series and needing one more victory to clinch their first championship. But the Oilers didn’t make it easy. They crushed the Panthers 8-1 in Game 4 and scored five goals in both Games 5 and 6 to tie the series. Just when it seemed the Panthers might be reeling, they found their way again in Game 7 and picked up a 2-1 victory for the title.

Can Connor McDavid win his first title?

The Oilers star has become the NHL’s best player after he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2015. Three MVPs, five scoring titles, one goal title, seven All-Star appearances, the game-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The only thing missing is a Stanley Cup ring. He came close last year. He broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with 34 assists in a playoff year and totaled 42 points. That made him a rare Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) winner from the losing team, but he stayed with his teammates rather than accept the individual award. That Game 7 loss has driven him and the team. He’s leading the league in playoff assists and points again and had a crucial goal in the series clincher vs. the Dallas Stars.

Aleksander Barkov is a shutdown star

The Panthers captain is one of the top defensive forwards in the league and is favored to win his third Selke Trophy. Linemate Sam Reinhart is also up for the award. That line could be deployed against McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, though Edmonton will have the last line change in four of the games. Barkov had his own special move in the Panthers’ series clincher vs. the Carolina Hurricanes.

Will Canada’s Stanley Cup drought finally end?

No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens. A Canadian team has been to the Final eight times since then, including this year. The Oilers pushed the series to seven games in their last two visits. Edmonton won the Stanley Cup five times (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990) before the Canada drought began.

Panthers can achieve dynasty status

The state of Florida has become a hockey hotbed with the Tampa Bay Lightning reaching the Final from 2020-22 (winning the first two years) and the Panthers reaching from 2023-25. Win a second consecutive title and the Panthers dynasty talk could start. They’re deep and have multiple-time All-Star Marchand on the third line. It might be hard to keep the team together because Sam Bennett (league-best 10 goals), Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and others are pending unrestricted free agents, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has one more year left on his deal. But the salary cap is going up, giving the Panthers flexibility.

Rematch doesn’t mean the same result

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008 and the Penguins returned the favor the following year to give Sidney Crosby his first title. The same thing happened in 1983 and 1984. The New York Islanders swept the Oilers for their fourth title in a row. But Edmonton won in 1984 as Wayne Gretzky and company began their own dynasty.

Jeff Skinner gets his chance in playoff spotlight

The 2010-11 rookie of the year never made the playoffs in his first 13 NHL seasons. But he did this season after signing with the Oilers in the offseason, only to be a healthy scratch after suiting up in the playoff opener. However, an injury to Zach Hyman gave him an opportunity to play again. He scored in his return to the lineup.

Stuart Skinner can build up his reputation

The netminder got to Game 7 of the final last year but goaltending wasn’t considered an Oilers strength heading into this postseason. Skinner was benched after two playoff games and backup Calvin Pickard won six in a row. But an injury to Pickard put Skinner back in the net, and he finished off the Vegas Golden Knights with back-to-back shutouts. He also outplayed Stars goalie Jake Oettinger in the conference final.

Both coaches are masterful

Florida’s Paul Maurice has made the Final in his first three seasons with the Panthers. Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch has done it his first two seasons as an NHL head coach. Both are strong at adjustments. Witness how last year’s series had such wild swings. Those adjustments have continued his year. Maurice switched out his fourth line after losing the first two games in the second round before his team won in seven games. Knoblauch benched Skinner to give the goalie a chance to reset. Both coaches are highly quotable.

You’ll see many of these players at the Olympics

Nine Panthers took part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Matthew Tkachuk (USA), Bennett, Marchand and Reinhart (Canada), Barkov and others (Finland) and Gustav Forsling (Sweden) leading the way. Edmonton had three players, led by Canada’s McDavid. Draisaitl will play for Germany in 2026 and other players from these teams could make the Olympics.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

I’ve covered the NFL just about my entire adult life, over 30 years, and there was often this axiom that still exists: the NFL is dead in the month of June. No one cares about it. Everything shuts down. Interest dies. The league basically disappears from the minds of fans.

But is that really true?

There’s a phrase that’s become one of my favorites: ‘narrative dominance.’ It’s used a lot in politics, but it applies to this idea about the NFL. The narrative is that you, the NFL fan, ceases caring about the league in the month of June. So let’s test that narrative.

USA TODAY Sports will publish a story each day of the month for Project: June. We will cover the NFL universe from the lighthearted to the serious.

If you wish you could draft your fantasy team now starting with that No. 1 overall selection (pick Ja’Marr Chase first, trust me on this), this series is for you. If you dream of season openers, tune in. If the Eagles’ various Super Bowl celebrations dance in your head, over and over…and over, this is your place.

There seems to be always an NFL itch, and we will scratch it for you. Or something like that.

I once had a conversation with Hall-of-Famer Michael Strahan and he mentioned how important it was to take some time away from football after the season, but by the time the summer came around, he deeply missed it.

You may feel the same way. If you do, this will be the place for you in June.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.

Sigh of relief.

Exhale of joy.

Probably a bit of both for the Indiana Pacers, and the percentage of relief vs. joy depends on the person.

No matter how one dissects the emotion, the Pacers did what they needed to do and eliminated the New York Knicks wth a 125-108 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.

Indiana avoided a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden and bypassed the prospect of blowing a 3-1 series lead in advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.

‘To be able to win the series the way we did today at home in front of our fans is huge,’ Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. ‘You never want to go back on the road in Game 7. And so we’re grateful. We’re grateful for a lot of things today.’

Indiana has never won an NBA championship. It lost to the Lakers in six games in 2000 and won three ABA titles in 1970, 1972 and 1973. It joined the NBA in 1976.

The Pacers have had quality squads with Larry Brown, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Carlisle and Frank Vogel coaching. But until Saturday, only Bird, with Reggie Miller starring on the court, took the Pacers to the Finals.

Owner Herb Simon has been an outstanding steward. Despite no championship for the franchise, the Pacers have been a competitive mid/small-market team for decades. They have had fewer than 35 victories just four times since 1990.

It’s a small-market dream, in part due to the NBA’s collective-bargaining agreement with players that aimed to give more teams the opportunity to compete for a title – if well managed. Indiana and Oklahoma City are exactly that.

This Pacers squad earned this Finals appearance, beating Milwaukee and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round, No. 1 seed Cleveland and their All-Stars (albeit injured) in the second, and then dismissed New York, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

That’s an impressive run for a No. 4 seed. Of course, that four seed is not representative of how the Pacers finished the season after starting 10-15. From Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season, the Pacers were one of the best teams. They had the fourth-most victories, the No. 7 offense, the No. 9 defense and the No. 6 net rating.

As Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson pointed out multiple times: “They press for 48 minutes and they run faster than anybody in the league. We have the data.”

The Pacers have the personnel – starters and reserves – to play that style. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam are All-Stars. In Game 6, Siakam had 31 points, five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal, earning the conference finals MVP. Haliburton had 21 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and three steals – his ninth double-double in 16 playoff games. They went 10-deep against the Knicks and regularly beat them down the court for open shots. And they made 3-pointers – 17-for-33 in a close-out game while holding the Knicks to 28.1% shooting on 3s.

“It’s a special time to be a Pacers fan and to be a part of this organization,’ Haliburton said. ‘And we just have great people in that locker room from our players to our coaches to our support staff to our ballboys to everybody that is a part of this. So it’s a really special feeling. And I can ramble and ramble and ramble and I probably am right now, but I just think I can’t put into words how special this group is and how much this means to us.

‘We’re going to enjoy it for the night and then as a group come together and get ready for what’s in front of us. What’s in front of us is the first of four, and we understand we’ve got a big challenge in front of us.’

In 2½ decades, Carlisle ‒ in his second stint with the Pacers after 13 seasons with Dallas that yielded a title in 2011 ‒ has proven himself one of the NBA’s best coaches, adapting to different eras, styles and personnel. As he has gotten older and wiser, he has ceded control, allowing a star like Haliburton to run the offense without Carlisle dictating every possession.

The reward for winning the East? A Finals matchup against Oklahoma City, the best team in the league.

‘This is no time to be popping champagne,’ Carlisle said. ‘And when you get to this point of the season, it’s two teams and it’s one goal. And so it becomes an all or nothing thing. And we understand the magnitude of the opponent. Oklahoma City has been dominant all year long with capital letters in the word dominant defensively.’

The Pacers are underdogs. But with the Knicks behind them, they’re not just relieved or overjoyed to be there.

(This story was updated with additional information.)

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders gave his first extensive remarks about his quarterback son Shedeur’s disappointing NFL draft experience, saying the ordeal “did hurt” him emotionally and disputed claims that Shedeur acted unprofessionally in pre-draft interviews with NFL teams.

Sanders spoke about it in a podcast on Friday with former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel after dealing with an unspecified health issue in recent weeks at his estate in Texas. His son was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round in April after previously being projected by experts as a first-round pick.

“When you sit up there and say something like he went into a meeting unprepared, like dude, Shedeur Sanders, who’s had six different coordinators?” Deion Sanders said on the podcast.

He said claims about his son’s professionalism were untrue and said to “stop lying.”

“They want to create these narratives and create these stories and then attach them to a kid that ain’t never done nothing wrong,” Sanders said.

One rumor was that Shedeur wore headphones to a team meeting.

Sanders shot that down.

“You gonna tell me he had on headphones, Shedeur?” Deion Sanders asked. “Anybody know my son understand he’s a professional. Like he’s gonna go into a meeting with headphones on?”

Samuel told him Shedeur is a “dawg” who would “rise to the top.”

Sanders then admitted how the situation made him feel.

“It did hurt,” Sanders said. “It did hurt.”

But he said two of his sons are using their NFL draft disappointments as motivation and that both were “built” for this situation. His middle son Shilo, a safety, was not drafted and instead signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent. Deion Sanders cited the case of legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady as an example after Brady was selected in the sixth round of the draft in 2000.

“The Bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise, so it was some foolish stuff that went on, but you know what? That gave them something that they needed … like that edge that Tom had,” Sanders said.

Sanders, 57, has been out of the media spotlight since the NFL draft in April and suggested it was related to a health issue.

“I hope you’re feeling better,” Samuel said to Sanders.

Sanders said “what I’m dealing with right now is at whole nother level” but said he’s coming back after losing about 14 pounds. He previously had several surgeries to deal with blood clots in his legs.

His Buffaloes team opens the season on Aug. 29 at home against Georgia Tech.

For the first time in 25 years, the Indiana Pacers are back in the NBA Finals.

The New York Knicks put up a fight late in the Eastern Conference finals, winning Game 5 two nights ago, but Indiana closed out New York on Saturday night in Game 6, 125-108. The Pacers clamped down and intensified their defensive effort, forced the Knicks into turnovers, sprinted out into transition and rode a hot shooting hand from deep to put the Knicks away.

One game after Indiana had only one player — forward Pascal Siakam — score double figures, the Pacers had seven eclipse the mark Saturday, including all five starters. Siakam led the way with 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting, though Tyrese Haliburton came alive late in the game, scoring 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter.

By comparison, Haliburton, who also dished out 13 assists Saturday, had scored just eight points in Game 5.

The Pacers won every quarter, though they held only a four-point lead heading into halftime. Indiana, however, came out aggressively to start the third, erupting on a 14-2 run in the first two minutes of the period.

All game, the Pacers scooped rebounds and flung the pass forward to capitalize on transition opportunities; Indiana claimed a debilitating 25-10 edge in fastbreak points.

Knicks forward OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while Jalen Brunson struggled early before chipping in 19 on 8-of-18 shooting.

Though Indiana has three ABA titles to its name, the Pacers will be seeking their first NBA title in franchise history. To do so, they will have to top the team with the most victories in the regular season, the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 1 is Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Final: Pacers 125, Knicks 108

Though Indiana has three ABA titles to its name, the Pacers will be seeking their first NBA Finals title in franchise history. To do so, they will have to top the team with the most victories in the regular season, the Western Conference champion Thunder. Game 1 is Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Pacers vs. Knicks Game 6 highlights

Indiana, hoops heartland, finally has another shot at NBA title

Sigh of relief.

Exhale of joy.

Probably a bit of both for the Indiana Pacers, and the percentage of relief vs. joy depends on the person.

No matter how one dissects the emotion, the Pacers did what they needed to do and eliminated the New York Knicks with a 125-108 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.

It’s a small-market dream, writes Jeff Zillgitt.

Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference Finals MVP

Pascal Siakam has another trophy for his mantle — The Larry Bird Trophy.

Siakam was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after the Pacers downed the New York Knicks, 125-108,in Indianapolis on Saturday to clinch the series 4-2 and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.

‘Shout out Indy, man. It’s been such an amazing experience for me so far from the first day I landed here. The love has been amazing,’ Siakam said after winning the award, which was presented by Pacers Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.

3Q: Pacers 92, Knicks 77

The Pacers began to pull away from the Knicks in the quarter building up a lead as large as 16.

Pascal Siakam had 26 points, three rebounds and three assists through three quarters.

Tyrese Haliburton went scoreless in the third quarter after scoring all eight of his points in the second quarter. He did have eight assists. Andrew Nembhard also helped move the ball around for Indiana and produced eight assists through three quarters of play.

The Knicks made an attempt to chip away at the Pacers’ lead with an eight-point scoring run to help and make it a nine-point game with 4:06 left in the quarter. The Knicks entered the fourth quarter with just nine points from its bench.

OG Anunoby leads New York with 17 points.

Halftime: Pacers 58, Knicks 54

The Pacers finished the first half with a 7-4 scoring run and a four-point lead against the Knicks.

Pascal Siakam led the scoring attack for the Pacers with 11 of his 16 points in the second quarter. Tyrese Haliburton scored eight points in the second period after going scoreless in the first half.

The Pacers scored 16 points off turnovers and had 16 points from its bench in the first half.

OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 12 of his 14 points coming in the second quarter. He shot 6-of-9 from the field while going 0-for-2 from the 3-point line.

Karl-Anthony Towns is closing in on a double-double with eight points and seven rebounds. Jalen Brunson had 10 points.

Caitlin Clark attends Pacers-Knicks Game 6

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was on hand to watch Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals series between the Knicks and Pacers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Clark has a strained left quadriceps and is currently out for the Fever.

1Q: Pacers 25, Knicks 24

The Knicks and Pacers have been fairly even through the opening period. Both teams have led by as many as five points.

Tyrese Haliburton went 0-for-4 from the field, including 0-for-2 from the 3-point line, but contributed with four assists and two steals for the Pacers.

Myles Turner was the leading scorer for Indiana with six points.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with seven points and two assists. He shot 3-for-7 from the field, including 1-for-3 from long range. Mitchell Robinson had six points and six rebounds for New York.

New York Knicks starting lineup:

OG Anunoby
Karl-Anthony Towns
Mitchell Robinson
Mikal Bridges
Jalen Brunson

Indiana Pacers starting lineup:

Aaron Nesmith
Pascal Siakam
Myles Turner
Andrew Nembhard
Tyrese Haliburton

Indiana Pacers injury report

Tony Bradley – Available (left hip flexor strain)
Isaiah Jackson – Out (right Achilles tendon tear)

What time is New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers today?

The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Game 6

Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
TV: TNT, truTV
Stream: Sling TV, Max

Watch Pacers vs. Knicks Game 6 on Sling

Where is Game 6 between Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks?

The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. 

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Game 6 odds

The Indiana Pacers are favored to beat the New York Knicks in Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, May 31):

Spread: Pacers (-3.5)
Moneyline: Pacers (-180); Knicks (+145)
Over/under: 221.5

Pacers vs. Knicks: Odds to win Eastern Conference finals

The Indiana Pacers are favored to win the NBA Eastern Conference finals, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, May 31):

Indiana Pacers -375
New York Knicks +275

Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 picks: USA Today staff predictions

Jeff Zillgitt: Pacers 111, Knicks 106
Scooby Axson: Pacers 117, Knicks 103
Heather Tucker: Pacers 112, Knicks 101
Cydney Henderson: Pacers 118, Knicks 113
James H. Williams: Pacers 110, Knicks 105

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers predictions: Expert picks for Game 6

ESPN: Pacers have a 58% chance of winning

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Indiana Pacers have a 58% chance of beating the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Bleacher Report: Pacers punch ticket to finals

Andy Bailey writes: ‘With the Knicks’ transition offense limited by fewer Pacer turnovers and Indiana a bit more locked in from three, the Pacers should be able to win at home and end this series. As is often the case when a series hits this point (one team having more than one chance to close things out), Indiana appeared to have let its foot off the gas a bit even before the game started. It’s human nature to let your mind drift to the fact that you’ll get another shot at home in 48 hours. But that won’t happen again. Knowing Game 7 would be in New York will force the Pacers to focus and come out far more aggressively on Saturday. And after that win, Indiana will return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.’

Draft Kings: Indiana Pacers

Julian Edlow writes: I’ll take Indy to go wire-to-wire again in Game 6 and advance to the NBA Finals. You can bet them on the double result (lead at halftime and win the game) at even money, and/or lay the -4 on the Pacers at DraftKings Sportsbook.’

What channel is the NBA game tonight? How to watch Knicks vs. Pacers

The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks at 8 p.m. ET with coverage on TNT, truTV and streaming on Max.

Knicks vs. Pacers Eastern Conference finals

(Pacers win series 4-2)

Game 1: Pacers 138, Knicks 135 (OT)
Game 2: Pacers 114, Knicks 109
Game 3,  Knicks 106, Pacers 100
Game 4, Pacers 130, Knicks 121
Game 5: Knicks 111, Pacers 94
Game 6: Pacers 125, Knicks 108

All times Eastern; *-if necessary

Knicks draw up blueprint to beat the Pacers

For the New York Knicks to stave off elimination, to get back in this Eastern Conference finals, they needed to somehow curb the Indiana Pacers. New York, for at least one game Thursday night, did exactly that, becoming the first team this postseason to hold Indiana to fewer than 100 points for a 111-94 victory.

New York harassed Indiana’s starters in Game 5, flying around the court and swarming. The Knicks held the Pacers’ starters to just 13 made field goals on 33.3% shooting, Indiana’s entire first five combined for 37 points; its bench poured in 57.

The question for the Knicks now becomes whether this is something that can be replicated — whether Game 5 revealed a blueprint they can use to even the series at three games apiece. — Lorenzo Reyes

ANALYSIS: Click here to read Reyes’ full story from Game 5

NBA championship odds 

BetMGM odds for NBA Finals winner as of Friday, May 30: 

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (-750) 
2. Indiana Pacers (+700) 
3. New York Knicks (+1500) 

Oklahoma City Thunder reach NBA Finals

Four victories. That’s what the Oklahoma City Thunder need to win the franchise’s first championship since 1979 when they were the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Thunder reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 Wednesday in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

More from Thunder’s Western Conference finals win.

When are the 2025 NBA Finals? Schedule

*-if necessary

Game 1, June 5: TBD vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC
Game 2, June 8: TBD vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. ET | ABC
Game 3, June 11: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC
Game 4, June 13: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC
Game 5, June 16: TBD vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC*
Game 6, June 19: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. TBD, 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC*
Game 7, June 22: TBD vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. ET | ABC*

NBA conference finals bracket 

Eastern Conference finals 

No. 4 Indiana Pacers def. No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-2

Western Conference finals 

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder def. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1

NBA’s new era of parity

If the impending NBA Finals matchup of the league’s 23rd and 27th-ranked media markets is supposed to spell doom for the league, it is a doom the NBA’s owners intentionally brought on themselves. 

While two glitz-free Midwestern cities in the Finals might not have the celebrity pull the NBA has largely enjoyed through its historically successful franchises, it was an inevitable outcome once the league designed a collective bargaining agreement that dismantled its traditional cycle of superteams and dynasties. 

Welcome to the new NBA, where championship windows are smaller, the life cycle of a roster is shorter and the number of teams that can win a title in any given year is beyond anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes. — Dan Wolken

Read Wolken’s full column here.

Knicks vs Pacers rivalry 

The Knicks and Pacers played six memorable playoff series against one another over an eight-season span, including two consecutive matchups in the Eastern Conference finals in 1999 and 2000. The anticipation for this latest matchup has also triggered nostalgia for those classic battles between Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing, and how the Knicks and Pacers turned into an NBA playoffs rivalry. Here are some of the best (or infamous) moments from Knicks vs. Pacers playoff series, courtesy of Mark Giannotto.

Why is Spike Lee a Knicks fan? 

The New York Knicks’ historic postseason journey this year has not only reignited the passion of veteran Knicks fans but also attracted a new wave of supporters, uniting them in a shared sense of pride and excitement. 

Among the most enthusiastic supporters is Spike Lee, a longtime leader of the Knicks fan base. 

The film director is often seen in Knicks gear, sporting the standout orange and blue in some fashion, and he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a superfan in October 2024. 

Why is Timothée Chalamet a Knicks fan? 

This rare and exciting moment has ignited enthusiasm for New York Knicks fans everywhere, including Academy Award-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet. 

Chalamet often joins the jubilant Madison Square Garden crowd alongside Spike Lee, a prominent figure on the Knicks’ sidelines. Chalamet’s fervent support for the Knicks, as reported by the New York Times, began during his high school days at LaGuardia High School in Manhattan, when he was a budding actor striving to carve his niche. 

Who is Mariska Hargitay? 

Fans tuning in to a New York Knicks game have at some point probably seen actress Mariska Hargitay in the crowd at Madison Square Garden. 

The star of the long-running NBC show ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ is a frequent presence along the sideline at MSG, with Knicks star Jalen Brunson calling the actress ‘my favorite person ever.’ What better co-sign could a fan ask for? 

Here’s what to know about Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay.

2025 All-NBA team 

Oklahoma City Thunder guard and league Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were unanimous selections from a panel of 100 global reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA voted on the squad. View the complete list. 

When is the last time Pacers made NBA Finals?

The Pacers have only made one NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. Reggie Miller led the Pacers to the 2000 NBA Finals, where they faced the Los Angeles Lakers and its star-studded duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The Pacers quickly dropped into a 0-2 hole against the Lakers, but rebounded with a Game 3 win. The Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead with a Game 4 victory. Indiana won Game 5 to stay alive, but the Lakers ultimately won the series and title, 4-2. O’Neal was named the Finals MVP after averaging 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks through six games. – Cydney Henderson

NBA champions by year

Winners over the last 20 years. For a full list of champions, visit NBA.com.

2023-24 — Boston Celtics 
2022-23 — Denver Nuggets
2021-22 — Golden State Warriors
2020-21 — Milwaukee Bucks 
2019-20 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2018-19 — Toronto Raptors 
2017-18 — Golden State Warriors 
2016-17 — Golden State Warriors 
2015-16 — Cleveland Cavaliers 
2014-15 — Golden State Warriors 
2013-14 — San Antonio Spurs 
2012-13 — Miami Heat 
2011-12 — Miami Heat 
2010-11 — Dallas Mavericks 
2009-10 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2008-09 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2007-08 — Boston Celtics
2006-07 — San Antonio Spurs 
2005-06 — Miami Heat 
2004-05 — San Antonio Spurs