The 2025 NBA conference finals are set, as the New York Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers in the East, while the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West.
This year’s conference finals feature three teams (the Pacers, Thunder and Timberwolves) who have never won an NBA title. The other is the Knicks, who have not won a title in the modern era—their last title was in 1973.
The Knicks upset the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals to earn a playoff rematch with the Indiana Pacers, who pulled an upset of their own against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pacers and Knicks played in a 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series that was an absolute thriller. Ultimately, the Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals in seven games after overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the tilt a year ago.
The Oklahoma City Thunder—who have been the best team in basketball all season long—needed seven games to survive and advance against the Denver Nuggets (it’s never easy to take down the best player in the world and a champion in his own right in Nikola Jokic). The Thunder will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are back in the Western Conference finals after knocking out the Steph Curry-less Golden State Warriors. The Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals last season.
Here’s the full conference finals schedule.
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers
|
Game |
Date/Time |
TV |
Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Wednesday, May 21, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
New York |
|
2 |
Friday, May 23, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
New York |
|
3 |
Sunday, May 25, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
Indiana |
|
4 |
Tuesday, May 27, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
Indiana |
|
5* |
Thursday, May 29, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
New York |
|
6* |
Saturday, May 31, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
Indiana |
|
7* |
Monday, June 2, 8:00 p.m. ET |
TNT |
New York |
*If necessary
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
|
Game |
Date/Time |
TV |
Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Tuesday, May 20, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Oklahoma City |
|
2 |
Thursday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Oklahoma City |
|
3 |
Saturday, May 24, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ABC |
Minnesota |
|
4 |
Monday, May 26, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Minnesota |
|
5* |
Wednesday, May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Oklahoma City |
|
6* |
Friday, May 30, 8:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Minnesota |
|
7* |
Sunday, June 1, 8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Oklahoma City |
*If necessary
