OKCEAL Team Six Hunts Down The Haliban! | Official Thunder (#1) vs. Pacers (#4) 2025 NBA Finals Thread

[Ohene]

I think the pacers win now

 

[Jplaya2023]

Oh shyt they got the magic man on the show today. First take baby

You know its serious.

"Then I was like heeeeeee heeeeeee l, yeah Karl, Barkley you aint shyt!!! Get his ass back Clyde!! Heeeeee heeeeeee"

 

[Marlow Stanfield]

We got a series now!!

 

[The G.O.D II]

Just a random tangent but this “haliban” and Shaisis shyt is some of the most forced, unfunny meme content today.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

That’s exactly what it is. SAS is so corny and see through, he only dikkrides a specific type of player. If they don’t fit that mold he doesn’t care for them. I’ve peeped it over the years, he’ll get super animated for somebody he like but get quiet and meek like you said when he has to say something good about a player he doesn’t like. Oddly enough he loves Magic but doesn’t like Halliburton’s playstyle, shyt is unreal.

Stephen A- "KD CAN PULL UP FROM 30!!!!"

*KD shyts on Stephen A*

Stephen A responds- "1ST OF ALL I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THAT BROTHER. KD IS A GOOD BROTHER"

Rinse wash repeat

 

[MicIsGod]

Something to watch going forward is Indy was lowkey targeting Shai on D down the stretch. He’s played way better in help D than on ball in this series

They figured out they can tire him out more this way. Gotta love a great coach. Why I always say it’s worth it to fire somebody like thibs to see if you can get a coach that pays attention to detail on both sides like Rick. It’s a ceiling a hard headed mf like thibs or bud could never reach.

 

[Miggs]

Ive predicted every game of this series so far correctly.

Pacers upset in Game 1
OKC blows them out Game 2
Pacers win a close Game 3

 

[Jplaya2023]

Ive predicted every game of this series so far correctly.

Pacers upset in Game 1
OKC blows them out Game 2
Pacers win a close Game 3

So what happens in game 4

 

[daemonova]

the team full of six four power forwards (Kent bazemore) coming down to Earth @Rekkapryde @SubZeroDegrees

They got more smoke if you want it, just say the word

 

[Miggs]

Ive predicted every game of this series so far correctly.

Pacers upset in Game 1
OKC blows them out Game 2
Pacers win a close Game 3

OKC wins a close one...I expected a split in Indiana with Pacers probably taking the first one from the home crowd momentum etc etc...

 

[Jplaya2023]

the team full of six four power forwards (Kent bazemore) coming down to Earth @Rekkapryde @SubZeroDegrees

They got more smoke if you want it, just say the word

Uh oh

 

[Big Boss]

the team full of six four power forwards (Kent bazemore) coming down to Earth @Rekkapryde @SubZeroDegrees

They got more smoke if you want it, just say the word

Uh oh

 

[Sghost597]

the team full of six four power forwards (Kent bazemore) coming down to Earth @Rekkapryde @SubZeroDegrees

They got more smoke if you want it, just say the word

Uh oh

 

[BrehWyatt]

Something to watch going forward is Indy was lowkey targeting Shai on D down the stretch. He’s played way better in help D than on ball in this series

I don't think Shai is a bad defender by any means, but considering what OKC has on perimeter defense... if you're gonna target anyone on that team, it might be him.

 

[BrehWyatt]

This argument that Halliburton isn’t a superstar is dumb as hell

Isn’t showing up in the playoffs in big moments consistently more important than averaging 30 in the regular sreason?
Isnt being clutch in the playoffs more important than having a great highlight reel?
Hie is the best player on his team in the finals, I don’t like this narrative

According to the talking heads on TV, the answer is a resounding no to the bolded.

He won't be considered one because he doesn't actively seek his shot regularly, and unless you come into the league as a 1-of-1 type player or are on a notable run of exceptional statistical excellence, winning basketball (which is what Haliburton plays, clearly) has absolutely NO bearing on one's superstar status in the eyes of said talking heads. It doesn't matter that Indiana is clearly not the same team if he doesn't impact the game.

Personally, I think Haliburton is the best floor-general archetype point man in the league. But while I think he's the best in the league at what he does, that doesn't matter when all the "best players" in the NBA are stat-stuffing, high-scoring forwards or guards who either have unlimited shooting range or are a likely 30-35 a night.

The one big thing working against Haliburton's case as a superstar is that his floor is wildly volatile, and he doesn't have superstar expectations. He will disappear on you in games offensively. If his baseline expectation is 20 points and 10 assists, then ideally, his floor would be around 12-14 points a night.

If you're the best player on a championship contender and a walking 20-10 at point, that should be superstar-worthy. There are a lot of players who could be considered superstars if the networks stopped putting the same teams on national TV games or forced their sports talk shows to discuss something beyond the same 4-6 topics. The Super Bowl location has more variance than what the likes of First Take discuss.

The wrong people control the narrative. Haliburton is the same player who was voted Most Overrated and people were like only for it to come out that he got a leading 13 votes in the survey that determined this.