2025 NBA Conference Finals Preview: Timberwolves vs. Thunder, Pacers vs. Knicks | Picks & Analysis

2025 NBA Conference Finals Preview: Timberwolves vs. Thunder, Pacers vs. Knicks | Picks & Analysis

Let’s go ahead and welcome in our own Ashley Nicole Moss. Brad Bockin is also here with us. I mean, surprise, surprise. SGA and the Thunder were the team to beat all season long, but this series went the distance all seven games. Brad, it wasn’t an easy feat, though. It sure wasn’t. It reminds me a little bit of the 2015 Golden State Warriors where they kind of fast forwarded a little bit through the process that people tend to perceive as being required where you have to go through some playoff bumps and and people kind of have to get used to you as a contender until they actually see it. And those Warriors had a very difficult second round series with the Memphis Grizzlies. Went went down 2-1. And the same thing here with OKC where they’ve been kind of cruising through the season and they hit a real bump. Had a little bit of a test against Memphis in the first round. But this was a genuine test that a team that has all the talent but maybe not enough of the playoff scars in some people’s minds, this felt like a real hump that they got over. And I kind of expect it to catapult them now going forward. I think this was the real test that they got through and now I think OKC is going to be a real problem. Yeah, I think that’s the key word, right? Test. I think this was their biggest test and to no fault of their own, you can only play who’s in front of you. And I do think the Grizzlies would have been more a more competitive series for them had they been healthy and had they not fallen so low in the the standings and the changing in coaches. I do think the Memphis Grizzlies are a much better team than what OKC faced in that series. And I think that’s a team, you know, given John Morant stays in Memphis, I think that’s a rivalry and a series that you can look out for in the future with two young teams, two young stars leading the charge. But when you talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder, you just talk about a team who’s been doing it all season. And to Brad’s point, maybe a lot of it was winners for te just kind of coasting. And I said this going into this Nugget series, it was one going to be their biggest test. And if anyone could upset the Thunder, it was the Denver Nuggets. Now, obviously that’s not what happened. The series did go seven. Now, you can maybe equate that to if Aaron Gordon was healthier or if some situations um for the Denver Nuggets, if they defended home court better, maybe we’d be having a different conversation. but to knock out the best basketball player in the world in the way that you did in the in the um the mannerisms that he kind of showcased towards the end in that game especially down the stretch just looking defeated not only as a team but as a unit um of that big three of Jamal Murray Aaron Gordon and Nicole Joic extremely impressive for such a young basketball team so let’s go ahead and play off that point because it was a great series and we really uh were lucky to see two of the favorites to be MVP and SGA and of course Nicole Joic in this series. Do you think that this now solidifies him as the best player in the league? No, I still think it’s Nicole Joic. I mean, when you talk about Jokic, threetime MVP, uh finals MVP, champion, seventime all-star, all rookie first team 2016. I mean, the list goes on and on. Uh Western Conference Finals MVP uh in 2023. I mean, the list goes on and on and all of his achievements and his accolades. And that’s not to say that SGA may not be the face of the league or one of the faces of the league, but I think to uh give him the crown just for beating a Nola Joic and a Denver Nuggets team that really relies so heavily on Joic having these monster games night in and night out to move on to the next level or to win basketball games is just not fair to everything he’s already accomplished. And we are talking about SGA who doesn’t have an MVP yet and doesn’t have a world championship yet. So, we we got to not can’t put the carriage before the horse in this in this regard. I agree. You agree? I I agree. I I think this series really was a microcosm of what we’re going to see play out in the MVP race whenever they decide to announce this thing. Weird. Usually Usually it’s by now, but you’re talking about the best player trying to beat the best team. And the bottom line is SGA just is working with more. Uh Nicolola Joic is is playing on a team that severely lacks depth, lacks defensive personnel and the Thunder as a whole, not SGA. SGA did not win that game for them yesterday. It was their defense, the way Caruso defended um Nicola Joic, the way the refs allowed them to defend. There were a lot of factors. It was not SGA and Joic going heads up and SGA is just the better player. Better team, Joic is the better player really by an appreciable margin. A lot of factors playing a role in this game seven. Uh obviously the Nuggets were missing uh full fully healthy full strength Aaron Gordon who was initially not expected to play dealing with that uh hamstring strain. Although he played through the pain he put up eight points, 11 rebounds. It’s kind of crazy. And Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman actually told reporters after the game what he played with today. I don’t know many people that would have even attempted to run up and down. It’s one of the more incredible things I’ve ever seen. Obviously, game seven, they needed him, but were you shocked that he gave it a go? Okay, so here’s the thing. I was shocked in today’s NBA where we act like injuries are life and death situations. You know, we act like, “Oh my god, he’s playing. He’s risking life and limb.” Like, worst thing that’s going to happen, he’s going to go out, he’s going to repole it or make it worse. And if he doesn’t, and so he’s out for the rest of the playoffs. If he doesn’t play, they’re going to lose anyway. So, it’s like this was Aaron Gordon’s probably last best chance at a second championship. the way that the bracket has opened up, anybody can win this thing. So, of course, it’s game seven. He wants to go out there and give himself a chance to pursue that championship that is suddenly wide open. So, I’m I am surprised in that we talk about like injuries now. Like Steph Curry had a grade one hamstring. Gordon had a grade two. Steph Curry was off like a week and we talk about it like if he comes back even a day or two early, they might have to amputate. It’s a ham. No, listen. It’s a hamstring. It hurts. It can it can hinder the way you can play as we saw with Aaron Gordon you’re not going to be 100% of yourself but I do think that there is too much talk sometimes about I mean if you’re talking about an ACL achilles something like that but there is too much talk sometimes and not enough credit given to that it’s game seven we’re talking we’ve forgotten about the Willis Reeds of the world like these and I know Reed didn’t do much in that game and you can only do what you can do but your presence alone the the idea that you don’t want to sit out if you can move at all that has become something that players don’t do anymore that media doesn’t expect. I do think people were surprised. I don’t I wasn’t that surprised. It’s game seven. If you can walk, I would try to go play. And he tried and and he did he he did well. I mean, I I know AG, so I knew he was going to play game seven. It’s just in his it’s in the way that he’s programmed as a as a person. Like, if he’s not in a wheelchair, he’s going out and hooping in the best way that he possibly can. But I will say this, I was impressed with how he was able to move with the hamstring. Not that he was able to play or that he pushed himself to play, but anybody will tell you, any athlete will tell you, anybody who ever had a hamstring injury will tell you it’s extremely uncomfortable and it hinders the way you’re able to move on the floor. It hinders the way your body’s able to move. And there were some moments, especially in the first half, where he was moving as someone who wasn’t dealing with an hamstring injury. And that to me was what the most impressive part about it was that if you didn’t know any better, you would think he was 100% healthy, which he wasn’t. That’s what was impressive. Not that he played game seven. There was no way he was missing that game. You still got to tip your cap for the effort and what he was able to do. More guys more guys should do it. Most definitely. Most definitely. All right. Well, now Denver now looks to the off seasonason. A lot of questions in that franchise that we will be talking about throughout the course of this off season. Uh while the Nuggets kind of check off some things on their to-do list, OKC headed to the conference finals where they will see the Minnesota Timberwolves. What are you expecting, Ash early on in that series? I think that this series is actually going to be better for Minnesota than it would have been if they had to face Denver. And I’ll say why. Because there’s nobody on the Minnesota Timberwolves that would have had an answer for Nicole Joic. I think that when you talk about OKC and you talk about the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s a lot more evenly matched for these two teams with one another for a multitude of reasons. I think that the Timberwolves can keep up with the speed in which Oklahoma City Thunder play. I think they have the size to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder. I think the biggest concern is going to be SGA, but I think Anthony Edwards won’t have it’s not going to be like him guarding Kyrie Irving in the Western Conference Finals last year. I think that he’s going to have, and I say this loosely, an easier task with SGA than he did with Kyrie last season. I think that these two teams um in some ways mirror each other in the way that they are constructed, in the size, in the physicality. Um I think that the biggest thing is going to be look, you have two teams led by two very young players and it’s going to be up to those two players to lead the charge. We all know that when Anthony Edwards gets going, Julius Randle gets going. And I think that when SGA gets going, it’s a domino effect for the rest of the team. I think that’s going to be the most interesting part of this series and kind of how they mirror each other in similar another similar way. Two young stars leading the charge, the head of the snake and what they do will set the tone for the rest of the team. I’m really excited for this series. I actually, you know, I like Joic. I like the Denver Nuggets, but I’m actually excited that this is the way that it’s set up. All right. Yeah. I I think Julius Randle’s the key to this series because Anthony Edwards and and SGA are going to get the they’re going to be on the marquee, but they’re going to double the ball out of both those guys hands. Now, they’re so good, they’re still going to figure out a way to be effective on their own, but their ability to pass the buck and get the their teammates in space off of the multitude of defenders that they um bring their way, it’s going to be those guys as release valves that are going to have to play big. And Julius Randall has like rewritten the narrative on his entire career in these playoffs. Not to me. I always was a Julius Randle believer. Well, Julius Ran with the Knicks, he was overtasked as a number one. And he was good. Averaged 23 and 10 with New York. Got them to the playoffs for three straight years when they missed six straight prior to his arrival. Um was very good, but was overtasked as a number one. Here, here he’s a number two. But listen, he’s like a 1A in this series cuz they are go there are so many defenders on OKC that can put so much pressure on Anthony Edwards behind the three-point line. Julius Randall is going to be the natural release valve. I think this series is going to play out a lot in the mid-range. Yes. Um for Minnesota because OKC is going to guard the line really heavy. And when Rudy Goar is on the floor, you don’t have to stretch out and guard him as a shooter. So their bigs Chad Homegrren, Isaiah Hartinstein, they are going to pack down in the paint and guard the rim. So they’re pushing you off the line and they’re guarding the rim. That soft spot in the middle where Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards can do a lot of work, I think is going to be a big factor. That’s a fine print thing to look for in this series. Where are the Timberwolves getting their shots from? And are they knocking them down? I think that free throw line elbow area, the soft spots, if they can knock those down at a high clip, which Julius Randle, that can play into his sweet spot when he’s got it going, that will give Minnesota their best chance. All right, we’ll find out soon enough. Uh, as game one between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder is slated for tomorrow. Tip off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Ash said she was excited for this series, but but not as excited, I think, for this series in the East. Quick break for us here on CBS Sports HQ. It’s the Knicks and Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. We’ve got the full preview for you next. Stay with us. Wow. Look at this guy. Oh my god. If you look closely, Ashley is just leading the pack there. How How much to climb the the light pole? How much? Um, if the Knicks win the finals, I will do it for free. No way. Absolutely. I I I mean I will go into HQ myself and let you FaceTime you’ll FaceTime into the show the postgame show. This is sort of an indictment on Knicks fans that this is the reaction to a conference finals. I know it’s not. This is like when the school like the schools that rush the court because they beat like Georgia Tech on a Wednesday. I actually hate that narrative because it’s been 25 years and we’ve seen teams celebrate long droughts and go into the streets and act this is 20 and you have to remember Nick Knicks fans I agree it’s indictment Nicks fans are are born into this fandom. No one chooses to be a Knicks fan. You are that’s chosen for you. I’ve been a Knicks fan since birth. We waited our entire life for this. No one’s going to take this joy from us. Not even Brad. You got to have a bone to pick with him as well. Um, on May 14th, Brad tweeted, “Seltics going to win this series.” I do. Receipts. Receipts. Just wanted to make sure. I’m definitely a prisoner of the moment. I I That’s okay. That’s okay. That’s what we’re here for. Uh, okay. What a series this is going to be. We’re going to be locked in uh to this. The Knicks back in the conference finals, as Ashley said, for the first time in 25 years, taking on the Indiana Pacers. I’ll start with you, Ash. What are going to be the keys to victory for the Knicks? Um, there’s a few things. I think that one, you want to rebound effectively. I think that you want to try to control the pace. The Pacers, no pun intended, like to play quickly, and I think the Knicks can keep keep up, but they would rather keep it at more of a middle of the road type of pace than an extremely accelerated one. I think you obviously want to try to contain Tyrese Hallebert in the best way possible. The benefits of this series being at home the first two games is that role players tend to not play well on the road. So, Tyresese Hallebertton, it needs to be really your primary focus and making sure he doesn’t have one of those historic MSG games. Um, I think you also want to try to limit the transition offense. Uh, there’s a few things that the Knicks can do, but one thing I really want to see them do is look, we know Jaylen Brun is going to do what he does offensively. Everyone else needs to contribute in the way that they did in game four against the Boston Celtics. Um, I believe that was the game that Jason Tatum went down. Yeah, game four. So, you want to see that kind of offensive uh effort from these guys. What I want to see is the four quarters of that New York Knicks defense that we have been seeing, especially in the series against the Boston Celtics because your shots may not always fall. The three ball may not always be there, but that defense is going to constantly keep you in the game. And the Pacers are a team that if you give them an inch, they will take a mile. So, you want to make sure you are on your P’s and Q’s defensively with this team. Yeah. Okay, listen. End of the road for the Knicks. And here’s the deal, Ashley. Ashley, they were out. They were outplayed by Detroit. They were They were the benefit of historic happenings. A 21-0 run in the fourth quarter against a young Detroit team that melted down fine. Then an admitted missed call in game four that would have swung that game on Tim Hardaway Junior three on the non call there. Listen, these are facts. These are facts. Boston, it required historically bad shooting performances from a historically good shooting team. And then again, oh two 20 point comebacks. These are not things that you can count on happening again. Then Jason Tatum goes down. The luck is going to run out. The pace is going to run them into the ground. The mismatches are the things to watch in this series. The Pacers are as good as anybody. Maybe the best team in the league at seeking out the right mismatches. We talk about the pace. It’s not so much that Indiana’s going to be finishing on fast breaks all the time, but it’s how quickly they push even after makes that it’s like two seconds that you’re too late to get your defense set and then you have to scramble and guard anyone available and that leaves Carl Anthony Towns maybe on Hallebertton or Brunson on Hallebertton. You end up in these cross matches because you have to scramble and they attack those cross matches as well as anyone. Carl Anthony Towns and Jaylen Brunson will be spotlighted defensively by I think the best offensive team remaining in the playoffs. And again, the Knicks cannot keep existing on these 20 point compacts and historically poor shooting performances from their opponents. The luck runs out. Indiana marches on. Indiana marches on. Sean, please please just give me 30 seconds to get this off my chest because if this were any other team that we were talking about, luck would not be used in in the sense because we talk about what they did against the Detroit Pistons. Everyone was saying it’s luck. It’s luck. It’s luck. You want to talk about the Boston Celtics. We sold two games from them at home garden. Not only that, we blew them out in the closeout game. When Jason Tatum went down, we were leading by 10 points. That wasn’t a a luck performance. We were outscoring them. and we were out playing them. And I say we because I’m saying we. I know that’s not journalism 101. I don’t care. These are not luck scenarios. We beat the Boston Celtics. The Knicks beat the Boston Celtics fair and square. You want to live by the three and die by the three, there’s going to be a team that takes advantage of that. That’s exactly what the New York Knicks did. And they outscored them fair and square if you want to put that out there in two out of the four games. I I don’t dispute any of that. I just think when you go down 20 in two straight games, it that’s you’re not going to keep rolling aces. So, I just it runs out. It’s it’s not necessarily luck, but it’s very very unlikely outcomes that are not likely to continue. That was a Vanova grad, Brad. Just keep that in mind. I’ve been wrong before. This is This is true. Yeah. Ashley came with the receipts today. Um well, you know, I’m supposed to ask for a game pick here, but I I feel like I know which uh route both of you are going. You said Brad that you have the Indiana Pacers advancing to the NBA finals. Ash, you you got to roll with your Knicks next year. Obviously, I’m rolling with the Knicks, but I will say I think the series goes seven and I’ll tell you why quickly. I think if you look at what happened in the last time these two teams face each other with an injured New York Knicks team and how that was able to go the distance even with the Knicks not being 100%. I think you have both these teams right now fully healthy. A nice week-l long break, give or take a couple of days. I think that um the Knicks will be able to get this done in seven, but I’m not saying it’s going to be easy for them at all. The Pacers are a tough team and I have a lot of respect for them. I was definitely someone who doubted them last season and how they got to the the conference finals against Boston. Um but I think that what I’ve seen from them this season, I have they have my respect, but not enough to pick them to win this series. The Knicks are doing it. I know you’re going with Indiana, but do you think this goes the distance? It can’t go the distance. I actually picking seven. If it gets to game seven in MSG and Jaylen Brunson puts on his cape and that crowd is going to be going and I don’t think they can win game seven on the road. So I think they got to finish it in six. I think they will. Uh it’s not only the pace but it’s the depth. So you so you’ve got basically Tibido is playing six or seven guys and at that pace game one, game two, game three, maybe it doesn’t add up but the cumulative effect in game five, game six and maybe game seven is going to add up. You’ve got a bunch of Pacers playing players paying 35 minutes a game and a bunch of Knicks players playing 44 minutes a game. It’ll add up over the course of the series. I think the Pacers win in six. Well, we will see how it all plays out. By the way, Knicks 2 and one against the Pacers all time in the Eastern Conference Finals. Uh, take that for what it’s worth. Game one of the Eastern Conference Finals will begin on Wednesday. A tip off from Madison Square Garden is slated for 8:00 p.m. Ashley Nicol Moss, Brad Bachan joining me here on CBS Sports HQ for the very latest out of the NBA playoffs. Quick break for us, but when we return from the court to the diamond, some big news in the MLB over the weekend. Uh we will get to that, but first the Stanley Cup playoffs. We have a full preview for you next of what’s to come.

Brad Botkin and Ashley Nicole Moss join CBS Sports HQ to preview the 2025 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals, featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks.

[00:00:00] – Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 Recap
[00:07:53] – WCF (Timberwolves vs. Thunder)
[00:11:51] – ECF (Pacers vs. Knicks)

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