After the Indiana Pacers clinched the Eastern Conference championship, social media erupted with jokes about the upcoming NBA Finals featuring them and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite being from smaller markets, this finals matchup has been criticized as boring even before it starts. Interestingly, it marks the first time since 1971 that two teams outside the top 20 TV markets are meeting in the finals, and there's a belief that market size shouldn't dictate the excitement around the game. If viewers can overlook this aspect, there's much to enjoy in the series, especially regarding the Thunder's standout season.
"The jokes, memes, and hand-wringing about the small-market profile of the upcoming Indiana-Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals began as soon as the Pacers won the championship."
"Some so-called fans have already labeled the 2025 finals boring, which is a funny way to characterize games that haven't even started yet."
"Prepare to hear about the small-market pairing ad nauseum, but why should market size determine whether or not to watch basketball?"
"If you look past market size, there's lots to love about this duel, including Oklahoma City's impressive regular season."
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