NBA Finals Preview Special

A peerless NBA Finals preview, that is, assembled in conjunction with our friends at Basketball Reference

The NBA Finals finally get started Thursday night and we know the perfect preview mechanism to get you ready.

Here's a six-pack of standout statistical nuggets on both teams assembled in collaboration with my trusty colleagues from Basketball Reference:

Oklahoma City Thunder

🏀 Twelve different Thunder players aged 26 or younger have earned playoff minutes this season. No other conference champion in league history has ever had more than 10. During the regular season, furthermore, Oklahoma City had seven different players aged 26 or younger average at least 20 minutes and 10 points per game. They're only the third playoff team ever to achieve that.

🏀 The Thunder went a dominant 29-1 against Eastern Conference teams this season. That is the best cross-conference record for any team to reach the NBA Finals since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77; six previous teams had just three regular season losses to teams from the other conference: 2015-16 Warriors, 1999-2000 Lakers, 1996-97 Bulls, 1995-96 Bulls, 1986-87 Celtics, 1982-83 76ers.

🏀 Oklahoma City enters the Finals with a record of 80-18 when combining the regular season and playoffs. The Thunder are one of just 15 teams in league history to win at least 80 games in a season and would become just the fourth to reach the 84-win plateau if they go on to win the series.

🏀 The Thunder, of course, established a new league record this season for average margin of victory: +12.9 points per game. They were also the eighth-fastest team to win 60 games in a season and have continued that dominance throughout much of the playoffs with a league-record four victories by at least 30 points … and a record three leads at halftime of at least 30 points.

🏀 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is bidding to become just the fourth player in league history to win a scoring title, MVP award and Finals MVP honors in the same season. If he pulls it off, SGA would join Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00), Michael Jordan (1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96 and 1997-98) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-71).

🏀 On top of the Thunder's famously smothering defense, they've actually played at a slightly faster pace in these playoffs than the Pacers, who are known for their running game. (The figure in the enclosed graphic represents an estimated total of possessions per 48 minutes.)

Indiana Pacers

🏀 Tyrese Haliburton is just the second player in league playoff history to average at least 18 points and nine assists per game with fewer than two turnovers per game.

🏀 Haliburton has already accumulated at least 300 points, 150 assists, 20 steals and 10 blocks in these playoffs. There have been only 13 other seasons in league history in which one player has assembled such a varied statistical line … with Jrue Holiday's 56 turnovers for Milwaukee in 2020-21 ranking as the lowest turnover total amassed along the way. Haliburton enters the Finals with just 31 turnovers. Bonus Haliburton ball-security stat: He has already tied the single-season record with five games this postseason with at least 10 assists and one or fewer turnovers.

🏀 Indiana's 25-year gap between NBA Finals appearances is the fourth-longest in league history. Only four franchises have waited longer: Milwaukee (47 years from 1974 to 2021), Golden State (40 years from 1975 to 2015) and Detroit (1956 to 1988).

🏀 Indiana's Rick Carlisle will this week become the ninth coach in league history to appear in multiple NBA Finals this century, joining Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, Larry Brown, Tyronn Lue, Doc Rivers and Byron Scott. He can become just the fourth coach in league annals to win it all with two different franchises if the Pacers shock the world and upset Oklahoma City … and he has already cracked the top 10 for all-time playoff wins among coaches.

🏀 The Pacers were 10-15 on Dec. 8. They are only the seventh team in league history to advance to the NBA Finals after falling at least five games below .500 during the regular season, joining the 1980-81 Houston Rockets, 1977-78 Seattle SuperSonics, 1975-76 Phoenix Suns, 1958-59 Minneapolis Lakers, 1956-57 St. Louis Hawks and 1955-56 Fort Wayne Pistons.

🏀 Indiana won 50 games during the regular season. Oklahoma City led the league with a 68-14 record. The 18-victory gap is the largest between two Finals teams since the 1980-81 season, when 62-20 Boston beat 40-42 Houston in six games. Only five other Finals have featured a larger win gap between the two teams: 1970-71 (24), 1966-67 (24), 1980-81 (22), 1971-72 (21), and 1958-59 (19). If the Pacers manage to win the series, they will become the league's first champion to overcome a regular season victory shortfall of 18 or more.