NBA Playoffs 2025: Knicks-Pacers Game 6 Showdown & Oklahoma City's Historic Surge

The NBA Playoffs have delivered intense matchups and historic performances. In a recent episode of RJ Bell’s Dream Preview, hosts Munaf Manji and Mackenzie Rivers analyzed the current state of the playoffs, focusing on the Eastern Conference semifinal between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, while praising the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominant run through the Western Conference.

Oklahoma City wrapped up its series against Minnesota with a 124-94 blowout win in Game 5. Mackenzie Rivers emphasized that their true test came earlier against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, suggesting that victory elevated OKC from contenders to a championship-caliber team. Shea Gilgeous-Alexander’s postseason run has been nothing short of historic. Averaging 29.7 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 47.1% from the field and committing only 2.1 turnovers per game, SGA joins an elite statistical group that includes only Michael Jordan, Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James across playoff history. This balanced excellence on both ends of the court has helped OKC surpass even the legendary 2017-18 Warriors for most 10-point playoff wins ever, with 61 total victories. Their defensive prowess also made history, holding two opponents to under 10 points in the first quarter within a six-game span.

The Thunder’s combination of third-ranked offense and league-leading defense draws comparisons to the 2015 Warriors, who dominated the league with similar balance. Despite their dominance, Mackenzie argued that the betting markets still undervalue Oklahoma City, pointing out that OKC entered the Finals as heavy favorites at -750, a line he believes doesn't fully reflect their historic excellence.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference semifinal has seen momentum swing between the Knicks and Pacers. New York secured a crucial 111-94 victory in Game 5, led by Jalen Brunson’s 32 points on efficient 12-of-18 shooting, Karl-Anthony Towns’ 24 points and 13 rebounds, and Josh Hart’s 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. New York's strategy of limiting Indiana’s scoring has proven effective, holding the Pacers under 100 points in both of their series wins.

Mackenzie questioned the betting lines for Game 6, where Indiana opened as 3.5-point favorites despite New York's convincing Game 5 performance. He suggested that public betting trends, driven by recency bias, were inflating the Pacers’ odds. Injury concerns also loomed, with Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith limited to 16 minutes due to an ankle issue. Pascal Siakam’s postgame admission that the Knicks “played harder” highlighted New York’s edge in effort and desperation.

Karl-Anthony Towns has capitalized on a favorable matchup against Myles Turner, averaging 28 points per game against him throughout his career. Mackenzie recommended betting the over on Towns' points prop, set at 22.5, noting Towns has surpassed that number in 10 of his last 12 games. Josh Hart's rebounding has also become a key factor for the Knicks. He has posted 10 or more rebounds in 14 of his last 16 games against the Pacers when playing at least 30 minutes. Hart's rebounding prop was set at 9.5 with plus odds, and his double-double odds were listed at +254.

The podcast also featured Mackenzie’s updated player rankings based on postseason performances. Nikola Jokic ranked first with a 97.5 rating out of 100, followed by Shea Gilgeous-Alexander at 97, Giannis Antetokounmpo at 96.5, and Luka Doncic and Steph Curry both at 95.5. Jason Tatum and Anthony Davis tied at 94, while Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards both received a 93 rating. Tyrese Haliburton was ranked 23rd due to his playoff inconsistency, while Karl-Anthony Towns ranked 19th. Ja Morant dropped to 26th because of availability concerns, while Alperen Sengun leads the Rockets' young core.

The hosts discussed the international dominance in today’s NBA landscape. Jokic, SGA, Giannis, Luka, and Wembenyama exemplify a generational shift away from aging American superstars like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. Mackenzie concluded that the Knicks have both momentum and desperation entering Game 6, predicting they could force a decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Both hosts agreed to return with another episode should that happen.