A point forward has emerged in these 2025 Finals: OKC’s Jalen Williams. We’re not comparing him or teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Bulls’ Hall of Fame tandem, but the effect of having Williams start OKC’s offense has freed up Gilgeous-Alexander (in the past two games especially) from constantly taking Indiana’s first defensive punch.

Rick Carlisle used the line after the Indiana Pacers won the Eastern Conference title earlier this month, the one that is the official motto for the state’s basketball Hall of Fame and surely has been