Now we know the two finalists for this year’s Larry O’Brien trophy. The Oklahoma City Thunder made their way earlier this week after pinning the Wolves in the WCF. On the other hand, drama was waiting to unfold in the Eastern Conference. However, after Game 6, the Pacers took down the Knicks in their 125-108 win. So, it’s Thunder vs. Pacers: Seven games and one dream, the silverware of honor. Now, Commissioner Adam Silver will shoulder major responsibility as ratings could raise major concerns, as they have lately.If all the NBA ratings chatter has already exhausted you, the 2025 Finals might bring more of the same. Then again, this could be exactly what pulls you in. After all, there’s something undeniably compelling about a clash that defies the usual script. Instead of legacy franchises, we get fresh faces. Instead of coastal giants, we see the heart of the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton are not just rising stars. They are redefining what star power looks like. So, how much weight does the market size truly carry?“I know that Indiana and Oklahoma City are small markets. I get that the ratings would have been higher if it was Warriors against Celtics,” Brian Windhorst commented on the Hoop Collective Podcast. “While everybody talks about how the NBA is gonna suffer because of ratings—they just signed a TV deal. I don’t care what year it is. I don’t care what the TV deal is. The league got a lot of soapboxes.” On July 24, 2024, Adam Silver locked in new media deals worth $76 billion over 11 years with ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. These agreements will span from the 2025 to 2036 seasons, marking the league’s boldest broadcast leap yet. Yet, according to Nielsen rankings, which track television audiences across the country, Indianapolis sits at No. 25 while Oklahoma City lands at No. 47. That raises eyebrows for a Finals pairing.[US, Mexico, & Canada customers only] Jan 23, 2025; Paris, FRANCE; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn ImagesThe last time two cities this small clashed on the biggest stage was in 1971, when the Milwaukee Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets. That feels like ancient history. Back then, the league had just 17 teams, and television coverage barely scratched the surface of what it is today. Still, here we are again, with a matchup that dares to challenge tradition and maybe even rewrite it. “For people on the coasts who are going to want to badmouth this Finals because it’s small markets, let me say this: I don’t care what anybody says. I don’t care if it’s David Stern’s dream of Lakers playing Lakers,” Windy sternly added. “The thing you want from a business perspective. The thing that you want is volume. NBA is a—They’re not going to get volume.” From a business lens, volume matters, and surprisingly, the Pacers offer more promise than the Knicks ever did. While some might doubt the draw of small markets, Indiana has delivered thrilling performances. Still, when matched against Oklahoma City, the challenge steepens. The Thunder is no fluke. They dismantled Minnesota with ease and stared down their only real threat. Their defense is elite. So, while Indiana has been spectacular, the Finals might still tilt toward a thunderous sweep that would help the Commissioner’s worries about the ratings.But here is the twist. While the league might secretly root for underdog drama that stretches across seven gripping games, there is one thing it fears more than a Finals without the Lakers or Warriors. A quick finish. That, more than market size, could truly rattle the ratings gods.Why would Adam Silver prefer seven games between ‘underdogs’ over a quick big market finale?“The only point I want to get out five days before the Finals start is that the NBA—no matter what anybody says—trust me, as somebody who’s done it for over 20 years—the NBA would rather have Toronto playing against New Orleans going seven games than they would have the Lakers playing against the Knicks going four,” Brian Windhorst noted.Windhy makes it clear. The NBA & Adam Silver value one thing above glitz and glamour—longevity. A gritty seven-game series between smaller markets like Toronto and New Orleans is more valuable than a quick blowout between powerhouses like the Lakers and Knicks. Drama sells. So does time. The longer the Finals last, the more the league wins, regardless of the zip code. For the first time since 2007, the NBA Finals will feature two teams who didn’t play on Christmas Day, per @tomhaberstroh.Kinda crazy when you think about it. pic.twitter.com/y1KqdV6IQh— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 1, 2025To be honest, Indiana and Oklahoma City might not scream market power, but they represent the NBA’s evolving vision of balance and brilliance. While Haliburton and Gilgeous-Alexander break molds in different ways, their teams are delivering irresistible basketball. The Thunder’s rebirth and the Pacers’ revival both bring drama and charm. So now, the league bets on substance over sizzle, hoping fans chase movement, momentum, and stories rather than just bright lights and big names.Ultimately, the 2025 Finals may not boast the biggest markets, but they offer something rarer—genuine drama and lasting intrigue. Commissioner Silver and the NBA know it is not just about star power or zip codes. It is about the story, the suspense, and the grind. So, whether you cheer for the Thunder or the Pacers, get ready for a series that could redefine what Finals greatness truly means.The post Adam Silver Only Wants One Thing That Lakers & Warriors Failed to Provide as Major NBA Finals Issue Emerges appeared first on EssentiallySports.