Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is confident he understands the level of opposition they are up against when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

The Pacers reached the finals for the first time since 2000 after beating the New York Knicks 4-2 in the Eastern Conference final.

Pascal Siakam won the Eastern Conference finals MVP award, while point guard Tyrese Haliburton also came up with some big moments to help Carlisle's side reach the Finals.

This is not the first time Carlisle has reached the Finals, as a player or coach, but he recognises the talent of the Thunder squad.

"This is the sixth time that I have been to an NBA Finals," Carlisle said.

"Three as a player, one as an assistant coach, second time as a head coach. This is no time to be popping champagne. When you get to this point of the season, it's two teams and it's one goal. It becomes an all-or-nothing thing.

"We understand the magnitude of the opponent. Oklahoma City has been dominant all year long with capital letters in the word dominant. Defensively, they're historically great, and they have all kinds of guys who can score."

Tyrese Haliburton showed out in the Eastern Conference Finals 

21.0 PPG
10.5 APG
6.0 RPG
2.5 SPG pic.twitter.com/wVc5JvGsXx

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 1, 2025

The Thunder finished with a league-best record of 68-14 in the regular season, four more wins than any other team.

They have a defensive rating in the playoffs of 104.7 and an average of 10.8 steals per game, leading the league in both stats.

It was a similar story in the regular season, where they also led in both categories and were second in blocks per game (5.7), 0.3 behind the Orlando Magic's average of six.

Thunder head coach Mike Daigneault was also full of praise for Carlisle and his career in the sport.

Daigneault said: "I have a lot of respect for him. He's had an unbelievable life in basketball.

"When you look at all the things he's experienced in his playing career and his assistant coaching career, and his head coaching career. He's forgotten more about the game than most of us have seen.

"I have a lot of respect for him. He's the president of the Coaches Association. He's got 29 really good relationships with the coaches and is in constant communication with us."

Game 1 of the NBA Finals will take place in Oklahoma on June 5.