ESPN.com · May 21, 2025
NBA playoffs 2025: How 26 other teams learn from conference finals
Once the NBA playoff field dwindles to four, the other 26 teams could be forgiven for moving their attention elsewhere. They can't win the 2024-25 title, after all, and there are so many other events on the league's calendar that warrant attention: the draft, free agency and management hiring season.
But there is still value to be gained from watching the conference finals -- and learning from the examples set by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. The NBA is a copycat league, and in terms of both on-court tactics and bigger-picture roster building, this quartet offers plenty of stratagems worth copying.