The 2024-25 NBA season is coming to an end, and the Indiana Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. However, before Game 1 of the series, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sparked some discussion with his comments about the matchup.
Silver recently appeared on Fox Sports 1’s Breakfast Ball on Wednesday. During the discussion, he addressed the criticism surrounding the matchup in the NBA Finals, particularly noting that it featured teams from small markets. To illustrate his point, Silver drew a compelling comparison to the NFL.
“If we were going into a Super Bowl and it was Packers vs. Steelers you guys would celebrate that. People wouldn’t talk about Pittsburgh being a small market. It’s been intentional to create a CBA that allows more teams to compete,” Silver said.
"If we were going into a Super Bowl and it was Packers vs. Steelers you guys would celebrate that. People wouldn't talk about Pittsburgh being a small market. It's been intentional to create a CBA that allows more teams to compete."
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) June 4, 2025
— NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thunder vs.… pic.twitter.com/UMO3sx3IyY
Silver emphasizes that his ultimate goal is to foster a greater appreciation for basketball as a whole. He believes that true basketball enthusiasts should be eager to watch the Finals, regardless of the teams playing, because the Finals represent the pinnacle of the sport, showcasing the highest level of talent, skill, and competition.
Adam Silver Dismisses NBA Draft Lottery Conspiracy Theories With Firm Statement
Even though the Dallas Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of landing the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, they ended up winning the lottery. This has sparked rumors that the draft lottery could be rigged.
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On top of that, Shaquille O’Neal’s story from Draft Day has added fuel to these conspiracy theories. However, during a recent guest appearance on FS1’s “Breakfast Ball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver brushed aside these rumors and claims.
“They were trying to win. Then Kyrie got injured, and Anthony Davis got injured. So they found themselves in the lottery. Odds are odds and that’s how it turned out,” Silver said.
Adam Silver credits the Mavericks for not tanking
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 4, 2025
"They were trying to win. Then Kyrie got injured, and Anthony Davis got injured. So they found themselves in the lottery. Odds are odds and that’s how it turned out."
(🎥 @BrkfstBallOnFS1 )
pic.twitter.com/xflTpPm3e1
Commissioner Silver strongly dismissed claims that the NBA Lottery is rigged. He described the outcome as a random occurrence instead of something that was manipulated.
