👋 Hello, friends.
I've been contemplating joining some type of sports league. Loved rugby when I played briefly in college. Always enjoy a good softball or flag football game.
But man, I have to be honest: my overly tight Achilles heels has me fearing a tear and what that recovery could look like. Tyrese Hailburton's injury last night heightened those fears.
Such a brutal way for a NBA Finals Game 7 to go for Haliburton and the Pacers.
But now that the Thunder are on top, a thought immediately emerges: who's next to hoist a trophy?
🚨🚨 ALSO, A NEW DIEHARD SALE IS HERE. Be sure to check out more info below! — Joseph Hoyt
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Not too long ago, there was about an eight-year run where the path to the NBA finals began to feel ... predictable. After the Mavs won in 2011, a constant emerged: either LeBron James or the Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors would be in the NBA Finals. For four straight years, those two battled against each other in the Finals.
Parity was out the window. But since 2019, it's boomeranged back through.
Don't look now, but the Thunder are now the seventh-straight unique champion the NBA has had.
2024-25 — Oklahoma City Thunder def. Indiana Pacers, 4-3
2023-24 — Boston Celtics def. Dallas Mavericks, 4-1
2022-23 — Denver Nuggets def. Miami Heat, 4-1
2021-22 — Golden State Warriors def. Boston Celtics, 4-2
2020-21 — Milwaukee Bucks def. Phoenix Suns, 4-2
2019-20 — Los Angeles Lakers def. Miami Heat, 4-2
2018-19 — Toronto Raptors def. Golden State Warriors, 4-2
Who knows. Maybe the SGA and the Thunder are about to go on a run. Maybe they're about to usher in a new dynasty and a new standard. Or maybe, like the previous six champions, they're passer throughs in the NBA spotlight, holding court until next year's champion can take the baton from them.
And who knows, maybe this is me shoehorning a trend into the local fold, but it does has me thinking about who the next champion could be -- and how ridiculous it would be if the Mavs concluded a wild three-year run with a title.
Heck, it's now the NBA off-season, where hope springs eternal. It's also the week of the draft -- side note, the NBA needs to do a better job on their calendar, because having the draft right after the finals feels like a wasted window for #content -- which means the Mavs are about to get a new cornerstone in Cooper Flagg.
It's a mystery who will hoist next year's trophy. Recent history tells us, however, that it probably won't be the Thunder.
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Join us in Las Vegas for a weekend full of fun, concluding with the Cowboys vs. the Raiders on Monday Night Football. Our package includes flights for those who are in the Dallas area and non-flight options for those who don’t need Dallas flights. Get your tickets and access to our exclusive pregame pep rally today! Check out all the information here and if you have any questions let me know!
Sports are tough, man. The duality of winning a title and losing one — especially the way the Pacers lost — is stark.
Tyrese Haliburton on cruches, T.J. McConnell hugging Reggie Miller. What a sad loss for the Indiana Pacers
— #Italo Santana (#@BulletClubIta)
2:54 AM • Jun 23, 2025
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Joseph Hoyt
DLLS Cowboys Reporter and Newsletter Editor
[email protected]
On X: @JoeJHoyt
