Report proves Second Apron has resulted in the youngest & cheapest NBA Finals of the century

The NBA Finals are right around the corner as the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head for the prestigious Larry O’Brien trophy. The Thunder vs Pacers Finals series is the youngest in the league’s history in about the last 50 years. Whichever franchise wins the Finals, it would have the lowest average age of any NBA champion since 1980.

On Tuesday, Lev Akbas from Sportico published an article highlighting the role of the second apron in realizing the youngest-aged NBA Finals.

“Second apron rule introduced in the last CBA complicates dynastic ambitions for teams with veteran cores,” Akbas wrote.

The last CBA focused on franchise-like teams after the Golden State Warriors established an almost decade-long dynasty, where they won four championships. It prohibited teams from stacking up veteran players and forced them to have a balanced roster in terms of age differences.

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According to Basketball Reference, the average age of the Thunder roster as of Feb. 1, judged by playoff minutes, was 24.7 while the Pacers were at 26.2. Both teams participating in the NBA Finals are also the cheapest teams in the league.

According to Spotrac, the Pacers' total payroll for the 2025 season was $169.1 million, while the Thunder paid $165.6 million. According to Akbas, the 2025 NBA Finals is the only Finals in the last two decades where neither participating team has paid a luxury tax.

The Thunder were one of the favorites to make a Finals run at the start of the season. They earned a reputation as one of the best teams in the league after they dominated the Western Conference last season. However, a Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks ended their postseason journey in the second round last season.

They ended as the first-seeded team in the West this season. Moreover, they continued their dominance in the playoffs and defeated the Anthony Edwards-led Timberwolves to advance to the Finals.

The Pacers were a wild card that not many saw coming. They were expected to make a deep playoff run, but not many believed that they would end up winning the Eastern Conference. They proved their doubters wrong as they went past tough opponents like the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks to win the conference.

Where to watch the 2025 NBA Finals between the OKC Thunder and the Indiana Pacers?

The NBA Finals series between the Thunder and the Pacers is scheduled to start on Thursday and will last until Jun. 22, assuming it goes to Game 7. The first game in the series will take place at the Paycom Center, Oklahoma City.

The television broadcast of the series will be on ABC, while an online stream will be available to watch on YouTube TV and ABC.com.

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About the author

Avi Shravan

Avi Shravan's first year of college was the year he discovered his passion for basketball and the NBA. He has been an ardent fan of the sport ever since, from waking up early to cover games to watching pundit discussions, he does it all.

Avi is a big fan of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and firmly believes that the young star is the next big thing in the NBA.

Avi graduated in Mass Communication and Journalism, further enhancing his skills as a journalist and a writer. In his spare time when he is not writing, you can find him playing video games, watching anime, or reading a book he randomly picked at a bookstore.

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