The NBA Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder ended up being a barnburner, but not too many were convinced that this would be the case. Two small-market teams were colliding, and yet they drew plenty of attention and fanfare thanks to the ultra-competitive series in which the two teams needed seven games to settle the score. In fact, some were neck-deep in conspiracy theories, insinuating that the NBA somehow rigged the proceedings to have those two teams make it that far in the playoffs in the first place. If anything, according to Haliburton, the foe they faced in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks, would be the recipient of such a boost, if it did exist (which it doesn’t).