2025 NBA Finals Matchup Has Shortest Distance Between Opponents Since 1971

Travel is often an issue when it comes to NBA Finals matchups. Long flights are typically included during the championship series, especially when teams from cities like Los Angeles, Miami, and Boston are involved.

2025 NBA Finals Cities Are Less Than 700 Miles Apart

But things are going to be different this time around, as the two cities that will be hosting games this year are relatively close to one another on a map. In fact, there hasn’t been a shorter distance between two NBA Finals teams in 54 years.

PACERS. THUNDER. 🍿

The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV are officially set!

Game 1: Thursday, June 5th at 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/vkBIUyf8UO

— NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2025

There has been plenty of discussion made about the market size of the two teams involved this year. Oklahoma City and Indianapolis aren’t exactly megacities, placed smack-dab in the middle of “flyover country” and featuring populations of less than 1 million people each. So while it may not be the marquee matchup that casual NBA fans are looking for, the players themselves will be happy with the short travel times.

Longest Distance For Each Of The Four Major Sports:

NFL: Miami to Seattle – 2,731 miles

MLB: Miami to Seattle – 2,731 miles

NBA: Boston to San Francisco – 2,692 miles

NHL: Fort Lauderdale to Edmonton – 2,560 miles

The distance between the two cities, as the crow flies, is 683 miles. It is the shortest distance between two NBA Finals cities since 1971, back when the Milwaukee Bucks were a part of the Western Conference. They plated against the Baltimore Bullets that year, which made for a trip of just 641 miles, which is the second-shortest distance of all-time. That designation belongs to the matchup between the Fort Wayne Pistons and Philadelphia Warriors in 1956 (529 miles).

What Are The Closest East vs West Cities?

There are of course shorter trips possible if we were to ever get certain matchups in the Finals. The Timberwolves and Bucks are separated by just 297 miles, and there are 336 miles between the Grizzlies and Hawks. But we haven’t had any of those matchups, making the OKC/Indianapolis connection one of the shortest of all-time.

A flight between the two cities lasts about an hour and 45 minutes.

Interestingly, the other championship series that begins this week carries the opposite situation. This year’s Stanley Cup rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers represents the furthest distance between any two teams in the NHL, sitting at 2,560 miles.