While ‘Inside the NBA' will live on, its three-decade-long partnership with TNT concluded along with the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. After the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks to clinch the NBA Finals, Ernie Johnson led the iconic four-man crew in an emotional final send-off on the TNT set.

Johnson closed the show with a heartfelt speech while holding back tears. The longtime host said the “NBA and TNT would be together forever” if he could “write the script.” However, it was Shaquille O'Neal who officially closed the chapter by suggesting the crew do one final mic-drop to leave the set. O'Neal and Kenny Smith stood up and dropped their microphones on the desk, while Johnson and Charles Barkley gently set them down as the four hosts walked off to a cheer from onlooking Pacers fans.

Hundreds of Pacers fans stayed well after the game to watch the entire final broadcast. The fans loudly chanted “TNT” in the background as the crew signed off.

The ‘Inside the NBA' broadcast will continue on ESPN in 2026, but TNT will no longer broadcast any NBA games. With NBA on TNT ending after 36 years, the future careers of Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Grant Hill and many other broadcasters remain up in the air.

Harlan, who called the final NBA on TNT game with Miller and Stan Van Gundy, delivered his own heartwarming farewell speech before the program shifted to the desk. The 64-year-old broadcaster individually thanked nearly every co-worker on the network, including the late Craig Sager and retired legend Marv Albert. Harlan and Miller, who worked together for nearly 20 years, shared a moment at the end of the segment.

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‘Inside the NBA' host Ernie Johnson sends Pacers to NBA Finals

Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) is interviewed by Ernie Johnson after receiving the Larry Bird MVP Trophy game six of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

After failing to end the series in Game 5, the Pacers closed out the Eastern Conference Finals with a dominant 125-108 win over the Knicks. By doing so, they hosted the final NBA on TNT broadcast at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with another impressive performance, posting 21 points and 13 assists. He scored 11 of his 21 in the fourth quarter, engineering Indiana's late-game surge to officially pull away.

Pascal Siakam led all scores with 31 points, notching his third 30-point game of the series. Siakam's huge performance earned him the Larry Bird Trophy, awarded to the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. He ended the series averaging 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game and 1.3 steals per game while shooting an absurdly efficient 52.4 percent from the floor.