The latest season of Netflix’s “Starting 5” was released Thursday, offering new perspectives on memorable moments from the 2024-25 campaign.
The series followed Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, then-Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, LA Clippers guard James Harden and Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown.
Each star had his own challenges last season, all revealed by Netflix’s behind-the-scenes access.
“The Netflix people are driving me nuts,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said at one point. “They’re everywhere, you know, and it’s a pain in the ass.”
Durant dealt with injuries and trade talk that nearly sent him to the Golden State Warriors. Haliburton fought through a midseason slump after limited action at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Brown’s knee injury was a setback for the Celtics in their pursuit of winning back-to-back titles. Harden embarked on another season seeking a championship, while Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistency fueled the Thunder’s NBA title aspirations.
The outcome brought two of the season’s stars to the biggest stage: Game 7 of the Finals.
Here are the top takeaways from Season 2 of “Starting 5.”
Trade to Houston still hurts Harden, Durant
The early days of the Oklahoma City Thunder paired two of the game’s top scorers on one team: Durant and Harden. They were teammates for three seasons before the Thunder dealt Harden to the Houston Rockets in 2012, propelling the guard to All-Star and MVP heights.
Even though the trade happened over a decade ago, emotions are still raw for Durant and Harden, who won Sixth Man of the Year that season. Alongside Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were coming off a Finals run in which they lost in five games to the Miami Heat.
Unable to reach a contract extension, Oklahoma City traded Harden. He explained that it “wasn’t about no real money. It was a couple million dollars.”
Durant admitted he didn’t know what was going on with Harden’s contract negotiations until the very end and “never thought there was a possibility he was leaving.” He also expressed anger about the reaction leaguewide, with players posting congratulatory messages for Harden on social media.
“I was like, ‘Shut the f— up. Y’all just was f—ing scared. Y’all knew we was on the way.” Durant said.
Harden echoed a similar sentiment.
“Overall, I was mad as hell, too,” he said. “Cause I got the call, and it’s like, then there was loss. These are my dawgs, like you see what we just did these last three years? It was like, ‘we’re gonna win a championship next year.’ … I was hurt. It was sad, for real.”
Durant said he liked playing with Harden and he misses it. However, he pointed out that he, Harden and Westbrook all maximized their potential, which is most important.
Haliburton considered taking a break from Pacers
Prior to leading the Pacers on a surprising NBA Finals run, Haliburton found himself in a dark place early in the 2024-25 season. His confidence took a hit after he played in just three games for Team USA in the Paris Olympics.
The All-Star guard struggled in November and December, averaging 18.1 points and nine assists on 44% shooting from the field as Indiana entered 2025 with a 16-18 record.
“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt as negative about myself as I did in November and December,” Haliburton said. “Yeah, I was definitely in a dark time.”
His fiancée, Jade Jones, could tell Haliburton was feeling pressure from his play and was struggling to identify the root cause of his slump.
The highest-paid player on the Pacers, Haliburton said players such as himself are only evaluated on whether they can impact their respective team to win games. If they don’t, it’s next man up.
“It got to the point where I was like, ‘Should I kind of step away for a little bit just for our group? Would that be more beneficial?'” Haliburton said. “I know that if I’m not right, that our team isn’t gonna be right.”
A conversion with his trainer, renowned NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen, aided Haliburton’s turnaround. He also returned to Paris in late January with the Pacers facing the San Antonio Spurs.
This time, Haliburton performed. He dropped 28 points in Indiana’s 136-98 win, and the rest was history.
SGA, Chris Paul brotherhood on full display
Gilgeous-Alexander and Paul developed a strong bond in the one season they spent as teammates with the Thunder in 2019-20. The 2025 MVP called Paul a mentor and friend, and he leaned on him for advice.
After Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon nailed a game winner against the Thunder in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, Gilgeous-Alexander FaceTimed Paul when he got home. The two reviewed moments from the game.
Paul also attended Game 2 of Oklahoma City’s Western Conference finals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gilgeous-Alexander received his MVP award that night as Paul sat courtside next to Gilgeous-Alexander’s wife.
The Thunder guard playfully put Paul in a chokehold after the game, saying, “Now you stuck. Now you don’t know what to do. Now what?”
“Ima just chop your wrist off. It’s gonna be with me,” Paul replied, and the 12-time All-Star went to Gilgeous-Alexander’s house for dinner afterward.
The wild NBA Finals Game 1 ending told by the players
Haliburton and the Pacers’ shocking comebacks were a huge storyline of the postseason, and “Starting 5.” There may not have been a single comeback with larger ramifications than Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Thunder seemed to be in cruise control, holding a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, Indiana was in a position it had seen before that postseason and slowly walked Oklahoma City down — something Haliburton said the Pacers tried to do in each of their other comeback wins.
Indiana, down one with less than 10 seconds remaining, had the ball after Gilgeous-Alexander missed a jumper.
“They get the rebound come down, don’t call a timeout. [Haliburton] gets it to his right hand. He loves his right hand. That’s where he goes,” Gilgeous-Alexander explained.
Haliburton then dribbled toward the right wing and rose up for a go-ahead jumper.
“It felt like slow motion. Like the ball’s in the air forever. I’m just like, ‘It’s going in,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“I didn’t even know how to react, so I just yell,” Haliburton said, as the Pacers stole Game 1.
Raw reactions after Haliburton tears Achilles in Game 7
The improbable Game 1 comeback set up the best two words in a playoff series: Game 7.
Unfortunately, Haliburton’s outing ended prematurely due to a torn Achilles just halfway through the first quarter. Netflix mic’d Haliburton up during the game and followed him to the locker room.
The Pacers star — who had nine points before exiting — explained he wanted to heat check a 3-pointer, but didn’t like the opportunity. Therefore, he swung the ball, knowing it would rotate back to him with the intention of attacking his defender, Gilgeous-Alexander. However, when he went to drive to the basket, the injury occurred.
“I knew what it was,” Haliburton said.
“I turn around and look to see who’s on the floor, I was like, ‘Oh s—, no way.’ And then I seen him screaming,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The first five minutes of Starting 5 Season 2? Absolute CINEMA 🍿
Premiering on Netflix in 10 HOURS. pic.twitter.com/FWv797eBRl
— Netflix (@netflix) October 15, 2025
Haliburton revealed that he wanted to walk off, recalling that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant walked off when he tore his Achilles.
“I can walk off. Like, it’s possible. So I was like, ‘Get me up, I’m gonna walk off.’ It felt like just dead weight at the end of my leg,” he said. “I think that’s when I became overcome with emotion just because that’s when the reality really set in.”
Haliburton broke down in tears in the locker room with Jones, his father and his mother by his side. He got his ankle wrapped in ice and watched the rest of the game in the trainer’s room, saying to the TV: “Make it worth it, at least.”
With Indiana leading at halftime, Haliburton revealed that his biggest regret was not giving a halftime speech to the team. Oklahoma City ended up winning 103-91 to claim the championship.
