| NEWYORKKNICKS | Team in the NBA Finals ... it finishes strong in our seven theme entries and, hopefully, in the series, too |
| PUB | Trivia locale, once (and hopefully in the future) |
| BAT | Spooky Halloween creature that can start the first word in our seven theme entries |
| PSL | Seasonal drink about to become ubiquitous again, briefly; you can even find it in our seven theme entries |
| LOSE | With 124-A: What our seven theme entries have done, considering the letter they've each dropped |
| MOTH | Insect found in the theme entries (and the subject of a famous joke told by Norm Macdonald) |
| GEORGEKARL | Dean Smith disciple who coached in the NBA Finals |
| FREESTYLESKIING | Winter Olympics discipline, as illustrated in this puzzle's theme entries (and title) |
| SEVEN | Maximum number of games in the NBA Finals |
| JOEBRYANT | Teammate of Dr. J in the NBA finals |
| GLASSHOUSES | "We are able to create a range of climatic conditions in our seven display ____" (Oxford Botanic Gardens website) |
| NETS | Team in the NBA |
| RAPTORS | Toronto ___ Canadian basketball team in the NBA with a dinosaur-themed name |
| GLEAGUE | Raptors 905 ...Mississauga-ontario-based team in the NBA _ ___ |
| INFINITESIMAL | In semi-final, it somehow becomes very insignificant |
| SOULMATE | So final, it upset departing lover? |
| OSTEOCLAST | Coe falls over during East German final - it could be a bone breaker |
| NATO | Alliance whose full name is spelled out by the first words of the four theme entries -- and which 16-Across formally joined on March 27 |
| SUPERBOWL | Event that could feature any of the athletes found in five squares in this puzzle ... and a Feb. 9, 2025, event featuring the athletes spelled out in the first letters of five Across entries and then |
| CHICAGO | Basketball team that won the NBA Finals three times in a row twice, from 1991-93 and 1996-98 (7,5) |
