When Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton glared at each other in a WWE wrestling ring last summer, it seemed like a fitting next step in the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks that's already featured headbutts and chokes.

The quest for an NBA championship is down to just four teams, with the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder and No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves squaring off in the Western Conference finals starting Tuesday at 5:30 PM PT, while the No. 3 New York Knicks and No. 4 Indiana Pacers get underway on Wednesday in the Eastern Conference finals.

If teams want to compete in the modern-day NBA, they need to have a robust system of scouting and analytics ready to capitalize on every tactic and trend. Still, a team's triumphs and struggles can't be explained by data alone. Sometimes, reading the vibes and energy of the cosmos can help fill the gaps.