The stage is set, and all eyes in the basketball world will descend upon the Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals. Sportsbooks aren't giving Indiana much of a chance to win this series, as Oklahoma City are currently massive -700 favorites to win the title.
Dive into Odds Shark's NBA Finals betting preview complete with betting odds, analysis and expert predictions.
Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | +500 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | -700 |
Odds courtesy of Sportsbook; Accurate as of June 1, 2025
Oklahoma City are massive favorites to lift their first ever Larry O'Brien Trophy. They boast the league MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, fellow All-Star and All-NBA defensive team member Jalen Williams, and a plethora of stalwart defenders who make opponents' lives tough.
Mark Daigneault's squad is the largest NBA Finals favorite this decade, and are the most substantial favorites since the 2018 Golden State Warriors. In fact, only four teams this century have matched the Thunder's NBA Finals odds: the aforementioned Warriors, the 2000 Los Angeles Lakers, 2001 Lakers, and the ill-fated 2004 Lakers.
As such, the Indiana Pacers would be the largest underdog to take home the NBA Title since the 2004 Detroit Pistons. However, the Pistons won that series with an historically great defense, that harried and harassed the older, injured Lakers into submission. Unfortunately for Indiana, it's the Thunder who boast a legendary defense in this matchup.
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Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals Schedule
| Game | Date | Time | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Thur. June 5 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Paycom Center |
| Game 2 | Sun. June 8 | 8 p.m. ET | Paycom Center |
| Game 3 | Wed. June 11 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| Game 4 | Fri. June 13 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| Game 5 (if necessary) | Mon. June 16 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Paycom Center |
| Game 6 (if necessary) | Thu. June 19 | 8:30 p.m. ET | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| Game 7 (if necessary) | Sun. June 22 | 8 p.m. ET | Paycom Center |
Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Spread/Total Betting History
| Date | Result | ATS Result | Total Points/Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar. 29, 2025 | 132-111 Thunder (-8.5) | Thunder Cover | 234 (OVER) |
| Dec 26, 2024 | 120-114 Thunder (-5) | Thunder Cover | 227.5 (OVER) |
Oklahoma City controlled both matchups with Indiana this season in their East vs West home and home regular season series.
The Thunder covering the spread against a Eastern Conference team is no surprise as OKC went a wild 29-1 SU and 22-5-4 ATS this season. For Game 1 bettors, it's important to note the Thunder finished 4-1 ATS with four or more days off this season.
Check out our 2025 NBA Finals odds page for updated prices throughout the series.
Indiana Pacers Player To watch: Pascal Siakam
Pacers power forward Pascal Siakam will need to conjure a little of his 2019 Championship magic for his team to have any hope of pulling off an upset. Siakam won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP over star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for his two-way effort.
With Myles Turner clearly ailing, and a very weak presence on the boards, Indiana will need Siakam to dominate in the paint, and outplay Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Crucially, Tyrese Haliburton was held to just four points in the December Indiana vs OKC matchup. The Thunder have a ton of bodies to throw at Hali, so Siakam will need to pick up the slack when his guards are blitzed. He dominated against New York, posting 24.8 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists per game on 52% shooting. But, OKC represents a far different challenge. If Siakam can't make a similar impact, this Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals will be over quickly.
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Oklahoma City Thunder Player To Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Who else, but the MVP?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander destroyed the Pacers in December, posting 45 points, seven rebounds and eight assists on 68% shooting from the field. It was much of the same at the end of March, as he went for 33-7-8 while knocking down 50% of three-pointers to lead OKC to victory. Shai is a lock to score somewhere between 30 and 40 points a night while maintaining otherworldly efficiency in this series.
Indiana failed to contain SGA's otherworldly powers in the regular season, and with stalwart defender Aaron Nesmith ailing, the Pacers are in trouble.
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Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals Expert Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 (+220)
Can Indiana consistently break down the Thunder's remarkable defense? That is the question that will define this series from the outset. Judging by the odds, sportsbooks give the Pacers little hope.
This season has marked an exceptional rise for the Thunder, who are the youngest team to ever make the NBA Finals, with an average age of just 25.5 years. However, the merry band of youthful gentlemen from Oklahoma City are on the verge of entering the history books for much more.
Make no mistake, the Thunder are a certified basketball juggernaut. OKC boasts an otherworldly +10.8 playoff net rating - good for seventh on the all-time list of team's to play more than 10 playoff games. The Thunder are lodged between the '87 Lakers and '86 Celtics, with nine championship teams surrounding them on the top-10 net ratings list.
On top of that, OKC possess one of the greatest defenses in the history of the Association. The Thunder became the first team in NBA annals to hold opponents to under 80 points in three separate games, while breaking the franchise record for most games with 10-plus steals (38). Furthermore, SGA and company lead the playoffs in opponent turnovers per 100 possessions (17.7), and excel at creating chaos with backside rotations from their guards and wings. It's tough to envision the Pacers scoring at the same rate they did in the Eastern Conference Finals against OKC.
Frankly, a Pacers upset would be a monumental achievement, and immediately thrust Indiana into the annals of NBA lore as one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the sport. After all, the Pacers were +5000 to win the NBA Championship in the preseason odds, which would make them the largest preseason underdogs to win a championship in NBA history. For reference, the 2015 Golden State Warriors currently hold that prize after their +2800 championship victory. Although, beating this Thunder team four times in a seven-game series is extremely unlikely.
Oklahoma City have all the makings of an NBA champion. The Thunder have the best pure scorer in the sport, the greatest defense on the hardwood, and oodles of depth to keep their stars fresh. Look for the OKC to dominate the NBA Finals and lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
