Overview

• Game 1 opens Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, with ABC broadcast and streaming options available.
• Oklahoma City enters as the youngest finalist in 48 years after a 68-14 season led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and anchored by defensive standouts Lu Dort and Alex Caruso.
• Indiana makes its first Finals appearance since 2000 behind Tyrese Haliburton’s playmaking and Pascal Siakam’s scoring, overcoming a 10-15 start to reach the title round.
• Pacers must minimize turnovers and capitalize on fast breaks to counter a Thunder defense that leads the playoffs in steals and forced errors.
• Oddsmakers and analysts list the Thunder as heavy favorites, with most projections calling for a fifth- or six-game series victory.