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Thunder vs. Pacers Kick Off 2025 NBA Finals

Built without max-contract stars, both teams rely on emerging cores to begin their first Finals encounter on June 5

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder poses with teammates after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 28, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are heavily favored over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, which start Thursday in OKC.

Overview

  • Oklahoma City finished 68-14 to secure the league’s best record and opened as heavy favorites at -750 odds to end its title drought since relocating
  • Tyrese Haliburton averaged 21 points and 13 assists in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, earning praise from Magic Johnson for his late-game dominance
  • League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spearheaded the Thunder’s dominant playoff run, including a near-perfect series en route to the Finals
  • Alex Caruso’s veteran defense and championship experience is viewed as a key X-factor against Indiana’s high-octane offense
  • Gonzaga alumni Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard will start for Oklahoma City and Indiana respectively, marking the first Finals with starters from the same college in over a decade