Pacers vs Thunder: Full NBA Finals Breakdown

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Pacers vs Thunder: Full NBA Finals Breakdown/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The 2025 NBA Finals tip off Thursday with the Indiana Pacers facing the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enters as the newly crowned MVP, and OKC is heavily favored to win the title. Game 1 airs on ABC at 8:30 p.m. EDT.

Oklahoma City Thunder players and coaches celebrate after Game 5 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

NBA Finals 2025 Quick Looks

Matchup: Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Game 1: Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ABC
Thunder Favorite: OKC enters as -700 title favorite (BetMGM)
Series History: Thunder won both regular-season matchups
Star Power: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC after winning MVP
Pacers’ Edge: 11 playoff covers in 16 games
Thunder’s Challenge: Covered only 7 of 16 playoff spreads
Next Big Dates: NBA Draft (June 25–26)

Deep Look: Your Complete 2025 NBA Finals Viewing Guide

After weeks of grueling playoff action, the 2025 NBA Finals are finally here. The Oklahoma City Thunder — powered by newly minted MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — host the upstart Indiana Pacers in Game 1 Thursday night, marking the beginning of a highly anticipated best-of-seven series.

The Thunder, one of the NBA’s youngest teams, enter the Finals with strong momentum and high expectations. They’re considered heavy favorites by oddsmakers, with BetMGM giving them -700 odds to claim the championship, while Indiana sits at +500.

Game Schedule and How to Watch

All games of the 2025 NBA Finals will be broadcast live on ABC:

Game 1: Thurs, June 5 – Indiana at OKC, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Game 2: Sun, June 8 – Indiana at OKC, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Game 3: Wed, June 11 – OKC at Indiana, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Game 4: Fri, June 13 – OKC at Indiana, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Game 5: Mon, June 16 – Indiana at OKC*, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Game 6: Thurs, June 19 – OKC at Indiana*, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Game 7: Sun, June 22 – Indiana at OKC*, 8:00 p.m. EDT
(*If necessary)

Good news for sports fans: there are no scheduling conflicts with the Stanley Cup Final.

Betting Breakdown

According to BetMGM:

Game 1 Spread: Thunder favored by 9.5 points
Most likely series result: Thunder in 5 games (+200)
ATS Trends:
- Pacers: Covered in 11 of 16 playoff games
- Thunder: Covered 7 of 16 despite winning most games

MVP Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped off a sensational season by winning the NBA MVP, edging out Nikola Jokic. The Canadian star became just the second player from Canada to win the award, following Steve Nash. With just 40 points shy of a 3,000-point season (including playoffs), SGA is the centerpiece of OKC’s title hopes.

Season Recap: Pacers vs Thunder

Dec. 26: Thunder win 120-114 — SGA scores 45, Haliburton held to 4.
March 29: Thunder dominate 132-111 — SGA with 33, Haliburton with 18.

Both games showcased OKC’s offensive power and Indiana’s inconsistency on defense. Now, the stakes are higher than ever.

What They’re Saying

“We’re a really mature team for how young we are,” said Thunder veteran Alex Caruso, who at 31 is the oldest player on the roster. “We have the ability to learn and improve off wins or mistakes, which is not an easy thing for a young team.”

Indiana enters the Finals as the underdog but is no stranger to adversity. They’ve already stunned top seeds to reach this point, and coach Rick Carlisle is leveraging his vast playoff experience to steady the team.