The stage is set for the 2025 NBA Finals. OKC Thunder vs. the Indiana Pacers. Who ‘ya got? Me, it’s OKC.
Except for its series with the Nuggets (4-3), the Thunder rolled to the Finals (Grizzlies, 4-0 first round; and Wolves, 4-1, conference final). Offense and defensive balance is the reason (3rd best post-season offense, 4th), and they are led by the prolific Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging nearly 30 points, seven assists, and six rebounds per game in the playoffs.
Add more offense with Jalen Williams (20.4 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game) and Chet Holmgren (16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and two blocks per game), solid defense with Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace (total of 4.2 steals per game), and Isaiah Hartenstein in the paint (9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds per game). It’s easy to see why OKC is taking care of business.
The Thunder have been consistent with all-around effort and teamwork, which Anthony Edwards describes as “15 puppets on one string.”
The Thunder won the season series against the Pacers, winning both games even without Chet Holmgren in the lineup, and with SGA stepping up (33- and 45-point games), as OKC won by 21 and 6 points, respectively. That said, the Pacers deserve to be in the Finals. One reason is that their well-rounded offense and steady player rotation will be difficult to defend.
The Pacers topped the league with a field goal percentage of 49.7% and an average of 30.5 assists per game. They maintained their offensive strength during the playoffs, achieving a field goal percentage of 50.7%, scoring an average of 113.9 points per game (which ranked 3rd), and recording 29.9 assists per game. Additionally, they played more than 10 players in each game, emphasizing their eight-man rotation, which differs from the traditional approach of fewer players used by other teams. That strategy means fresher legs during critical moments.
Pascal! Photo courtesy ESPN
Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton, the primary offensive players for the Pacers, have remained healthy throughout the postseason. Siakam earned the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, averaging 21.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Haliburton contributed 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game.
The Finals get underway Thursday night in Oklahoma City, with the Thunder as a whopping -9.5 favorite (Wednesday AM Eastern time) per ESPN Bet. The series continues in OKC on Sunday night before shifting to Indianapolis on Wednesday and Friday for Games 3 and 4.
I’m taking OKC in five.
