2025 NBA FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Indiana Pacers (IND leads 1-0)

[BigDan245]

OKC is the better team, but just remember how young they are. They could choke in some of these games.

Think OKC will win, but the bright lights effect players differently.

[TheWitcher]

OKC in 5, it will be a boring whoop-ass of a final. Many threads will be created that the east is weak, Jokic is underrated/overrated, OKC are a potential dynasty but Chet’s health will come into question. Pacers won’t make it to another finals for many more moons.

The end

[Andri]

Key factor is who will prevail in the turnover battle. The team that creates and feasts the most on turnovers, or the one with great ball movement and few TO's.

I predict it will be very volatile from game to game, so ugly losses for Pacers but some wins. Remember that OKC if they can not generate TO's, their defensive rating decreases, but more important, they offense becomes average (by the stats).

Offensive rebounding is also important, let's see how Pacers can protect themselves.

I would love series going to 7 games, and watching a great ending.

[iggymcfrack]

Key factor is who will prevail in the turnover battle. The team that creates and feasts the most on turnovers, or the one with great ball movement and few TO's.

I predict it will be very volatile from game to game, so ugly losses for Pacers but some wins. Remember that OKC if they can not generate TO's, their defensive rating decreases, but more important, they offense becomes average (by the stats).

Offensive rebounding is also important, let's see how Pacers can protect themselves.

I would love series going to 7 games, and watching a great ending.

I definitely agree that the Pacers ability to avoid turnovers is the biggest key in the series. OKC’s got the most aggressive, dangerous ball hawking defense in league history, but Indiana’s probably better equipped to protect the ball from them than anyone in the league. The Pacers had the 3rd most assists of any team during the league during the regular season and still had the 4th fewest turnovers. Their assist to turnover ratio was better than any team in the league… except for Oklahoma City. In the playoffs, that’s actually flipped and the Pacers have the best assist to turnover ratio of any team with the Thunder second. So it’s strength vs. strength.

The Thunder are such a behemoth that it would be really tough for any team to match up with them. The Celtics with everyone 100% healthy were probably the only chance for a team to match up with them on somewhat even terms. The Pacers have a good enough offense to at least make it a series. I think they’ll be much more competitive than Minnesota was.

[benhillboy]

May the best team win. It’s gonna be a marvelous display of boxing out, help defense, team passing, shooting (hopefully continued for Indy) and emotion. I’m here for all of it.

Watching both these teams grow so quickly on league pass the past few seasons has been so rewarding as a viewer. I’ve grown to enjoy Indiana considerably more because their PG is pass-first but both teams play with a sophistication and virility I really appreciate when a majority of the league is unwatchable for me. You can see how much old-school college style coaching influences their play. Absolutely no nonsense.

[Jailblazers7]

I think that OKC defense is going to be too much for Indiana to win a series. OKC has a good/great defensive matchup for all the Pacers critical offensive players and I’m not sure Indiana can handle that level of ball pressure consistently.

They generate a lot of turnovers by denying swing passes when the opposing center has the ball, which forces them to be more of a decision maker than they’re comfortable with. I think Myles Turner is gonna be in hell this series.

[Beethoven]

Everyone in the world will be rooting for Indiana. They deserve their first championship ever. And also to do it against the next evil empire, how fitting.

[bbms]

OKC in 5, it will be a boring whoop-ass of a final. Many threads will be created that the east is weak, Jokic is underrated/overrated, OKC are a potential dynasty but Chet’s health will come into question. Pacers won’t make it to another finals for many more moons.

The end

crazy take. they're young, they're good, their payroll is under control, they have few question marks going to next season, their regular season finish was on the upswing, next season the east will be significantly less competitive, they have a competitive culture and competent management/coaching.

they have every reason to think they might even come back stronger next season.

[The-Stallion70]

OKC should win handily, Pacers do what they do well but Hali thrives on capitalizing when the defense makes mistakes and OKC is so much better defensiveky than NY.

Towns abd Brunson are terribly defensively, so many possessions I saw with lackluster effort.

[1bigfan13]

Excerpt from an ESPN article:

It has played out that way against Haliburton. In four meetings between these teams over the past two seasons, Haliburton has averaged just 12 points per game, his lowest average against any opponent during that span.

Haliburton has been largely passive against the Thunder's fleet of perimeter stoppers. His 10.2 field goal attempts per game are his second fewest against any opponent in that stretch; and his 0.5 free throw attempts -- he has drawn just one shooting foul in four games -- are his fewest.

I knew they'd done a good job containing Haliburton but I didn't realize they were clamping him to this degree.

[The-Stallion70]

Excerpt from an ESPN article:

It has played out that way against Haliburton. In four meetings between these teams over the past two seasons, Haliburton has averaged just 12 points per game, his lowest average against any opponent during that span.

Haliburton has been largely passive against the Thunder's fleet of perimeter stoppers. His 10.2 field goal attempts per game are his second fewest against any opponent in that stretch; and his 0.5 free throw attempts -- he has drawn just one shooting foul in four games -- are his fewest.

I knew they'd done a good job containing Haliburton but I didn't realize they were clamping him to this degree.

OKC's perimeter/guard defense is elite of elite, hence why ANT struggled.

OKC's Achilles heel is is they play against a physically dominant Forward/Center star who you cant really gameplan against as well and they went against that guy Jokic and won in 7.

I think this OKC team is really very very good probably the best team since the KD Warriors. They are so complete top to bottom.

Chet's presence allows their perimeter defenders to take more risks and play more free, play more passing lanes because they know they have their goalie behind them. Nobody can stay in front of SGA when he has the ball.

They are better than Boston last year imo they are not as reliant on threes.

Carlisle has been around forever though abd I'm sure he's going to try to get them to play to their strength and try to find mismatches for Siakam, and slow the game down but Indy doesn't have a ton of room for error.

[jkvonny]

I say Carlisle comes out with a great game plan to steal Game 1 and make it a series, but ultimately Thunder win in 6. Their talent is too much.

I could see this happening.

OKC probably a lil rust from long layoff and Indiana Carlisle is a coaching mastermind. Pacers are deep like the Thunder as well. High octane offense. Playing with house money, loose.
But, ultimately, OKC overall talent and size probably pulls away as the series goes on.

Pacers mite steal game 1 for brief series lead. Then OKC wins game 2. OKC splits on the road at Indiana. Games 3, 4.
OKC Wins game 5/6.
Thunder in 6.

If something like injuries happens (knock on wood), Thunders inexperienced, etc. Pacers steal series 4-2.

But I'm leaning Thunder in 6.

Should be a fun, interesting series!

[jbsays]

OKC in 5, maybe 6. I bet on OKC to win the championship 3 months ago. If they are healthy they are the best team in the NBA. I didn't think any other team could beat them in a 7 game series. I remember bet didn't pay out good so even at the time they were the favorites.

[jkvonny]

I'm just not seeing how the pacers can win this series. I get it. Ya are gonna say don't sleep on them there scary,but we have seen this story over and over again. When was the last time we seen like the pacers win a championship? Maybe 04 pistons? I'm leaning on history and going with OKC here. MVP, best team all season, loaded with depth (just like Indiana). 2 Mobile big guys to handle siakim & turner....

2011 Mavs/Dirk over Heat/LeBron/Wade/Bosh maybe lol

Carlisle also was the Mavs coach.

[HMFFL]

We will soon see if both continue to have success under pressure. Both are forces that will clash for years to come.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a 4-2 winning record over Tyrese Haliburton. They never met in the Playoffs.

[ImSlower]

Everyone in the world will be rooting for Indiana. They deserve their first championship ever. And also to do it against the next evil empire, how fitting.

The evil empire? My man, they're a bunch of goofy <25 year olds who happen to play lights out on both sides of the court for a great coach, all put together by a top tier FO.

I fully expect a Thunder championship as much as most fans (and Vegas). But I'm hoping for some fun, flashy basketball with no league 'villians'. I do think lots of neutral fans will default to hoping for the big underdogs, though, you're right there.

[boomershadow]

OKC offense doesn't look as good as you think when playing in the half court. They rely on getting turnovers to fuel the offense, and the Pacers dont turn the ball over much.

I do expect some Carlisle complaints about the refs giving SGA fouls though. Hope he saved some money for the fines.

[BrianInPhilly]

I’m rooting for Indy but I wish their guards weren’t so inconsistent … talking about McConnell, Sheppard, & Mathurin. Their energy / productivity has been up and down this playoffs but they’ll need those guys hitting on all cylinders especially since it’s likely Nembhard / Nesmith may be in foul trouble often.

Toppin is gonna be huge this series too; he’s arguably Pacers 6th best player right now & they need him to be that big man boost off the bench

[HMFFL]

Everyone in the world will be rooting for Indiana. They deserve their first championship ever. And also to do it against the next evil empire, how fitting.

The Pacer never tried to assemble a championship caliber team consistently. Time will tell if their ownership is serious about winning consistently.

The fans deserve it and the new development around the arena is beautiful.

[falcolombardi]

I'm just not seeing how the pacers can win this series. I get it. Ya are gonna say don't sleep on them there scary,but we have seen this story over and over again. When was the last time we seen like the pacers win a championship? Maybe 04 pistons? I'm leaning on history and going with OKC here. MVP, best team all season, loaded with depth (just like Indiana). 2 Mobile big guys to handle siakim & turner....

2011 Mavs/Dirk over Heat/LeBron/Wade/Bosh maybe lol

Carlisle also was the Mavs coach.

04 lakers and 11 heat were top heavy teams, had kobe/lebron underperform and to top it all were still learning to fit together (lakers with incorporating payton and malone who also missed the finals, heat with incorporating 3 stars who used to be the lone rangers of their teams previously)

Okc has elite second unit personnel (specially caruso and cason) and have been playing together for a while, are healthy

and unlike kobe (denver rape trial) or lebron (who honestly may have been struggling trying to fit around wade instead of playing his game and had the pressure of becoming the league villain) shai doesnt have any particular off court reason that would make him pull a uncharacteristic stinker series