Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder
The Pacers plan to force their 2025 NBA Finals series against the Thunder to a Game 7 when these two teams head back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana tomorrow. The hosts are one loss away from missing out on the Larry O’Brien trophy because Oklahoma City built a 3-2 series lead.
After being down 2-1 in Game 3, the Thunder turned the series around by winning Games 4 and 5 through spectacular performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. During this period, Tyrese Haliburton put up inconsistent performances, causing the Pacers to worry about his overall fitness.
Will the Pacers extend the series, or will the Thunder seal the deal? Continue reading below for the SBOTOP preview of Game 6.
Talking Points
Pacers sweating on Haliburton’s fitness
Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable to play in Game 6 after sustaining a calf injury last Monday. He hurt his right calf in the first quarter and had it iced and taped in the second quarter, but Haliburton looked limited throughout the contest. The 25-year-old floor general finished with four points, seven rebounds, and six assists but missed all of his six shots from the field, including four from three-point range.
Haliburton’s performance was so bad that backup point guard TJ McConnell outplayed him. McConnell had 18 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals on 8-for-14 shooting from the field off the bench, and many wondered why head coach Rick Carlisle benched him in the final period. If Haliburton does not play Game 6, Carlisle will be forced to start McConnell. However, Haliburton insists he’ll play as long as he “can still walk.”
The Pacers also need strong performances from Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Bennedict Mathurin. Siakam was the brightest spot for Indiana last Monday, chipping in 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks on 9-for-15 shooting.
Star duo can bring it home for the Thunder
Jalen Williams scored a career-high 40 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points to put Oklahoma City on the cusp of an NBA title. According to ESPN Research, the pair combined to generate 103 points, the most by a duo in an NBA Finals match in the past five decades. Oklahoma City also benefited from the performances of Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace.
The Thunder’s vaunted defense continues to stymie the Pacers’ high-octane offense, while Gilgeous-Alexander takes care of the NBA 2025 highlights. This formula has worked for them all season, and it feels like it’s only a matter of time for them to bring home the bacon.
History
The 2025 NBA Finals are eerily similar to the 2022 edition, where the Thunder and Pacers are like the Warriors and the Celtics. Like the Celtics, the Pacers stole Game 1 on the road and went on to have a 2-1 series lead, only to drop to 3-2 after losing Games 4 and 5 at home and on the road. Indiana are also in danger of losing the series-clinching Game 6 against Oklahoma City at home.
Tyrese Haliburton must bounce back after a historically poor performance in Game 5. The two-time NBA All-Star became the second guard in the 21st century to miss all of his shots from the field (minimum six attempts) while playing 30 or more minutes.
Before Haliburton, Ray Allen was the last guard to shoot blanks in a finals game, going 0-for-13 from the field and scoring all two of his points from the free throw line in a 91-84 Game 3 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010.
What are the odds?
The NBA 2025 odds expect the Thunder to close out the Pacers tomorrow. Oklahoma City are 1.42 favorites in the money line, while Indiana aren’t far behind at 2.85. The visitors are also backed in the Asian Handicap market with -7.00 at 2.06 being the highest offer.
Thunder supporters can expect another stellar performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, with the former likely to score at least 30 points en route to winning Finals MVP, making Over 33.50 (points) at 1.88 viable. Williams, the leading scorer in Game 5, is unlikely to drop 40 points. However, he can easily surpass the Over 23.50 (points) at 1.80.
Meanwhile, Over 21.50 (points) at 2.00 for Pascal Siakam, Over 221.50 at 1.91, Over 222.00 at 1.96, Over 222.50 at 2.03, and Over 223.00 at 2.12 are also worth considering to add to your parlay.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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