2025 NBA Finals Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Game 1 Preview – Can the Pacers Pull off an Upset Against the Favorites?

The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Indiana Pacers for Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The Thunder are the favorites going into the Finals as they finished with the best regular season record with 68-14, and have dominated their playoff matchups thus far. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers may have overachieved this season as nobody could have predicted that they would be representing the Eastern Conference this year. The Thunder and the Pacers may have handed out the blueprint to the rest of the NBA for modern day success as a franchise. Both the teams play 10-12 players from their roster each night, and have shown that the days pairing two or three superstars together for a championship is long gone.

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Oklahoma City Thunder’s Outlook

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best team in the regular season, and that has carried through in the playoffs so far. Led by their superstar Shai Gilgeous Alexander, their second scoring option in Jalen Williams, two of the best perimeter defenders in Alex Caruso and Lu Dort, and their two front courts Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder looked unstoppable in the first three rounds of the playoffs. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies, beat the Denver Nuggets in 7 games, and destroyed the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning the series in just 5 games. SGA was announced as the NBA’s 2024-25 regular season MVP, and has showed up in majority of the playoff games he’s played thus far.

The narrative about young teams needing more experience has been put to rest by the Thunder, and they are looking to win their first championship in franchise history after relocating from Seattle. The last time the Thunder were in the NBA Finals was back in 2012, with the core of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. However, they lost to the LeBron James led Miami Heat team, as the series ended 4-1 in Heat’s favor.

Indiana Pacers’ Outlook

The Indiana Pacers were the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference this season, and their road to the NBA Finals was not easy by no means. They knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1st round, and even after a strong performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Pacers dominated the series and sent the Bucks home in 5 games. The Pacers were the underdogs going against the Cleveland Cavaliers (the best team in the Eastern Conference according to their regular season record), but they dismantled the Cavs in 5 games. For the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers faced the New York Knicks, who were just fresh off of beating the reigning defending Boston Celtics team. The Pacers collectively shut down New York’s 6-man rotation, and were the far better team, beating them in 6 games.

The Pacers have advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, and will try to end a their championship drought as they have never won an NBA championship. The Thunder will be the toughest team that the Pacers will have to deal with in the postseason, and their star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, stated that he would not want it any other way, looking to upset yet another favorite to win-it-all.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Injury Report

Indiana Pacers

Pacers have three players on the injury report for tonight’s game as Jarace Walker will not play tonight because of his right ankle sprain, Isaiah Jackson is dealing with a right Achilles tendon tear, and Tony Bradley is listed as questionable with a left hip flexor strain.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Nikola Topic of the OKC Thunder is out for tonight’s game as he’s dealing with a left knee injury.

Where to Watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Tonight?

The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Indiana Pacers for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5, 2025 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will tip off live at 8:30 p.m. ET, and you can watch the Finals on ABC or livestream through Fubo.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Head-to-Head

The Thunder faced the Pacers twice in the 2024-25 regular season and won both the matchups. Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous Alexander torched the Pacers in those two games, dropping 33 points in their first meet, and 45 points in the second, combining for a total of 78 points in just two games. The Pacers will need to find a way to limit SGA from scoring and that will be a tough task for them tonight.

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