Are the Pacers and Thunder destined to play a Game 7 in the NBA Finals?

 

                                             (Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) 

The NBA Finals is tied up 2-2 after the Oklahoma Thunder took back home court from the Indiana Pacers with a 111-104 victory on Friday in Indiana. Game 5 will be on Monday at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET on ABC in Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 35 points on 12/24 shooting from the field and 10/10 shooting from the foul line. He was playing fantastic and did all he could to ensure his team didn't go down 3-1. 

One of my five things to look for going into the NBA Finals was how much home court advantage would matter given the passionate fanbases that both teams have. Each have won a game on each other's home floor, but given the raucous environments that we've seen, I have a hard time seeing a road team win another game in this series. The Thunder certainly seemed poised to go up 3-2 on Monday and then on Thursday in Indiana, I have to think the Pacers bounce back to make it 3-3, forcing a Game 7. 

As well as the Pacers have played during this series, I don't see them dropping three straight games to lose the series 4-2. Tyrese Haliburton has simply been playing too well to let that happen. I also don't see Aaron Nesmith scoring eight points again in Indiana, either. One has to think in a do or die game in Indy, Nesmith will come out as a flame flower. As for the Thunder, I do think they're the better team on paper and so on those grounds, I can't see them dropping another game at home. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most part as lived up to his MVP status and I think when the lights come on, he'll deliver the goods. Especially on his home floor. 

While anything is possible in the NBA Finals, just given the vibe and the way things are going, I do see this series going to a Game 7. And if it does, Oklahoma City will have the advantage. Winning a Game 7 on the road in the NBA Finals is incredibly hard to do, but I suppose if anyone is up to hit a game-winning shot in those circumstances, Tyrese Haliburton would be your guy. It should be fun to see how this series shakes out!           

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Tyrese Haliburton is having an NBA playoff performance for the ages

 

                                             (Credit: Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images) 

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is having an NBA playoff performance that is on track to be one of the greatest of all-time should his team go on to win the NBA Finals. Haliburton hit a game-tying buzzer beater at Madison Square Garden to force overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks (the Pacers went on to win) and then he hit a game-winning shot to beat the buzzer against the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Hitting a buzzer beating shot is rare y'all. Like, even if you are an all-time great, it still doesn't happen very often. To do it twice in a playoff run, both in the first game of the Conference Finals and then NBA Finals is just nuts. It's beyond storybook. 

What's amazing about this as well is the fact that Haliburton is just 24 years old and only in his fifth year in the NBA. He's doing stuff that many quality seasoned veterans have never done. To have the confidence and poise to hit these kind of shots at this age is remarkable. 

Of course, it's not just the game-winning shots that makes Tyrese Haliburton so special. He's leading the NBA playoffs with 9.5 assists per game, doing a fabulous job of creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. He's a true floor general that plays unselfishly while also having the ability to hit big shots when called upon. 

Lastly, what adds to Haliburton's mystique is the team is playing for. The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship and are only in the NBA Finals for the second time in their history. To be doing what he's doing in a Pacers uniform I think makes it stand out all the more. While there is work to be done, if Haliburton and the Pacers win this series, we're gonna be talking about this playoff run for a long time. 

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Five things to look for in the 2025 NBA Finals: Thunder vs. Pacers

 

                                              (Credit: Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images) 

The NBA Finals begins Thursday, June 5th at 8:30 PM ET on ABC. Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have home court advantage. Below are five things to look for in the series. Let's dive in! 

#1. How much will home court advantage matter? Being small market teams, the Pacers and Thunder both have fantastic home court atmospheres. It's going to be very tough to win on the road in this series. That said, the Thunder did win both regular season matchups this season, so they know how to win in Indiana. Granted a regular season game doesn't have the same juice as a playoff game, but still. Odds are good that whichever team can find a way to win one game on the opposing team's floor will win the series. Defending home court feels especially like a must given the rabid fanbases that each team has. 

#2. Can the Pacers contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA MVP and has been playing brilliantly this entire season, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this postseason. He's the best player in the series on paper. If the Pacers want any hope of winning the series, it'll have to start with containing Gilgeous-Alexander. Click here for my recent blogpost on SGA in case you missed that. 

#3. Will the Pacers' ball movement make a difference? The Pacers are averaging 28.1 assists per game in the playoffs while the Thunder average 25.3 assists per game. Leading the playoffs in assists per game individually is their star guard Tyrese Haliburton (18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.4 steals). If the Pacers have any edge over the Thunder, it's their ball movement. But will it be enough to make a difference? That's the question. 

#4. Will Pascal Siakam's championship experience help the Pacers? Pascal Siakam has been fantastic for the Pacers, averaging 21.1 points & 5.8 rebounds per game in the postseason. He also has an NBA championship ring with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and he was very instrumental in their championship run, averaging 19.0 points & 7.1 rebounds per game during the playoffs. Having a guy who has been on this stage before is huge. If the Pacers do win this series, I would expect it to be due to Siakam being the series MVP. 

#5. Who will win the battle of the bigs? Both teams have some talented big men inside. The Thunder have Chet Holmgren (16.4 points & 8.6 rebounds) and Isaiah Hartenstein (9.2 points & 7.9 rebounds). The Pacers have Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner (15.6 points & 6.5 rebounds). While the guard play is more of a focus, the battle inside will have a huge impact on this series. 

Prediction: I gotta roll with the Thunder in six games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been amazing and the Thunder have home court advantage. It's definitely their series to lose. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's meteoric rise has been phenomenal

 

                                             (Credit: Kyle Phillips/AP file) 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, starting this Thursday. The Thunder took out the Timberwolves in five games while the Pacers took out the Knicks in six. The star of this year's Thunder team has been point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a three-time All-star and also this season's NBA MVP. In just his seventh season, Gilgeous-Alexander has risen to superstar status. It's truly been a phenomenal and meteoric rise. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft day. Gilgeous-Alexander had a solid rookie season with the Clippers, averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, finishing 6th in the Rookie of the Year voting. Despite that strong season, the Clippers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the summer in a mega trade that landed them Paul George. 

In hindsight, that traded ended up being a big mistake for the Clippers as Gilgeous-Alexander began his rise to stardom the next season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Since then, he's gotten better each season and in the last three seasons, he's been an All-Star, averaging 30+ points per game, finishing top-five in the MVP voting each of those three seasons and of course this year, taking home the hardware with a first place finish. In his MVP season this year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, leading the league in points per game, field goal attempts per game, and free throws made per game. 

During the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander has played up to his MVP status, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, guiding the Thunder to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. He's done a terrific job of making plays for his teammates and being someone who they can count on to make winning plays in crunch time. What makes him so good is the fact that he is effective on both ends of the floor as a true two-way player. He plays elite defense on top of being an elite finisher, scorer, and facilitator. The greatest players of all-time get it done on both ends of the floor and he has clearly taken that to heart. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, it'll be fun to see how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performs. His rapid ascension to the top of the NBA has been spectacular and as a result, he's being rewarded with the chance to showcase his skills on the game's biggest stage. Well deserved! 

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