Thunder Rise as Unmatched Favorites in the 2025 NBA Finals
The 2025 NBA Finals have taken an intriguing turn, and not just because of the action on the court. With the Oklahoma City Thunder locked in a 1-1 series standoff with the Indiana Pacers, sportsbooks aren’t hesitating—they’ve made the Thunder the Thunder vs Pacers matchup's biggest betting favorites in recent memory. Even after Indiana eked out a nail-biting 111-110 win in Game 1, Oklahoma City stormed back with a punishing 123-107 Game 2 statement, setting the stage for high drama as the series heads to Indianapolis for Game 3.
Game 3, scheduled for June 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET, looms as a potentially season-defining contest. Oddsmakers have pegged Oklahoma City as five-point favorites on the road—a number not often seen in NBA Finals history—while the predicted total sits at 227.5 points. There’s a sense around the league that the Thunder’s offense, fueled by both discipline and swagger, is about to hit its stride at exactly the right time.
Gilgeous-Alexander Leads MVP Race, Pacers Fighting Against the Odds
Much of the Thunder’s rise has to do with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Already a staple in highlight reels and the league-leader in clutch moments, SGA has posted eye-popping odds to grab Finals MVP. Heading into Game 3, sportsbooks are offering him at -650 for the award. That's a mark rarely seen in a tied Finals—the confidence isn’t subtle. Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell do feature among the MVP contenders, but none are currently in the Finals, illustrating just how far ahead SGA stands in both bookmakers’ eyes and the public’s imagination.
The odds haven’t been kind to the Pacers. Listed at +400 to win the series, Indiana’s ability to recover from the bruising Game 2 defeat will be under intense scrutiny. The Pacers managed to steal Game 1 on the road, which was a shock for plenty of analysts. They responded with toughness but looked overwhelmed by OKC’s adjustments in the second contest—tighten the perimeter defense, attack in transition, and push their shooting tempo higher. Indiana’s job will be finding ways to counter that athletic onslaught, possibly relying on Tyrese Haliburton and an energetic, but currently inconsistent, supporting cast.
The road ahead: Game 3 on June 11, then Game 4 on June 13, both in Indiana. If needed, Game 5 swings back to Oklahoma City on June 16, with a sixth meeting in Indiana (June 20), and the all-or-nothing Game 7 penciled in for June 22. Every Finals game feels like history, but with these odds and these performances, the spotlight only grows brighter. The Pacers are staring up a steep hill; the Thunder, for now, are soaring above expectations.