The matchup for the 2025 NBA Finals brings us the Pacers vs. Thunder — two new faces in the NBA Finals in recent years.
The Thunder playing for a title is no surprise, given that they had the best record in the NBA during the regular season. The Pacers being here is more shocking, considering that they finished with the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Game 1 gets underway at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 5, on ABC — find the full Finals schedule here.
Let’s break down some key matchups, key players, and important stats to know heading into the NBA Finals. PrizePicks is the easiest way to get real money action on the NBA Finals. Pick more or less on player stat projections and get paid if your picks are correct.
Pacers vs. Thunder History
Looking at the Pacers’ and Thunder’s NBA Finals history, neither has won an NBA Finals. The Pacers have been to the NBA Finals only one other time, in 2000. Same goes for the Thunder, who have been only once in 2012 — a 4-1 loss to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. Neither team has won an NBA Finals championship, which makes for an intriguing matchup.
These teams do have some history in the 2025 NBA season that can give some context for this NBA Finals matchup. The Pacers and Thunder played each other two times in the regular season.
Their first meeting came in Indiana in December, a 120-114 win for the Thunder. PF/C Chet Holmgren and SG Alex Caruso did not play in that game for the Thunder, while SF Aaron Nesmith sat out for the Pacers. PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated for the Thunder, scoring 45 points to go along with seven rebounds and eight assists.
The Pacers and Thunder played for the second time at the end of March in Oklahoma City. The Thunder won again, 132-111. Holmgren also didn’t play in that matchup. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder, recording 33 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
Pacers vs. Thunder: Offense vs. Defense Stats
The Pacers played at the seventh-fastest pace (100.76) in the league during the regular season. They ranked ninth in offensive rating (115.4) and 14th in defensive rating (113.3).
The Thunder played at the fifth-fastest pace (100.90) in the league during the regular season. They ranked third in offensive rating (119.2) and first in defensive rating (106.6).
We can expect this series to run up in pace, especially considering that both of the previous matchups went more than 234 points this season.
In the Playoffs, the Pacers rank second in points (117.4), and Thunder rank third (117.1). Importantly, the Thunder rank first in steals (10.8), while the Pacers rank fifth in offensive turnovers (12.7), which will be a key dynamic to watch.
NBA Finals Pacers vs. Thunder Stat Leaders
Gilgeous-Alexander won the regular season MVP this season, averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.1 three-pointers per game. He remained one of the most efficient scorers in the league, shooting 51.9% from the field, 37.5% from behind the arc, and 89.8% from the free-throw line.
The Thunder made it a priority last offseason to add size to their roster. They brought in C Isaiah Hartenstein, who set career highs by averaging 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Injuries limited him to 57 games, but his average of 28 minutes per game was also the highest mark of his career.
After averaging at least 20.1 points and 10.4 assists in both of the last two seasons, Pacers PG Tyrese Haliburton saw his numbers take a bit of a hit this season with him averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game. His usage rate dipped to 21.6%, which was down from 24.6% the season prior. In the playoffs, he has averaged 18.8 points and 9.8 assists to go along with a slightly higher usage rate of 23.1%.
NBA Finals Thunder vs. Pacers Key Players
Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are the biggest names in this series. If their teams are going to win a title, they will need to play a key role in getting them there. However, there are other players on both rosters that will be important in this series.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s main running mate has been SF Jalen Williams, who averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers this season. After underwhelming in the playoffs last season, he has bounced back to average 20.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.7 three-pointers during the Thunder’s current playoff run. His ability to impact both ends of the floor has been key to the Thunder’s success.
As good as Haliburton was against the Knicks, Pacers PF Pascal Siakam won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award. Siakam had three games in the series in which he scored at least 30 points. He averaged 20.2 points per game during the regular season, marking the sixth straight season in which he has averaged at least 20 points.
Siakam’s length allows him to contribute on the boards too, averaging 6.9 rebounds in the regular season, but only 5.8 rebounds in the playoffs.
Pacers vs. Thunder Key Matchups
Find more key matchup analysis for the Pacers vs. Thunder NBA Finals here.
Haliburton vs. Thunder Defenders
Haliburton is the engine that drives the Pacers. His ability to push the pace while still limiting turnovers is one of his best attributes. Despite how often he had the ball in his hands, he only averaged 1.6 turnovers per game this season.
The Thunder have a bevy of excellent defenders that they can throw at Haliburton to try and slow him down. SG Luguentz Dort and SG Alex Caruso are two of the best defenders in the league, regardless of position. Even PG/SG Cason Wallace has emerged as an excellent defender in just his second season.
Having three stellar options to throw at Haliburton allows the Thunder to play him aggressively without having to worry about any one particular player getting into foul trouble. It may also force Haliburton to become even more of a contributor, relying on his teammates to make shots.
SGA vs. Pacers Defense
Slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander is about as difficult as it gets. He dominates within the mid-range and has seen this 3-point shooting percentage improve in each of the last three seasons.
He can’t be stopped, but the Pacers will likely use the duo of Nesmith and SG Andrew Nembhard to at least make him work hard for his shots.
Nesmith is often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best scorer. Nembhard also showed that he can step up and slow down high-scoring guards, helping to limit Knicks PG Jalen Brunson to 19 points on 8-for-18 shooting from the field in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Make NBA Finals Picks on PrizePicks
The NBA Finals begins on Thursday, June 5, and we have the potential for a fast-paced series between the Pacers and Thunder. This will be the first appearance in the NBA Finals since 2000 for the Pacers. The Thunder last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2012.
This NBA Finals matchup between the Pacers and Thunder also provides the opportunity to win real money on PrizePicks during every game.
Check out the Playbook throughout the NBA Finals for more analysis and insights for your PrizePicks and NBA DFS Lineups.
