NBA Finals 2025: Thunder vs Pacers - New Champions to be Crowned
by Joseph King | by Joseph King
Favorites OKC looking to close
Returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since the famous KD, Harden, Westbrook team, the Thunder will be looking to pull off what that Hall of Fame trio was unable to by winning the franchise’s first championship since relocating to OKC.
Make no mistake, failing to win the title would be an ugly stain on what has undoubtedly been their best season in franchise history.
From around March, the Thunder have been considerable favorites to win the title. They set a franchise record for wins (68) and have posted the second best regular season net rating in NBA history (+12.8). The only team better? The legendary Jordan-led 1996 Bulls who posted a +13.4 rating.
| Rank | Team | Net rating | Won championship? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996 Bulls | +13.4 | Yes |
| 2 | 2025 Thunder | +12.8 | ? |
| 3 | 1997 Bulls | +12.0 | Yes |
| 4 | 2017 Warriors | +11.6 | Yes |
| 5 | 2024 Celtics | +11.6 | Yes |
As you can see, the Thunder are joined by elite company, all of which won the NBA Finals in their historic seasons.
Pacers seeking first championship
With their 4-2 series win over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, Indiana secured just their second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.
Unfortunately for them, the NBA is largely a sport with little in the way of huge upsets. With seven-game series in each round of the postseason, the better team usually comes out on top more often than not.
This series between the Pacers and the Thunder marks one of the most lopsided favorites in NBA history according to many of the top bookmakers. It’s grim reading for Indiana fans, as among the nine largest favorites all time, only once has the underdog managed to upset the odds (2004 Pistons).
Is Indiana's run truly out of the blue?
Only five times in NBA history has a fourth-seeded team made the NBA Finals. Of those five, only the 1969 Cetlics went on to be crowned champions after defeating the first-seeded Lakers.
In that respect, it can be viewed as a surprise that Indiana has made it this far. However, this team also did make it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year and the hints were certainly there throughout the year that they were capable of another deep run. This is especially true when looking at their performance since the turn of the new year, where only three teams ranked better.
Best win percentage since January 1st, 2025 (regular season only):
- OKC Thunder - .820
- Boston Celtics - .755
- Cleveland Cavaliers - .714
- Indiana Pacers - .708
- Golden State Warriors - .640
Matchup to watch: clash of point guard titans
Two very different types of point guards will go head-to-head in the 2025 NBA Finals, but both are equally as impactful to their respective teams. The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the prototype score-first slasher and has proven an incredible knack for drawing fouls and getting to the charity stripe.
He’ll be looking to accomplish what has been a somewhat rare feat in the NBA: win the championship while being the current league MVP. Only 14 players in history have pulled it off, with Stephen Curry in 2015 the most recent.
The player pool gets even smaller when you throw in the trifecta of also winning Finals MVP.
Only 10 players in NBA history have won the championship, league MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season.
The most recent to do it was LeBron James, who actually pulled it off in back-to-back years (2012 and 2013) when playing for the Miami Heat.
Haliburton, on the other hand, is more of a pure point. He’s averaged double-digits assists twice in the last three years, which includes a league-high 10.9 per game in the 2023-24 campaign. Additionally, the Pacers' leader is arguably the best in the game in protecting the ball and limiting turnovers. Incredibly, Haliburton is currently the holder of the fewest turnovers per game on average in NBA history at 1.90. Needless to say, the 25-year-old’s 5.5 assist to turnover ratio was also the league’s best in the 2024-25 season.
The only thing working against Haliburton is his defense. Expect the Thunder to hunt matchups on Haliburton all series while the Pacers will have to devise a gameplan to support their main man on the defensive side. SGA, who is considered a very good defender, has a clear advantage in this regard. He excels in cutting passing lanes and disrupting play with his 6’6” frame and 7-foot wingspan.
