Tank's 2025 NBA Finals Preview

NBA Finals

• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers
• Thunder in Five 

This is not the NBA Finals that Adam Silver or the league wanted, as two of the league's smallest markets meet on the grandest stage. Each team is seeking its first franchise championship and is making its second trip to the NBA Finals. The Pacers were defeated by the Lakers in 2000, and the Thunder could not handle the Heat in 2011. Both teams were built by trades involving Paul George. The Thunder acquired George from Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, who was later sent to Sacramento for Tyrese Haliburton. The Thunder would trade Paul George to the Clippers for Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, the 2025 NBA MVP. 

The Pacers have defied expectations throughout the playoffs, beating the Bucks in five, upsetting the top-seeded Cavaliers in five, and taking down the Knicks in six. Along the way, the Pacers have staged epic comebacks, including the Game 1 win at Madison Square Garden that shifted the entire Eastern Conference Finals in their favor.  The Thunder needed seven games to beat the Nuggets in the second round, but dominated the Grizzlies in a four-game sweep and took just five games to chop down the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. 

The Thunder have been the best team in the NBA all season, having won 67 games, with SGA winning both the scoring title and the Most Valuable Player award. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to lead the way in the postseason, averaging 29.8 ppg. However, it is the suffocating defense that is the true x-factor for OKC's success. The Thunder have size that few teams can match, with Chet Holmgren and Isiah Hartenstein each providing pressure in the paint on the boards. The Pacers were able to undercut teams in the East with balanced scoring and stretching the defense with their three-point success. If they cannot keep their three-point success rate, this series could be over quickly. 

One player who will be key to the series is Alex Caruso, who often comes off the bench and provides energy for the Thunder, much like T.J. McConnell did for Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals. When you look at the matchups, it would appear that the Thunder has a significant advantage. Anything short of a historic series from Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, and the Pacers are going to be toast, with OKC winning the series in five games. 

Joshua Gateley. Getty Images.

NBA Finals MVP

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City