The 2024-25 NBA season, starting in October, has culminated in the NBA Finals in June. After seven months of regular season and an exciting postseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers face off in the fight for the championship.
The Thunder, after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals, secured their place in the finals in five games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, had outstanding performances, scoring over 30 points in four of those games. This is the Thunder’s second appearance in the Finals, and they will seek their first NBA championship as the Oklahoma City Thunder, although the franchise, originally the Seattle SuperSonics, already won a title in 1979.On the other hand, the Pacers, led by Pascal Siakam, MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, and a historic performance by Tyrese Haliburton in Game 4, secured their spot in the Finals after a six-game series against the New York Knicks. This is the second time the franchise has reached the Finals, seeking their first NBA title.
Below are our experts’ predictions for Game 1 of the Finals, to be played on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
NBA Finals Predictions
Indiana Pacers (4) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
- Jerry Bembry: Thunder in 6
- Tim Bontemps: Thunder in 5
- Chris Canty: Pacers in 7
- Evan Cohen: Thunder in 5
- Freddie Coleman: Pacers in 6
- Joe Fortenbaugh: Thunder in 5
- Freddie Harry: Thunder in 6
- Chris Herring: Thunder in 5
- Zach Kram: Thunder in 5
- Bobby Marks: Thunder in 5
- Dave McMenamin: Thunder in 6
- Q Myers: Thunder in 6
- Neil Paine: Thunder in 5
- Kevin Pelton: Thunder in 5
- Omar Raja: Thunder in 5
- Michelle Smallmon: Thunder in 6
- Ramona Shelburne: Thunder in 5
- Andre Snellings: Thunder in 7
- Marc Spears: Thunder in 7
- Jeremy Woo: Pacers in 7
- Michael C. Wright: Thunder in 6
- Clinton Yates: Thunder in 5
- Ohm Youngmisuk: Thunder in 6
Final Result:
Oklahoma City 20, Indiana 3
