Folks, it’s finally here. After months of buzzer-beaters, ankle-breaking crossovers, and enough drama to fuel a thousand sports talk radio debates, the 2025 NBA Finals are upon us. And who’s left standing? The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers—two teams with everything to prove and just four wins separating them from basketball immortality.
Game 1 tips off Friday at PayCom Center, and let’s just say, the stakes couldn’t be higher. One team will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and the other? Well, they’ll have to settle for an off-season full of "what ifs" and motivational TikToks.
Thunder: The Young Guns Are All Grown Up
Remember when the Thunder were just a plucky underdog story? Yeah, those days are long gone. This squad isn’t just good—they’ve been dominant.
-
Regular season? Best record in the league. ✅
-
Playoffs? A masterclass in clutch performances. ✅
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Still looking like the smoothest human on a basketball court. ✅
After sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies (RIP to their playoff hopes), surviving a seven-game thriller against the Denver Nuggets, and then casually dismissing the Minnesota Timberwolves in five, OKC is hungry. And with an 8-1 home playoff record, they’re ready to turn PayCom Center into a fortress of doom for the Pacers.
Oh, and did we mention they beat Indiana twice in the regular season? Yeah, the Thunder aren’t just favorites—they’re the team everyone’s scared of.
Pacers: The Underdogs Who Refuse to Stay Under
Meanwhile, in Indiana, the Pacers have been quietly (or not so quietly) shocking the basketball world. Last year, they got swept in the conference finals by the Boston Celtics. This year? They said, "Nah, we’re good on that."
-
First round? Took down the Milwaukee Bucks in five, including a comeback for the ages in Game 5.
-
Second round? Absolutely bodied the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1, no big deal).
-
Conference finals? Outlasted the New York Knicks in six, because apparently, Indiana loves a good underdog story.
Tyrese Haliburton (healthy and fully operational this time) has been dishing dimes and hitting daggers, while Pascal Siakam—the only Pacer with a ring (shoutout to the 2019 Raptors)—has been playing like a man who knows what it takes to win it all.
But here’s the question: Can they steal Game 1 in OKC? Because if they don’t, things could get messy real fast.
Who’s Got the Edge?
Let’s break it down like a bad crossover:
✅ Thunder Advantages:
-
Home-court dominance (PayCom = No Fun Zone for visitors)
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (aka "The Human Bucket")
-
Playoff momentum (they’ve been rolling)
✅ Pacers Advantages:
-
Tyrese Haliburton’s wizardry (dude sees passing lanes we don’t)
-
Pascal Siakam’s championship experience (been here, done that)
-
Nothing to lose (everyone’s counting them out—dangerous)
Prediction Time: Who Takes Game 1?
Look, I’m not here to make enemies, but… Thunder by 7.
Why? Because Shai doesn’t lose at home, the Pacers are still adjusting to the Finals pressure, and OKC’s defense is like trying to score on a locked door.
But… if Indiana pulls off the upset? Buckle up, because this series just got spicy.
Final Thoughts
Four wins. That’s all that stands between one of these teams and eternal glory. Will it be the Thunder, completing their rise from rebuild to champions? Or the Pacers, proving that small-market teams can still shock the world?
One thing’s for sure: This is gonna be fun.
Game 1. Friday night. Don’t miss it.
(And if you do, just pretend you didn’t. We won’t tell.) 🏀🔥