Germantas Kneita
One team tonight will leave the court with its franchise’s first Larry O’Brien Trophy in hand. The Indiana Pacers have been upsetting the odds every step of the way of far and will have to do so once more on the road against the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder. But this is Game 7, the pressure will be higher than anything these players would have felt before. You can see who handles it best live on ABC.
Also check out our NBA Finals preview. But for now let’s jump into my first basket best bet for Game 7.
Pacers vs Thunder first basket best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+600)
Odds available at Bet365 at time of publishing
Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder now hold a 5-1 edge in this series when it comes to winning the opening tip. It has been a key factor in helping the Thunder make the opening shot in each of the 6 games of the series. With trends this strong, it’s hard to look beyond a home player for the first basket scorer prop. The Pacers have had issues slowing down the Thunder in Oklahoma City, allowing 120 points in 3 of the 4 games they have played there this season. I do not expect the Thunder to have trouble breaking them down early on Sunday.
No player has opened the scoring for the scoring more often for the Thunder this season than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP has done so on 14 occasions, with no other player taking to the floor on Sunday reaching double-digits in that category. With everything on the line tonight, look for the Canadian to come out aggressive as he aims to set the tone. He attempted just 15 shots in Game 6, so the Thunder will need him to be assertive from the get-go. In wins this series he has managed at least 10 free-throw attempts, while in losses he has single-digit attempts from the charity stripe. Look for him to be aggressive early attacking the rim, trying to get to the line. That aggression should give him a great chance to open the scoring in Game 7.
