Filip Tomic
The 2025 NBA Finals are officially upon us, as the Pacers travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder in the series opener on Thursday, June 5. Tip-off for Game 1 is set at 8:30 pm ET on ABC, and I’ve prepared a Pacers vs Thunder Same Game Parlay at +310 odds to add even more excitement to what is sure to be a highly entertaining contest. You can also get our NBA picks for EVERY Pacers vs Thunder matchup throughout the NBA Finals, with our expert handicapper Germantas Kneita up +45.4 units this season, but for now, let’s break down each leg of my SGP.
Over 231.5 points (-108)
Chet Holmgren to score 15+ points (-200)
Myles Turner 2+ made threes (-120)
Pacers vs Thunder Same Game Parlay odds: +310
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Over 231.5 points (-108)
The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have been 2 of the more exciting offensive teams during these playoffs. During the postseason they have ranked 2nd and 3rd in pace and offensive rating. As a result, they both have averaged over 117 points and should continue having success offensively, especially with both sides playing up-tempo basketball. That was evident in the regular season too, with the sides combining for 234 and 243 points in their 2 games against each other. During this postseason the Thunder have also led all teams in fast break points per game, while the Pacers have been 3rd – so these sides getting out in transition should be a feature of Game 1.
The Pacers had a tough time slowing down Jalen Brunson in the Eastern Conference finals, allowing him to average over 30 points per game. Now they will have an even tougher task slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with the guard torching them for 39 points per game over the 2 contests. Look for him to lead the hosts offense in this one. The Pacers should be able to do their part, too. They are the only team during the playoffs connecting on more than 40% of their 3-point attempts, unsurprisingly leading all of the teams in true shooting percentage, too. These sides seem well equipped to take advantage of any opportunities they could get, so back them to go over the combined 231-point mark, just like they had done in the regular season.
Read our NBA Finals expert roundtable predictions with best bets from 5 of our handicappers, with 4 of them aligned on a pick at +250 odds!
Chet Holmgren to score 15+ points (-200)
Holmgren didn’t play in either of the regular season meetings between these teams, so there’s not much we can go off from that perspective. However, his postseason run has been rather impressive, especially in the Timberwolves series. He’s scored 20+ points in 3 of his last 4 games, while shooting over 60% from the field in back-to-back outings. In the Playoffs, he’s averaging 16.4 points per game on almost 49% efficiency from the field and 33% from three, while also grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game. He’s doing all that while playing under 30 minutes per game, so he shouldn’t have issues with fatigue in this series.
Indiana has major issues when it comes to defending tall players who can shoot, the best example for that is the play of Karl-Anthony Towns who 20+ points in every single game of the East Finals. Granted, Holmgren doesn’t have the responsibility on offense as big as KAT does, but I still expect him to fill it up from both inside and outside in Game 1.
Get props expert Pips’ best Pacers vs Thunder player prop bets for Game 1, including a pick at +140 odds!
Myles Turner 2+ made threes (-120)
Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton have stolen all the headlines this postseason run, but I’m going to argue that the play of Myles Turner has the potential to swing this series. Indy’s center is 3rd on the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game. His efficiency has gone up significantly in the Playoffs compared to the 72 games played in the regular season. Right now, he’s shooting 52.5% from the field and 40.3% from the field, up from 48.1% and 39.6%, respectively.
How well will that form translate into the series against the Thunder? Well, as I said earlier, the Thunder will primarily be worried about slowing down Siakam and Haliburton, as that’s where the main threat comes from on the offensive end, that should leave a lot of room for Turner to operate down low. If that’s not working, he can always step outside and let it fly from deep. It’s not often teams possess the luxury of having a 6-foot-11 center who can shoot the 3-ball over 40%. Turner cashed on a pair of threes to close out the Knicks in Game 6, let’s hope he can repeat that on Thursday in the series opener.
ThatGuyBets’ best Pacers vs Thunder prop bet — he’s got a 12-3 record this season!
