The 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder has turned out to be a rollercoaster, just showing how in basketball you can toss all your predictions out of the window. Following six nail-biting games, the series is now going to a decisive Game 7, courtesy of the Pacers’ stunning 108-91 victory on Thursday night.
All Bets Are Off
Entering these Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder had it all. They had a great regular season with 68 victories, the Most Valuable Player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a rich talent depth team, excellent defense, and even more rest prior to the start of the series. They had been selected by the experts to win the Western Conference since the start of the season.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers were supposed to just squeak into the playoffs. And yet here they are, competing for the championship in a Game 7. This series has demonstrated that regular-season wins, prognostications from experts, gaudy stats, and even MVP honors mean little when the NBA Finals are on the line. Even the Pacers’ franchise player, Tyrese Haliburton, who was said to be coping with a severe calf injury, played an enormous part in their Game 6 win.
A Series Full of Surprises
These Finals have been full of drama and shocking twists:
- The Thunder seemed like they had Game 1 won before Tyrese Haliburton made a last-second shot.
- The Pacers then dominated in Game 3, with a hard, physical game.
- Even when the Thunder took Games 4 and 5, most believed they’d finish off the series in Game 6. But Haliburton-led Pacers dominated totally, having won by up to 31 points.
Lessons Learned (or Not)
You would expect that a young team such as the Thunder, who are still used to being new at deep playoff series, would have learned something about keeping their cool and concentration during intense games. But the Pacers are also extremely young, so those “lessons” may actually offset each other.
Maybe the actual lesson is that in the modern NBA, where teams are extremely balanced, the talent gap isn’t as significant as records and statistics make it look. The Pacers, who won 18 fewer regular-season games and received fewer accolades, are obviously just as proficient as the Thunder.
As Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged following the Game 6 defeat the pressure of getting their championship was “definitely in the back of our minds.” He went on to say, “We didn’t play like it at all. That’s why the night went the way it did. We got exactly what we deserved.”
Key Matchups and a Close Series
While Gilgeous-Alexander has been sensational, he’s also committed more errors in big situations. Haliburton, despite the injury, has kept up with SGA’s overall contribution. Jalen Williams of the Thunder is an excellent scorer, but Pascal Siakam has been more effective on the Pacers. And for each big play by Chet Holmgren or Lu Dort on the Thunder, the Pacers have counterered with plays from T.J. McConnell or Bennedict Mathurin.
Throughout the entire six-game series, the Thunder have accumulated only seven more points than the Pacers, underlining just how even this series has been.
Going into Game 7
So, everything hinges on Game 7. The Thunder will attempt to demonstrate that their incredible regular season was indeed an indication of their greatness, while the Pacers will try to achieve one of the greatest NBA Finals upsets of all time. The last team to claim the championship with 50 or fewer regular-season victories was the 1994-95 Houston Rockets, with 47 wins.
The Pacers have been amazingly resilient during these playoffs, rebounding from large deficits and defying expectations time and time again. They weren’t supposed to be here, but here they are preparing for a winner-take-all.
The last game will take place Sunday evening in Oklahoma City. The Thunder will be favored, and the Pacers will again attempt to shock all. As Gilgeous-Alexander described, “One game for everything you ever dreamed of. If you win it, you get everything. If you lose it, you get nothing. It’s that simple.”
Regardless of the winner, this Finals has brought with it unbelievable suspense and demonstrated that in basketball, the unexpected is always the most thrilling.
Sam, a dedicated blogger, has immersed himself in the world of content creation for the past five years. His journey reflects a profound passion for storytelling and insightful commentary. Beyond the digital realm, Sam is a devoted NBA enthusiast, seamlessly blending his love for sports with his writing pursuits.