The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn commission.Â
NBA Finals prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder to secure first NBA Championship
Read the latest odds and tips ahead of the 2025 NBA Finals between OKC and the Pacers
The 2025 NBA Finals have arrived, as the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Indiana Pacers as both teams look for a first ever NBA Championship title.
Thursday, 5 June sees Game 1 at the Paycom Center, with the Thunder seen as overwhelming favourites ahead of the Finals beginning, at odds as low as 1/7 with NBA betting sites.
Mark Daigneault’s team went 68-14 in the regular season before beating the Nuggets 4-1 in the Conference Finals, and with 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star Jalen Williams, they arguably possess the best blend of offence and defence in the country.
But they will face an undeniably talented Pacers side in the Finals, with Rick Carlisle’s team boasting the likes of All-Star pair Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
And Carlisle will be relying on such players to produce a mini-masterclass this month, with the Pacers priced as high as 11/2 underdogs to win the Championship ahead of Game 1 this week.
NBA Finals betting tips: OKC to lift NBA Championship
As mentioned above, the Thunder go into the Finals as overwhelming favourites to take home the title, with their 68-14 regular season record far better than the Pacers’ 50-32 (which took them only to fourth in the Eastern Conference).
The Thunder are 43-7 at the Paycom Center since the start of the 2024/25 season, and boast MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has also averaged 29.8 points per game throughout the postseason.
As a team, they committed the fewest turnovers this season and forced their opponents into the most, meaning that they already have a distinct advantage before tip-off.
And to add to that, the Thunder won both games in their regular season meeting – 120-114 in December and 132-111 in March.
Get 4 months free with ExpressVPN
Servers in 105 Countries
Superior Speeds
Works on all your devices
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Get 4 months free with ExpressVPN
Servers in 105 Countries
Superior Speeds
Works on all your devices
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
While the Pacers have gone 52-21 since mid-December, they’ll likely need to try and beat the Thunder at their own game, which looks exceedingly difficult ahead of Game 1.
And with little value on offer in several markets, we think a wager on the Thunder to win the series 4-1 could provide value at 2/1 with various betting sites.
NBA Finals prediction 1: Oklahoma City Thunder to win series 4-1 - 11/5 Betfred
NBA Finals prediction: SGA to dominate Game 1
Regular-season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already odds-on to win Finals MVP (at odds as low as 1/6 with some betting sites), and ahead of Game 1, various betting apps are backing him to put in an esteemed performance.
SGA averaged 39.0 points on 55.6 per cent shooting, 8.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds in the two games between these two teams in the regular season, to add to an average of 32.7 points in the regular season and 29.8 in the postseason.
In addition, the 26-year-old ranked third in made two-pointers per game with 9.2, while shooting 57.1 per cent inside the arc.
It all points to a decent points total in Game 1 as the Thunder look to gain the perfect start to the series, and so we think a wager on Gilgeous-Alexander to score 35+ points could offer good value at 23/20.
NBA Finals prediction 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score 35+ points in Game 1 - 23/20 Bet365
Please gamble responsibly
When having a bet, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.
When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive. Please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you’re using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.
Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.
It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.
You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.
You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK’s best online gambling companies.
Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.
