Thunder, Pacers Clash ​in ⁤2025 NBA Finals Opener

​ Updated June​ 7, 2025
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The 2025 NBA Finals begin Thursday night in Oklahoma City, featuring the Western Conference champion ​Oklahoma City Thunder ​and the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers.this ‌marks the Thunder’s first⁢ Finals appearance since 2012 and‌ the Pacers’ first ‌since 2000.Game 1 is scheduled ⁢for 8:30 p.m. ET.

Led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder dominated the regular season, setting an ​NBA record​ by outscoring opponents by 12.9 points per game. Their overall ⁤record stands at 80-18. According to ​FanDuel Sportsbook, ‌Oklahoma City is heavily‍ favored to win‍ the series‍ and is a 9.5-point favorite‍ in Game 1. Experts are ​closely⁢ watching key‍ matchups and offering NBA Finals best bets.

The sportsline Projection Model forecasts‍ 223 total points for Game 1, suggesting that the Under​ 230 has a 62.5% chance of hitting. Despite this, public betting trends​ favor the Over, with 92% of ⁤bets placed on it.SportsLine expert Mike⁢ Barner⁢ notes that⁢ Gilgeous-Alexander⁤ has recorded at least seven assists in eight of his last 12 playoff games.

What’s next

Looking ahead, the Stanley⁤ cup Finals continue Friday with Game 2 between​ the⁢ Panthers and oilers. The sportsline Projection Model favors Florida to even the series.