The 2025 NBA playoffs have delivered a memorable postseason filled with shock results, historical comebacks, and challenges for traditional powerhouses. Now, at the culmination of this thrilling journey, two teams with vastly different narratives, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, are set to battle in the best-of-seven NBA Finals for the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy and the honor of raising a championship banner.

The NBA Finals commence with Game 1 on Thursday in Oklahoma City, with the Thunder holding home-court advantage due to their superior regular season record. All games will be broadcast on ABC. The full schedule is as follows: Game 1: Pacers @ Thunder, Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET; Game 2: Pacers @ Thunder, Sunday, 8 p.m. ET; Game 3: Thunder @ Pacers, June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET; Game 4: Thunder @ Pacers, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET; Game 5 (if needed): Pacers @ Thunder, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET; Game 6 (if needed): Thunder @ Pacers, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET; and Game 7 (if needed): Pacers @ Thunder, June 22, 8 p.m. ET.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's path to the Finals was largely anticipated. They spent most of the regular season at the pinnacle of the Western Conference standings, a juggernaut since November 25th, and were a popular pick for the title. Led by this season’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder boast a deep rotation of productive role players. Despite their dominance, they faced playoff adversity, including a Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets in the semifinals and a significant 42-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals before their star power ultimately prevailed.

In stark contrast, the Indiana Pacers embarked on an unexpected journey to the Finals. Their regular season was solid but not spectacular, even dipping below a .500 record in January. However, they found their stride from January 1st onwards, ranking fourth in the NBA in wins and sixth in net rating. Spearheaded by elite talents Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, the Pacers defied expectations, shocking the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in five games and emerging victorious from a dramatic Eastern Conference Finals series against the New York Knicks that became an instant classic. While the Thunder are widely favored, especially with a league-best 43-7 home record, the Pacers, under the guidance of coach Rick Carlisle—who famously led the Dallas Mavericks to an upset NBA title in 2011—have consistently made the impossible possible.

The two teams met twice during the regular season, on December 26th and March 29th. While these encounters offer glimpses, context is crucial. Both lineups saw notable absences; key Pacers like Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin missed one game each, while the Thunder were without ascending big man Chet Holmgren for both and veteran stopper Alex Caruso for one. Furthermore, Indiana's current formidable form wasn't fully established during their initial meeting, as they were below .500 in late December. The late-March contest is likely more indicative of the matchup, but even that should not be taken at face value given the playoff intensity and evolution of both squads.

A pivotal matchup will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's offensive prowess against the Pacers' defense. In their regular-season meetings, the league MVP demonstrated his effectiveness, particularly when guarded by Andrew Nembhard, shooting a combined 11-of-18. However, the Pacers have other options, notably 3-and-D wing Aaron Nesmith. Though Nesmith guarded SGA for a mere 42 seconds in their March game (due to an earlier injury), he limited the Thunder star to 0-of-3 shooting, suggesting his length and intensity could pose more of a challenge. Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game, is considered one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the NBA.

Conversely, the Thunder possess multiple defensive answers for Pacers' franchise floor general Tyrese Haliburton, spearheaded by All-Defensive First Team swingman Luguentz Dort. Haliburton visibly struggled against Oklahoma City's defense in the regular season, and specifically against Dort. Data revealed that two of Haliburton's bottom-10 performances in touches this season came against OKC, with Dort holding him to his lowest usage rate among 19 defenders who guarded him extensively in the halfcourt. Dort's physicality and relentless pressure tend to decrease Haliburton's aggression, a hurdle the Pacers' star must overcome for his team to have a shot at an upset.

The Finals will likely be defined by the clash of contrasting styles: the Thunder's elite, historically great defense against the Pacers' explosive, high-scoring offense. OKC's defensive depth is highlighted by stars like Lu Dort and Jalen Williams (All-NBA Defensive second team), complemented by key contributors like Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, whose two-way impact will be crucial. The Thunder thrive on creating chaos. On the other side, Indiana's offense, predicated on "organized chaos," revolves around Haliburton's pinpoint passing (averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game this postseason) and Siakam's physical interior presence. The Pacers' success is strongly tied to their offensive output; they are 12-0 in the postseason when scoring 114 or more points but 0-4 when failing to reach that mark.

A significant strategic element will be Oklahoma City's three-point shooting and Indiana's approach to countering it. The Thunder are 5-0 in the playoffs when shooting above 35 percent from downtown but 7-4 when they fall short of that mark. The Denver Nuggets found some success against OKC in the second round by deploying a zone defense and challenging non-SGA players to make shots. While the Thunder eventually cracked this code, the Pacers might consider a similar strategy to disrupt OKC's rhythm and must focus on controlling the three-point line and minimizing turnovers.

Much of the series' outcome will rest on the shoulders of the two star guards: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder and Tyrese Haliburton for the Pacers. Both were traded from their original teams (SGA from the Clippers, Haliburton from the Kings) and have since blossomed into franchise cornerstones. Gilgeous-Alexander's journey to MVP has been a "roller coaster," filled with moments of self-doubt and triumph. Similarly, Haliburton's trade to Indiana allowed him to fully express his talents, transforming him into one of the league's premier playmakers, even as he navigates opinions like being voted the league’s most overrated player in an anonymous player survey. He credits the Pacers for believing in him.

Ultimately, for either the Thunder or the Pacers to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy, their respective star guards will likely need to deliver transcendent performances. As Pacers coach Rick Carlisle noted, "When you get to this point of the season, it’s two teams and it’s one goal and so it becomes an all-or-nothing thing. We understand the magnitude of the opponent. Oklahoma City has been dominant all year long... Defensively, they’re historically great and they got all kinds of guys that can score. It’s two teams that have similar structures, slightly different styles." An exciting and hard-fought NBA Finals awaits.