The 2025 NBA championship will likely be determined Sunday night time. It is NBA Finals Recreation 7 between the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers. It is the NBA’s first Recreation 7 since 2016, and it will likely be a historic title for both crew. The Thunder are searching for their first championship since transferring to Oklahoma Metropolis. The Pacers are in search of their first NBA title ever. Indy received championships within the ABA within the Nineteen Seventies, however by no means the NBA Finals.
The Pacers compelled this Recreation 7 with a blowout win in Recreation 6 on Thursday. Indiana used an enormous second quarter run, nice protection and a balanced assault to drag away. The stress is on the Thunder at residence. OKC remains to be favored to win Recreation 7, and the crew has been largely wonderful on its residence court docket this postseason.
The Thunder already received one Recreation 7 on this playoff run, crushing the Nuggets to win a second-round collection final month.
Thunder vs. Pacers: Recreation 7 information
Time: 8 p.m. ET | Date: Sunday, June 22
Location: Paycom Heart — Oklahoma Metropolis
TV channel: ABC | Dwell stream: fubo (Attempt without spending a dime)
Odds (by way of DraftKings): Thunder -7, O/U 214.5
Thunder vs. Pacers: Recreation 7 greatest bets
There are cheap arguments for both decide right here. The Thunder are a monstrous +247 in 12 residence video games this postseason, 10 of which they’ve received. A season-long résumé means much less and fewer the deeper you go right into a collection, however for what it is value, Oklahoma Metropolis’s was much better. However finally, the Pacers need to be the decide right here. There have been eight Recreation 7s in post-merger Finals historical past. None have been determined by greater than 9 factors, and that is the one one to not cowl an eight-point unfold. These video games are all the time shut. The Pacers have earned our belief at this level. They are not going to be overwhelmed by the second. They are going to enter Recreation 7 as unfastened as you realistically can. They may lose the sport. Suggesting they will get blown out — even in gentle of Denver’s blowout Recreation 7 loss in Oklahoma Metropolis a month in the past — feels nearly unfair in gentle of all the pieces they’ve completed this postseason. The decide: Pacers +7
Each level complete line on this collection has been within the 220s, and lots of of them fairly excessive into the 220s. However the line for Recreation 7, as of proper now, is 214.5. There’s clearly loads of historic precedent there. Recreation 7s are typically low-scoring. There have been 26 Recreation 7s since 2018, however solely six have gone over 216 factors. These video games are typically low-scoring. The nerves are often overwhelming. Nevertheless, I’ll zag and take the over for a couple of causes. Do you actually assume the Pacers are going to be nervous for something at this level? What number of insane comebacks do they should full to show that they are resistant to these kinds of issues? The Thunder aren’t. They are going to be going through vital stress right here as a supposed dynasty-in-waiting that might lose the Finals after a 68-win season. However they’ve already performed a sport beneath considerably related circumstances this postseason in opposition to Denver. They scored 125 factors. This has been a rickety postseason for the Thunder, however they’ve met the problem after they’ve wanted to. The decide: Over 214.5
I am nearly offended at T.J. McConnell’s level complete line. He is solely at 9.5? Actually? He is crossed that line in 4 of his previous 5 video games, however extra importantly, the first disadvantage of McConnell is that he is a comparatively low-minutes participant. He goes all out when he is on the ground, however his totals are typically decrease as a result of he does not play an excessive amount of. Properly, he simply performed a playoff-high 24 minutes in Recreation 6. His third-highest minutes complete got here in Recreation 5 at 21 minutes and 58 seconds. That is Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals and Tyrese Haliburton is hobbled. It is all-hands-on-deck time. By the point a collection reaches Recreation 7, most of a crew’s fancy, designed actions have been solved. These video games so usually come right down to which crew can create its personal shot and which position gamers can get sizzling for a couple of minutes to interrupt via the muck. That is McConnell in a nutshell. He is shined all through the collection. Count on one other gem in Recreation 7. The decide: McConnell over 9.5 factors
