NBA Finals preview: Everything you need to know
It's down to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers to decide who takes home the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Forget about the small markets involved; this year's NBA championship series boasts genuine star power and appears set to deliver some drama.
Here's what you need to know.
Schedule 📺
| GAME | DATE | TIME (ET) | HOME | AWAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder | Pacers |
| 2 | June 8 | 8:00 p.m. | Thunder | Pacers |
| 3 | June 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers | Thunder |
| 4 | June 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers | Thunder |
| 5* | June 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder | Pacers |
| 6* | June 19 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers | Thunder |
| 7* | June 22 | 8:00 p.m. | Thunder | Pacers |
* if necessary
All games available on ABC (USA) and TSN (Canada).
Featured analysis ✍️
The 3 battlegrounds that will decide the NBA Finals
In one corner, we have an abnormally young, defensively impenetrable Oklahoma City Thunder team that's been historically dominant all season and boasts the league MVP. In the other corner, we have a swift, surging Indiana Pacers squad that's been on a magical run this postseason, powered by one of the most gifted and creative point guards in the game. There are key three tactical battlegrounds that will help determine who wins the series. Read more.
SGA vs. Haliburton is a dream Finals matchup at the point
When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton meet in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, it will be only the 17th time in 79 years that each Finals team boasts an All-Star and/or All-NBA point guard. What makes this generational matchup so fascinating is that both star guards go about their on-court business in such different ways. Read more.
Biggest storylines to follow
With the Thunder and Pacers hours away from tipoff, an abundance of talent will be on display, and plenty of intriguing storylines surround some of the best players in the world. Read more.
Thunderstruck: Ripple effect of a move 18 years later
The assembly of this iteration of the Oklahoma City Thunder has been years in the making. A series of moves - some headline-grabbing and others that were seemingly immaterial at the time - led to this moment. But there's one that stands out - one that caused a ripple effect still being felt 18 years later. Read more.
Staff picks: Can Pacers upset Thunder? Who will be MVP?
Here's how our hoops writers expect the Finals to play out:
Betting tips 💵
Thunder largest favorites since 2018
The Thunder (-700) are the largest NBA Finals favorites since the 2018 Warriors, who swept the Cavaliers. And aside from those Warriors, only the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002 had shorter odds to win the championship this century. The Pacers, meanwhile, are +500 to upset Oklahoma City. Read more.
MVP odds: Does anyone other than SGA have a chance?
When one team is a substantial NBA Finals favorite, it's no surprise when that team's best player is the massive favorite to earn Finals MVP. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is -600 to become the first player to win regular-season and Finals MVP since LeBron James in 2013. Read more.