Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Picks and Predictions June 8th 2025

Pacers Look to Steal Another Road Win vs. Thunder in Game 2

The Indiana Pacers stunned the basketball world with a dramatic Game 1 win, and now they’ll try to steal another road victory when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

Tyrese Haliburton’s last-second shot lifted Indiana to a 111-110 victory on Thursday — their first lead of the game — as the underdog Pacers continued their fearless playoff run.

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Pacers Embracing the Underdog Mentality

Indiana has made a habit of winning Game 1s — and Game 2s — on the road throughout this postseason. They’ve fed off being overlooked, with Obi Toppin saying the doubters only fuel the team.

“Everybody got the other team winning every single game. We just go out there and always do what we do,” Toppin said.

The Pacers’ resilience is rooted in last season’s playoff experience, where they reached the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Celtics.

“You come into the year with all the talk around how it was a fluke,” Haliburton said. “I think as a group we take everything personal… That’s the DNA of this group.”

Haliburton also acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly after Indiana committed 25 turnovers in Game 1.

“We can’t turn the ball over that much,” he said. “We have to do a better job of being in gaps, rebounding, all over the floor.”

Thunder Poised to Respond

Oklahoma City has shown incredible bounce-back ability this postseason. Each time they’ve lost, they’ve responded with a win — by an average margin of 20.5 points.

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 38 points in Game 1, the third-most ever in an NBA Finals debut, and is already focused on moving forward.

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“I let the game go as soon as I learn the lessons from it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The team has the same demeanor.”

Coach Mark Daigneault echoed the mindset, saying the Thunder will draw from their playoff experience.

“The biggest experience we’ve had is understanding that every game’s a new game. The most important of the series is always the next one,” Daigneault said.

The Thunder forced 25 turnovers in Game 1 but converted them into just 11 points — a stat they’ll look to correct in Game 2.

With both teams showing grit and the series hanging in the balance, this matchup offers key value opportunities for those following NBA Picks and Betting Predictions.

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