Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Picks and Predictions June 22nd 2025

For All the Marbles: Thunder and Pacers Clash in Historic NBA Finals Game 7

The two best words in sports: Game Seven. After a thrilling, back-and-forth series that has tested the resolve of both young rosters, it all comes down to this. One final game for all the glory. On Sunday night in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will square off in a decisive, winner-take-all Game 7 to crown the next NBA champion. For the Thunder, it’s a chance to capture the franchise’s first title since moving to Oklahoma City. For the Pacers, it’s an opportunity to win their first NBA championship in franchise history. It is the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history and the first since 2016—a moment where legacies are defined and history is written.

A Moment to Celebrate, A Moment of Nerves

The immense pressure of a Game 7 can be viewed through two very different lenses. For a veteran coach like Indiana’s Rick Carlisle, who guided the Dallas Mavericks to a title in 2011, it’s a moment to be cherished. He understands the rarity of the opportunity and is preaching a message of celebration to his young team. “As you go on in your competitive life in sports, what you learn is that these moments are rare,” Carlisle said. “The truth is that nothing else previous to this matters at all now. We’re just down to one game and one opportunity. We’re really looking forward to it.”

For the players, however, the feeling is more visceral. It’s a mix of excitement and anxiety that is unique to this ultimate stage. “You’re anxious going into it,” admitted Thunder star Jalen Williams. “Honestly, it’s a little indescribable… It makes the hair on your arm stand up a little bit.” Williams acknowledged that while the Thunder have Game 7 experience from their second-round series against Denver, this is a completely different beast. “This Game 7 is going to be completely different from the last one we played in,” he said. It’s that blend of calm veteran leadership and raw player emotion that makes these moments so compelling.

The Turnover Battle: SGA’s Quest for Redemption

If the Thunder are to hoist the trophy on their home court, they must solve the problem that plagued them in Game 6: turnovers. The Pacers’ defense was relentless in their 108-91 victory, forcing 21 turnovers while committing just 11 themselves. The most shocking aspect of this was the performance of league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a career-playoff-worst eight turnovers. It was an uncharacteristically sloppy performance from one of the league’s most poised players, and he knows that correcting it is the key to victory.

“No matter how big the moment or the game, it always comes back to the same things,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, reflecting on the loss. “It always goes back to the things that we know we can control every night. When we do those things, we look like a pretty good team. When we don’t do those things, we look like a bad team.” For Oklahoma City, the formula is simple. They have yet to lose the turnover battle at home in these playoffs. Protecting the basketball will be their number one priority. How teams handle pressure and turnovers is a key factor analyzed in our NBA expert betting guide.

Momentum vs. Home Court: An Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Object

Game 7 presents the ultimate clash of basketball theories. The Pacers enter with all the momentum, coming off a dominant performance where they controlled the game from start to finish. Their star, Tyrese Haliburton, played effectively through a calf strain and appears ready for the finale. They have the confidence of a team that has figured out how to disrupt their opponent.

The Thunder, however, have the most significant advantage in sports: home court in a deciding game. Historically, home teams are a dominant 15-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. The energy from the Oklahoma City crowd will be electric, a force the Pacers will have to contend with from the opening tip. “You’ve got to be able to weather the storm with those momentum-swinging plays,” Haliburton said, acknowledging the challenge ahead. “Try to create momentum-stopping plays when you’re on the road.”

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Health and History

While momentum is on Indiana’s side, the health of Tyrese Haliburton remains a background concern. He played just 23 minutes in the Game 6 win, and while he insists he is ready to go, the physical toll of a long series could be a factor in the game’s final minutes. The Thunder have proven their resilience all postseason, having never lost back-to-back games. This final test of their resolve will be the toughest yet. The betting lines for this historic game are razor-thin, a reflection of how evenly matched these teams have been. You can track the final movements on our NBA scores and odds page.

A Legacy on the Line

Sunday night is about more than just one game; it’s about a legacy for all the NBA teams and players involved. A win for the Thunder would be the glorious culmination of a masterful and rapid rebuild, bringing the first-ever NBA championship to Oklahoma City. A win for the Pacers would be the franchise’s crowning achievement, finally reaching the NBA summit after winning three titles in the ABA. For one team, it will be the ultimate celebration; for the other, a heartbreaking end to a brilliant season. It all comes down to 48 minutes of basketball, a final contest that will drastically alter the final NBA championship odds. To see who our experts are backing to win it all, check out our daily NBA picks.