Indiana Pacers will be the underdog in the NBA Finals
Indiana Pacers will be the underdog in the NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After beating the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers have punched their ticket to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000, where they will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Neither team has ever won an NBA championship, and both teams boast fast offenses, deep benches, and talented defenses. Despite both teams being from smaller markets, it's expected to be a series for the ages.
While both teams play "pure" basketball, on paper, the Thunder boast more talent than Indiana and are massive favorites. According to FanDuel, the Thunder have -700 odds to win the series compared to the Pacers' +500 odds.
The Thunder were long the best team in the NBA this season, and boast MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and elite defenders in Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, and Chet Holmgren.
While Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton have cemented themselves as superstars, the talent gap is huge, and one stat in particular highlights that.
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"The Thunder went 2-0 against the Pacers in the regular season, winning by an average of 13.5 points," outlined ESPN's Molly Qerim. "Overall, the Thunder went 29-1, that's unbelievable, against the Eastern Conference this season. The best record by any team against the opposite conference since conferences were established in 1970."
OKC dismantled their Eastern Conference competition, losing only one game to the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
While Indiana may be a massive underdog, it's not a new position, as they were not favored in either of the last two series, but were able to dominate both the Cavs and Knicks. Don't count the Pacers out.
Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
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Related: Key to Indiana Pacers Beating OKC Thunder in NBA Finals Revealed
Related: Pascal Siakam's Awkward Interaction With Indiana Reporter Goes Viral
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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