Thunder vs. Pacers Game 3 pick: 2025 NBA Finals player props, predictions

New York Post

a day ago

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The NBA Finals heads to Indiana for Game 3 and what should be a raucous crowd.
The Pacers have demonstrated they are a tough team and won't bow down to the heavily favored Thunder.
Indy is a 5.5-point home underdog with a total of 228.5.
Personally, I think it is a tough handicap as I expect the Pacers to respond to a convincing loss and OKC tends to be a mixed bag on the road. I am unsure which version we will get.
However, I do think the proposition betting market offers a few good opportunities.
Chet Holmgren has cashed the Under for his rebounds prop in seven straight games, dating back to the Western Conference finals, and I was close to going back to the well again for Game 3.
However, OKC has adjusted its starting lineup in this series and I am a bit reluctant.
Isaiah Hartenstein normally starts but has been relegated to a bench role so far against Indiana. Nonetheless, he has cashed the Over for his rebounding prop in both games and I was close to making that another play.
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) comes back up court against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter of game two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Then again, the game script does not necessarily favor OKC and his reduced minutes give me pause. Thus, I am holding my powder.
But I do think we have value with Hartenstein's points. His prop sits at 7.5 and the Under feels like a strong play. He scored nine points in the opener and then three points in Game 2.
In my eyes, the Game 1 output was a total outlier.
Betting on the NBA?
Hartenstein's natural behavior is to set perimeter screens or feed teammates with his strong passing ability. And sometimes he combines those two actions with a handoff to a curling teammate, as he sets a screen around the 3-point line. This is not a guy who looks much for his shot unless the shot clock is winding down or he has putback opportunities.
I have a 49-40-1 ATS record in this Post sports section.
My next play is Hartenstein Under 7.5 points (-110, FanDuel Sportsbook) in Game 3.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He's also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.