
Oklahoma City, Indiana tied 2-2 heading to game 5
Associated Press
Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -9.5; over/under is 223.5
NBA FINALS: Series tied 2-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are in a 2-2 series tie in the NBA Finals. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 111-104 in the last matchup on Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points, and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 20.
The Thunder are 36-6 on their home court. Oklahoma City ranks third in the Western Conference with 34.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Isaiah Hartenstein averaging 7.9.
The Pacers are 21-20 in road games. Indiana scores 117.4 points and has outscored opponents by 2.3 points per game.
The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Pacers allow to opponents. The Pacers score 9.8 more points per game (117.4) than the Thunder give up (107.6).
TOP PERFORMERS: Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 32.7 points per game with 5.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists for the Thunder. Jalen Williams is averaging 22.4 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 46.8% over the past 10 games.
Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 7-3, averaging 116.1 points, 41.2 rebounds, 21.7 assists, 11.3 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Pacers: 6-4, averaging 113.9 points, 37.8 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.6 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Nikola Topic: out for season (acl).
Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), Jarace Walker: day to day (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
recommended
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Paul Pierce on guarding Kobe Bryant: 'I saw Jordan's reflection'
Late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was a persistent dream come true for countless fans of the franchise. He helped lead the Lakers to five NBA championships and had numerous moments of transcendent individual personal greatness that no one will ever forget. But for players and fans of other teams, he was a frightening nightmare. While no athlete has ever been truly unstoppable, Bryant reduced many defenders to rubble throughout his 20-year career. Advertisement When he faced the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in 2008 and 2010, Paul Pierce spent time trying to guard him. Pierce admitted on Fox Sports 1's "Speak" how difficult it was for him to go up against the "Black Mamba." "If I had to sum it up in one word -- just one word -- facing Kobe was stressful," Pierce said. "... It was hard to get sleep because now you going against the Mamba -- the second coming of [Michael] Jordan. I idolized, but when I saw and looked at Mamba's eyes, I saw Jordan's reflection. "... This guy, he just showed us he could go for 60 in a half." Pierce's Celtics got the best of Bryant and the Lakers by winning the 2008 title in six games. But after defeating the Orlando Magic in the 2009 finals, the Lakers went up against the Celtics again in the 2010 championship series, and this time, they prevailed in seven games. Even when Bryant shot poorly versus Boston — and he certainly had some bad shooting games in the finals versus Boston — he kept coming and remained aggressive. Simply the fact that he continued to attack offensively put pressure on whoever was trying to guard him. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Paul Pierce on guarding Kobe Bryant: 'I saw Jordan's reflection'


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Paul Pierce on guarding Kobe Bryant: 'I saw Jordan's reflection'
Paul Pierce on guarding Kobe Bryant: 'I saw Jordan's reflection' Late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was a persistent dream come true for countless fans of the franchise. He helped lead the Lakers to five NBA championships and had numerous moments of transcendent individual personal greatness that no one will ever forget. But for players and fans of other teams, he was a frightening nightmare. While no athlete has ever been truly unstoppable, Bryant reduced many defenders to rubble throughout his 20-year career. When he faced the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in 2008 and 2010, Paul Pierce spent time trying to guard him. Pierce admitted on Fox Sports 1's "Speak" how difficult it was for him to go up against the "Black Mamba." "If I had to sum it up in one word -- just one word -- facing Kobe was stressful," Pierce said. "... It was hard to get sleep because now you going against the Mamba -- the second coming of [Michael] Jordan. I idolized, but when I saw and looked at Mamba's eyes, I saw Jordan's reflection. "... This guy, he just showed us he could go for 60 in a half." Pierce's Celtics got the best of Bryant and the Lakers by winning the 2008 title in six games. But after defeating the Orlando Magic in the 2009 finals, the Lakers went up against the Celtics again in the 2010 championship series, and this time, they prevailed in seven games. Even when Bryant shot poorly versus Boston — and he certainly had some bad shooting games in the finals versus Boston — he kept coming and remained aggressive. Simply the fact that he continued to attack offensively put pressure on whoever was trying to guard him.


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Bet365 bonus code NYPBet: Claim $150 bonus or $1K first bet safety net for rest of NBA Finals
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Every contest in a best-of-seven series is important, but Game 5 is when things hit a fever pitch. That will be the case Monday, when the Indiana Pacers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder with the series tied, 2-2. The Thunder scored a massive win in Game 4, and are big favorites Monday night at home. If you bet on this series at bet365 you can get $150 in bonus bets, whether you win or lose your wager. The offer is available in a variety of states, including New Jersey. If you're looking for a larger boost to your account, you can also opt for a first bet reset, which gives your first bet a chance at redemption if it loses. Bet365 bonus code NYPBET: Bet on Pacers vs. Thunder Game 5 Use the bet365 promo code NYPBET for a bonus offering for the 2025 NBA Finals. That means if you sign up at bet365 and bet $5 on the Pacers to win and they come out on top, you keep your profit and receive an additional $150 in bonus bets to use however you want. If the bet loses, you get the $150 in bonus bets. How to sign up for bet365 Sportsbook What our Post expert thinks about the rest of the NBA Finals The Thunder were big favorites before this series started, so it's no surprise to see them sitting at a hefty price ahead of Game 5. That said, the Pacers have proven to be a terrific underdog this entire postseason, so count them out at your own peril. New players only, 21+ (18+ in KY). Gambling Problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER. Available in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, NC, NJ, OH, TN, VA only. Place a qualifying bet of up to $1000 to be eligible for a matched refund in Bonus Bets if your qualifying bet loses. A deposit (minimum $10) is required to participate in this offer. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Registration required. New customers only, 21+ (18+ in KY). Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Available in AZ, CO, NJ, IA, IL, KY, IN, LA, NC, VA, PA, TN, OH only. Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets at bet365. Registration required. A deposit (minimum $10) is required to participate in this offer. You must claim the offer via the bet365 app, within 30 days of registering your account. Once released, your Bonus Bets will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable.T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.