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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Finals odds, tips and betting trends  June 22

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Finals odds, tips and betting trends June 22

USA Today4 hours ago

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are facing off in the NBA Finals, with a decisive Game 7 coming up.
The Thunder hit the court as 7.5-point favorites against the Pacers. The game features an over/under of 215.
Thunder vs. Pacers betting odds
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 3:29 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Pacers at Thunder odds, spread, & more
How to watch Thunder vs. Pacers
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Enjoy Basketball Is Bringing Positivity To Basketball Media
Enjoy Basketball Is Bringing Positivity To Basketball Media

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

Enjoy Basketball Is Bringing Positivity To Basketball Media

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 13: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers attempts a layup ... More against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 13, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The NBA Finals are going to a Game 7. The unexpected matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will be settled on Sunday, June 22 in Oklahoma City. Enjoy Basketball, the fan-centric content platform, has been following the series every step of the way, delivering innovative content for basketball fans across YouTube and ESPN2. But it won't stop there. Enjoy Basketball styles itself as a media and lifestyle brand celebrating the positivity and joy of basketball. According to the company's website, their team is 'dedicated to creating the most uplifting community for hoop enthusiasts worldwide, while enhancing the game's experience through engaging content and the highest quality of apparel.' The face of Enjoy Basketball is Kenny Beecham, a content creator and entrepreneur who made his start recording NBA2K YouTube play-along videos on his handle KOT4Q. Before long Beecham's voice began to attract a younger and more diverse crowd. He was eventually signed by Bleacher Report as a content creator before being approached by his current managers Cody and Cole Hock. The Hock brothers recognized Beecham's talent for connecting with sports fans and in their words, 'had a vision to elevate him and put resources around him.' Signing Beecham just before the COVID-19 pandemic, the brothers sought creative ways to have him produce content, including a ten-episode podcast series and using his creative expertise for apparel sales. During the pandemic, more people had time to consume content, and 'so many creators exploded,' Beecham says, himself included. Although the initial podcast series lasted just ten episodes, the feedback in comments was positive. Fans looked to Beecham for an escape, for unique basketball insight, and often, younger fans looked up to him as a fan turned content creator who transformed his passion into his career. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Enjoy Basketball co-founder Cody Hock is focused on building out a content and apparel platform that ... More looks at the sport in a positive light. Beecham and the Hock brothers took that feedback and ran with it. At present, the Chicago native operates on his own and as part of a group of friends on various shows under the Enjoy Basketball umbrella. Whether it's with Members on the Board, on his Small Ball with Kenny Beecham podcast, or on the Enjoy Bball YouTube channel, Beecham is doing what most sports fans dream of doing: talking about the ins and outs of the game he loves — in his case, basketball — with friends and followers. Enjoy Basketball's content includes quizzes, conversations, NBA pictionary games, and more, all of which showcase Beecham's love for the game of basketball. He says in recent years he's been struck by the amount of negativity around the sport. For a game that offers fans so much to cheer for, there has been a lot of complaining about the overly analytics-driven league. Beecham is striving to bring positivity back to the conversation, highlighting the best elements of the game. Beecham says Enjoy Basketball's content is 'a nice middle ground for casual and diehard sports fans,' a place where everyone can enter the conversation and find something they like. 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NBA Game 7 preview: Breaking it down by the numbers
NBA Game 7 preview: Breaking it down by the numbers

Los Angeles Times

timean hour ago

  • Los Angeles Times

NBA Game 7 preview: Breaking it down by the numbers

For the 20th time, there will be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Indiana will play at Oklahoma City on Sunday night in the final game of the season, with the winner getting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Home teams are 15-4 in Game 7 of the finals, but a road team — Cleveland, over Golden State — won the most recent of those games in 2016. A look inside some numbers surrounding this matchup: There have been only two 40-point scoring performances in Game 7 of the NBA Finals — and both came in losing efforts. Jerry West scored 42 points in Game 7 of the 1969 series, but the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in Bill Russell's final game. And Elgin Baylor scored 41 points in Game 7 in 1962 — another Lakers-Celtics matchup — but Boston prevailed in that one as well. Bob Pettit had the third-highest scoring total in a Game 7. He had 39 for the St. Louis Hawks against the Celtics in 1957 ... and Boston won that game as well. The highest-scoring Game 7s in a winning effort? Those would be by Boston's Tom Heinsohn in that 1957 game against St. Louis and Miami's LeBron James in the 2013 series against San Antonio. Both had 37; Heinsohn's was a double-overtime game, James got his in regulation. Yes, these are high-scoring teams. Oklahoma City was No. 4 in points per game in the regular season (120.5 per game) and Indiana was No. 7 (117.4). The Thunder are second in that category in the playoffs (115.2), just ahead of No. 3 Indiana (115.1). In Game 7, that might not matter much. No team has reached 100 points in Game 7 of the NBA Finals since 1988. Or even topped 95 points, for that matter. The last five Game 7s: — 2016, Cleveland 93, Golden State 89 — 2013, Miami 95, San Antonio 88 — 2010, Los Angeles Lakers 83, Boston 79 — 2005, San Antonio 81, Detroit 74 — 1994, Houston 90, New York 84 The last finals Game 7 to see someone hit the century mark was when the Lakers beat the Pistons 108-105 in 1988. The average margin of victory in Game 7 of an NBA Finals: 6.9 points. Each of the last eight such games have been decided by single digits. Only four have been double-digit wins: Boston over St. Louis by 19 in 1960, Minneapolis over New York by 17 in 1952, Boston over Milwaukee by 15 in 1974 and New York over the Lakers by 14 in 1970. The closest Game 7 in the finals was Syracuse beating Fort Wayne 92-91 in 1955. That was one of six Game 7s decided by three points or less. The Thunder are the 22nd No. 1 seed to play in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. Their 21 predecessors on that list are 12-9 in the ultimate game; seven of those games have been ones where both teams entered the playoffs as No. 1 seeds. The Pacers are the fourth No. 4 seed to make Game 7 of the title round. Their three predecessors went 1-2 (Boston beat the Lakers in 1969, Seattle lost to Washington in 1978 and the Celtics lost to the Lakers in 2010). It'll be the fourth Game 7 for Indiana forwards Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Siakam's teams have gone 2-1 in Game 7s, Turner's have gone 1-2. Indiana's Aaron Nesmith is 2-0 in the pair of Game 7s in which he has played, with Indiana winning at New York last year and Boston beating Milwaukee in 2022. Both of those wins were in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's reigning MVP, has averaged 27 points in two previous Game 7s. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points in his lone Game 7 to this point. No player on either side has previously been part of a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. The NBA doesn't announce referee assignments until game day, so it won't be known until Sunday morning who the three-person crew is for Game 7. This much is certain: for at least two of the referees, it'll be the first time on the NBA Finals Game 7 stage. Scott Foster — who would seem a likely pick this year — worked Game 7 in 2013 alongside Dan Crawford and Monty McCutchen, and Game 7 of the title series in 2010 with Dan Crawford and Joe Crawford. The most recent Game 7 was in 2016 and the crew for that game was Dan Crawford, McCutchen and Mike Callahan. Outside of Foster, no referee in this year's pool has been on the court for a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.

Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 5
Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 5

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 5

Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (on ground) reacts after a fall as guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) checks on him following a play against the Indiana Pacers during the first half during game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Twisting his ankle in the opening minutes, Chet Holmgren took a moment to get back up. All the seven-footer needed was to hear Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ask him to tough it out. The Oklahoma City Thunder needed him for their Game 4 win over the Indiana Pacers. Even when he tweaked it again, Holmgren held his ground. He finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds. More importantly, though, he made the Pacers regret hunting him out on the perimeter. Tyrese Haliburton couldn't get past him and settled for difficult shots that missed. Advertisement The Pacers were on the wrong side of a comeback. For the first time in the NBA playoffs, really. The Thunder outscored them 31-17 in the fourth quarter. Indiana only scored one point in the final three minutes. Holmgren has been a vital piece to OKC's success. Any worries about a nagging ankle injury were extinguished. He said in Sunday's NBA Finals practice that his ankle is fine. He moved around normally when the media were allowed to watch the final 30 minutes of practice. Expect Holmgren to flirt with 40 minutes in a pivotal Game 5. It's that time of the year. The last two teams standing are deep enough into the summer that most are dealing with something. Barring a serious injury, don't expect anybody to miss the remainder of the NBA Finals. This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of 2025 NBA Finals Game 5

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