NBA Finals Game 3 Odds, Picks, Best ATS Bets: OKC Seeks 2-1 Series Lead
The NBA Finals shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 3 on Wednesday night, with OKC laying 5 points at most sportsbooks.
The NBA Finals shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 3 on Wednesday night, with OKC laying 5 points at most sportsbooks.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The NBA Finals continue with a pivotal Game 3 on Wednesday night in Indianapolis.
Can the Pacers win one or both of the next two games at home and make it clear that we're in for a long series?
Or will the Thunder -- who led by double digits for most of Games 1 and 2, but let the series opener slip away at home last Thursday -- give hoops fans another reminder of why they entered this series as one of the heaviest betting favorites in NBA Finals history?
NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Odds
After being favored by double-digits in both Games 1 and 2, the Thunder are just 5 or 5.5-point favorites (depending on the sportsbook) in tonight's game.
DK FD bet365 OKC spread -5.5 (-108) -5 (-114) -5.5 (-105) IND spread +5.5 (-112) +5 (-106) +5.5 (-115) IND ML -218 -220 -220 OKC ML +180 +184 +180 Total 227.5 (o-110; u-110) 227.5 (o-108; u-112) 227 (o-110; u-110)
How to Watch NBA Finals Game 3: Thunder vs. Pacers
Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
NBA Finals Series Winner Odds: OKC Heavily Favored
Oklahoma City remains heavily favored in this series despite dropping Game 1.
DraftKings : OKC -525; IND +400
FanDuel : OKC -650; IND +480
bet365
:
OKC -550; IND +400
NBA Finals Game 3 Betting Picks, Analysis
Why The Thunder Could Win Game 3 (And/Or Cover)
In Game 2, OKC cleaned up just about everything that plagued it in Game 1, including poor defensive rebounding, cold shooting nights by second- and third-leading scorers Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, plus an unusually unproductive night by its bench players.
With the Thunder winning the offensive rebounding battle 11-7 in Game 2 and enjoying a 48-34 advantage in bench points, Indiana trailed 59-41 at halftime and 93-74 going into the fourth quarter.
While Game 1 of these Finals proved that OKC's B game won't cut it against the Pacers, Game 2 showed that the Thunder are just about untouchable when they're on their A game.
While the Thunder were excellent offensively in Game 2 (as evidenced by their offensive rating of 126), their defense might have been even more impressive.
Despite a 33-point fourth quarter on 13-for-20 FG shooting in (mostly) garbage time, the Pacers were still held to 45 percent shooting from the floor in Game 2. They also finished with at least 15 turnovers for the second time in as many games.
Unless the Pacers can get out in transition -- which has been nearly impossible for Thunder opponents to do -- it's hard to see them scoring enough tonight to get a win.
Why The Pacers Could Win Game 3 (And/Or Cover)
The Pacers have already defied their doubters with a number of upsets this postseason. With that in mind, many bettors are understandably reluctant to bet against them at home tonight.
So yes, Haliburton and Co. could be a frisky underdog in front of their raucous home crowd tonight, especially if role players like Aaron Nesmith step up the way they did in Game 1. Six Pacers scored at least 10 points, led by Pascal Siakam's game-high 19 points, in that contest.
It's also at least theoretically possible that at least once in this series, the Pacers will be able to jump the Thunder early -- like the Timberwolves did in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals -- and win going away.
The most likely outcome, however, feels like another comfortable win by the Thunder, who have shown all season that they are too deep to lose if they're anywhere near their best.
Thunder vs. Pacers Game 3 Best Bets
No one should be shocked if Indiana wins another game in this series, but the Thunder strike me as too much for the Pacers.
It's worth noting that OKC has not gotten a quality shooting night from All-Star Jalen Williams in this series. So far, Williams has shot just 11-for-33 from the floor in the Finals. Even with Williams struggling, OKC enjoyed a solid offensive night in Game 1, and it was lights-out in Game 2.
It helps that the Thunder have a slew of secondary options in addition to regular-season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 37.5 points and 6.75 assists per game on 52 percent shooting from the field in four OKC-IND matchups this year.
Until Indiana finds a way to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, all the Thunder need in order to win -- if not cruise -- is for one or two of their complementary pieces to step up.
Whether that's Williams, Holmgren, or bench players like Alex Caruso (20 points in Game 2) and Aaron Wiggins (18 points in Game 2), the Thunder have too many options for me to bet against them, even in a tough environment like Gainbridge Fieldhouse against a scrappy foe like the Pacers.
The best bets tonight are OKC -- which led 57-45 at halftime of Game 1 and 59-41 at halftime of Game 2 -- to cover not only the spread and the first-half spread, as I don't see this one staying close for 48 minutes.
Thunder 1H -3 (-108 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit
Thunder -5.5 (-105 at bet365) -- 1 unit
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