What happened in second Thunder-Pacers regular-season game
Follow along for live updates from Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City from Paycom Center Getty Images
The 2025 NBA Finals are underway as the Pacers and Thunder face off in Game 1 from Oklahoma City.
The series projects to be a battle between arguably the NBA's most dynamic offense and the league's best defense. The two franchises, each led by their star guard, are searching for their first NBA title in their current city. Follow along below for live updates from Game 1. Watch: ABC, YouTube TV, ESPN+
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Oklahoma City, amid an eight-game winning streak and having won 15 of its last 16 games, used a dominant second and third quarter — scoring 73 points — to breeze past a feisty, fast Indiana unit 132-111 on March 29. Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 33 points, but Oklahoma City's floor spacing was the biggest theme in this one, as the Thunder connected on 17 3s (hitting 47.2 percent of them). From an overall offensive standpoint, this was an aesthetically pleasing game; the Pacers finished with 27 assists, while the Thunder dished out 26. Oklahoma City also scored 58 points in the paint, and that inside-outside dominance gave the Thunder the edge.
Despite playing without both Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, the Thunder made their way to Indianapolis on Dec. 16 and ended the Pacers' five-game win streak with a 120-114 comeback victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was spectacular with 45 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, while Tyrese Haliburton managed only four points and eight assists. Aaron Nesmith did not play for the Pacers, and that may have had something to do with Indiana's defensive struggles, as the Thunder put together a 17-7 run to close the game. While both teams posted solid shooting percentages, the Thunder ultimately took six more shots because they forced the Pacers into 11 turnovers while committing only three of their own.
For as much as this Finals has been billed as the clash between an elite offensive machine (Pacers) and a defensive juggernaut (Thunder), the similarities between both teams — particularly pertaining to head coaching identity — is just as fascinating. Both Mark Daigneault and Rick Carlisle share an appreciation for the depth of their respective rosters, consistently beating the drum of player empowerment from the first to 15th man on the roster. Daigneault and Carlisle are also adept in the intricacies that come with playoff basketball, masters of counters and in-game adjustments. Daigneault has only been an NBA head coach for five seasons, which pales in comparison to Carlisle's 25 years, but the amount of mutual respect between peers is what makes this Finals special.
And while this matchup may not contain the drama or emotional storylines from seasons past, it serves as a refreshing look at basketball, roster building and a changing NBA landscape. A palette cleanser.
Aside from a seven-game battle with the Denver Nuggets in the second round and a random blowout loss at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals, Oklahoma City looked dominant en route to the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2012.
The Thunder swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, finishing the series with an average margin of victory of 19.5 points per game, including a 51-point win in Game 1.
Oklahoma City then faced Denver in the second round, dropping Games 1 and 3 before winning three of the last four games, including Game 7 at home, to win the series. The Nuggets had success slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder's offense but ultimately, the pestering defense of Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and company was too much for even three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić to overcome.
In the Western Conference finals, the Thunder jumped out to a convincing 2-0 series lead over the Timberwolves before getting blown out by 42 points in Game 3. Oklahoma City responded by pulling out a 128-126 win in Minnesota in Game 4 and closed out the series at home in Game 5 behind 34 points and eight assists from SGA.
The tone of the discourse between Oklahoma City and Indiana will inevitably change.
But on Finals Eve Wednesday this much was clear: Thunder coach Mark Daigneault isn't about to underestimate any team that's coached by Rick Carlisle, even if most of the hoops world sees Carlisle's Pacers as serious underdogs.
Daigneault's praise of Carlisle went far beyond the typical boilerplate sort of material. Daigneault, the 40-year-old who grew up as a Boston Celtics fan in the town of Leominster, Mass., wasn't even born yet when Carlisle was drafted 70th overall by the Celtics in 1984.
'I mean, I can't say enough about him and the respect I have for him,' Daigneault said of Carlisle. 'I think the whole is better than the sum of the parts (with his team). Almost consistently across every year he's ever coached, the team is better than their sum. I think that's a reflection of him. His teams play with a very clear identity. They stay in character through all the ups and downs. That identity has changed over the years based on his teams, based on the league trends, but his teams are always in character, and this year is certainly no exception.
'His best players play with a lot of confidence, and role players play with a lot of confidence, and they all seem to operate on the high end of their capacity when they're playing with him. He's got unbelievable endurance in the league. And what I'd also say is (that) he's kind of out in front of some trends in the NBA right now. And to be somebody that has the experiences that he has, that's very impressive, that he's been able to evolve and be a trendsetter, even as he's been one of the longest tenured people in the NBA.'
As they did in 2024, the Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Last season, Indiana did so in six games. This season, the Pacers needed just five games to dispatch their divisional rival, capped off by a game-winning layup by Tyrese Haliburton in overtime of Game 5 to seal the series. Damian Lillard missed the first two games of the series before suffering a torn Achilles in Game 4.
Indiana then went on to face Cleveland, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, in the second round. Yes, the Cavaliers were banged up, as multiple key rotation players battled through injuries at different points in this series. Yet, the Pacers left little doubt defeating them in five games, including overcoming a 19-point deficit to shock the Cavaliers and end their season on their home floor in Game 5.
Finally, in the Eastern Conference finals, Indiana defeated New York in six games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. The Pacers made a historic comeback late in Game 1 before stealing Game 2, heading back to Indiana with a 2-0 series lead. The Knicks made a 20-point comeback in Game 3 and battled to a dominant Game 5 win at home but, ultimately, they could not muster the consistency to deal with the Pacers' pace and pressure. Indiana ran them off the floor in Game 6 to secure the Eastern conference crown.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had 18 more regular-season wins than the Indiana Pacers this season. That's the fourth-largest wins spread in a Finals matchup since 1968, when the NBA went to an 82-game season. The Milwaukee Bucks had 24 more wins than the Washington Bullets in their 1971 Finals matchup. There's been a double-digit win spread 16 times, and the team with more wins has won the title 13 times.
The full list, with the team that had more wins listed first and the team that won the title bolded: 24 (1971: Bucks /Bullets)
/Bullets) 22 (1981: Celtics /Rockets)
/Rockets) 21 (1972: Lakers /Knicks)
/Knicks) 18 (2025: Thunder/Pacers)
16 (2017: Warriors /Cavaliers) (2016: Warriors/ Cavaliers ) (1986: Celtics /Rockets)
/Cavaliers) (2016: Warriors/ ) (1986: /Rockets) 14 (2024: Celtics /Mavs) (2015: Warriors /Cavaliers) (1970: Knicks /Lakers)
/Mavs) (2015: /Cavaliers) (1970: /Lakers) 12 (1976: Celtics /Suns) (1975: Bullets/ Warriors )
/Suns) (1975: Bullets/ ) 11 (2003: Spurs /Nets) (2000: Lakers /Pacers)
/Nets) (2000: /Pacers) 10 (1999: Spurs /Knicks in a 50-game season) (1995: Magic/ Rockets ) (1992: Bulls /Blazers)
/Knicks in a 50-game season) (1995: Magic/ ) (1992: /Blazers) 9 (2023: Nuggets /Heat) (2008: Celtics /Lakers)
/Heat) (2008: /Lakers) 8 (2020: Lakers/Heat) (2018: Warriors/Cavaliers) (2014: Spurs/Heat) (2013: Heat/Spurs) (2007: Spurs/Cavaliers) (2006: Mavericks/Heat) (1996: Bulls/Sonics) (1988: Lakers/Pistons) (1984: Celtics/Lakers)
We here at The Athletic are committed to providing award-winning coverage across all sports. But with the NBA Finals beginning tonight, this is the perfect time to spotlight our excellent NBA coverage.
In addition to our live coverage, our team of reporters will be on the ground providing color, in-depth analysis and scintillating stories throughout the Finals. Whether it be game previews, postgame takeaways or features on your favorite players, our NBA staff continues to produce engaging content that you do not want to miss.
For tonight's Game 1, Sam Amick, Marcus Thompson II, Fred Katz, John Hollinger, Joe Vardon, Anthony Slater, Shakeia Taylor, Kelly Iko and Andrew Schlecht will all be on the ground in OKC.
And you're in luck — you can subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals is taking place tonight at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
This venue opened its door in 2002 and has served as the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2008. Previous names include the Ford Center, Oklahoma City Arena and, most recently, Chesapeake Energy Arena. When configured for basketball, Paycom Center seats 18,203 fans. With the Thunder's recent success, this venue has proven to be one of the most electric environments in the NBA. Many compare the noise level to a college arena.
Throughout the playoffs, the vibrancy and passion of the fans in OKC has been palpable. This intensity will likely be amplified tonight, especially if fans wear the same T-shirts.
We want to hear from you! Will Oklahoma City defend home court tonight? Will Indiana's magical playoff run continue with an upset win on the road in Game 1? Who will put forth a better performance tonight: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Tyrese Haliburton?
Send us your thoughts on the above, or anything else regarding the NBA Finals, via email at live@theathletic.com. We'll feature some of our favorite entries right here on the blog!
If you already subscribe to The Athletic , you can also get involved by heading to the "Discuss" tab at the top of this page.
While tipoff of Game 1 is set for shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET, we here at The Athletic have a full days worth of live coverage ready to go to help you pass the time and get ready for what should be an electric display of elite basketball in Oklahoma City.
Today's live coverage will include: A look back at how these teams reached the NBA Finals and a recap of their regular-season battles
History lessons on both franchises, this day in NBA Finals history and trivia.
Ninety minutes dedicated to analyzing the Pacers and Thunder, respectively
Expert analysis from our reporters.
Game 1 previews and predictions.
Play-by-play, updates and analysis throughout the game.
Robust postgame coverage.
You won't want to miss a moment, so stay tuned!
You can watch Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT. Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson are on the call.
Zooming out, here is the schedule for the entirety of the 2025 NBA Finals: Game 1: Pacers at Thunder (Thursday, June 5, 8:30 ET, ABC)
Pacers at Thunder (Thursday, June 5, 8:30 ET, ABC) Game 2: Pacers at Thunder (Sunday, June 8, 8 ET, ABC)
Pacers at Thunder (Sunday, June 8, 8 ET, ABC) Game 3: Thunder at Pacers (Wednesday, June 11, 8:30 ET, ABC)
Thunder at Pacers (Wednesday, June 11, 8:30 ET, ABC) Game 4: Thunder at Pacers (Friday, June 13, 8:30 ET, ABC)
Thunder at Pacers (Friday, June 13, 8:30 ET, ABC) Game 5: Pacers at Thunder, (Monday, June 16, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
Pacers at Thunder, (Monday, June 16, 8:30 ET, ABC)* Game 6: Thunder at Pacers (Thursday, June 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
Thunder at Pacers (Thursday, June 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)* Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, Sunday, June 22, 8 ET on ABC)*
*If necessary
Hello basketball fans and welcome to our live coverage of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder from Paycom Center.
The series projects to be a battle between arguably the NBA's most dynamic offense and the league's best defense. Both franchises, each led by their star lead guard, are searching for their first NBA title in their current city.
Indiana last appeared in the Finals in 2000, losing to Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Oklahoma City made the Finals in 2012, led by the young trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, but ultimately fell to the 'Heatles', the Miami Heat.
The Athletic will have you covered with all things NBA Finals throughout the series, anchored by our live coverage and analysis from our award-winning writers, so stay tuned.
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