By Derran Cobb
June 2, 2025 | 2:30 pm
For the first time in 25 years, the Indiana Pacers are back in the NBA Finals.
After an electrifying playoff run through the Eastern Conference losing only four games, the Pacers now face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a dynamic young core.
Both teams are talented and deep. Both are fearless, equipped to win close games, and have tons of momentum. The best offense versus the best defense. This should be a matchup for the ages.
On paper, OKC looks like the favorite, but Indiana has every tool needed to win this series.
I think they can do it in six.
Haliburton in Attack Mode
Tyrese Haliburton has made the leap from All-Star to superstar this postseason, spiriting three wild comebacks topped with clutch moments for the ages. Primarily the Pacers floor general, he has all the skill to be an aggressive go-to scorer.
However, sometimes his pass-first nature is too passive, and he doesn’t look to create his own shots. In the game 5 loss against the New York Knicks, he finished with only 8 points on 2/7 FG and 0-2 3-PT.
When he’s looking to score early, attacking mismatches and pick and roll coverage, he sets the tone of the entire game. This season, Indiana is 32-3 when he scores more than 20 points.
When Haliburton is aggressive, Indiana’s offense hums, and OKC will need to try to keep pace.
Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith’s defense
Can they slow down SGA? J-Dub?
That’s the question Indiana’s defense must answer. The Thunder’s backcourt duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the reigning MVP and scoring champion — and Jalen Williams is elite, but the Pacers have two tough perimeter defenders in Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith who are battle-tested and ready.
They just spent six games hounding Knicks star and NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson, making life difficult and forcing tough shots. In the game six closer, Nembhard held Brunson to just 19 points on 8-18 FG and 2/7 3-PT and had six steals.
Nesmith was the primary defender on Donovan Mitchell in the Cleveland series, contesting every dribble, jumper, and cut. They’ve seen elite guards. Now they face two more.
SGA and J-Dub will definitely get their points—but if Nembhard and Nesmith can slow the scoring just enough, pressure shifts onto the rest of OKC’s roster. That defensive resistance could be the difference between Indiana keeping games close or falling behind early, and if it ends up being close the Pacers have shown they thrive in the clutch all postseason.
Defensive Pressure
OKC has two of the NBA’s peskiest defenders in Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, and Tyrese Haliburton will likely be seeing plenty of both in this series.
Dort is known for his physical, full-court pressure and has made life miserable for some of the league’s best guards. Caruso, meanwhile, is an elite off-ball disruptor and help defender who forces turnovers and closes space in an instant.
The blueprint to frustrate Haliburton was laid by Mikal Bridges in the Eastern Conference Finals, particularly game 5 where Haliburton struggled with just 8 points on 2-of-7 shooting. He got into his body immediately, trying to make life as uncomfortable as possible. Expect OKC to follow suit, picking him up 94 feet, denying passing lanes, and daring him to beat them with his scoring — not passing.
How Haliburton handles that pressure could define the series. If he can stay aggressive and dictate pace, Indiana’s offense will flourish. But if Dort and Caruso can make him uncomfortable and take him out of rhythm early, OKC gains a serious edge.
The Siakam Factor
Veteran leadership matters in the Finals, and Pascal Siakam has it. He’s been here before, winning it all with Toronto in 2019. His poise, two-way versatility, and calm under pressure have been a guiding force for this Pacers team.
Whenever Indiana’s offense goes stale, which it has in stretches this postseason, Siakam has consistently been the stabilizer. Whether it’s hitting a tough mid-range jumper, bullying his way into the paint, or drawing a double-team to create for others, he keeps the Pacers afloat.
That ability to generate buckets when the offense isn’t clicking is exactly why he was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP. When Haliburton was taken out of rhythm, it was Siakam who stepped up. His presence not only gives Indiana a reliable scoring option, but also sets the tone for composure in big moments.
In a series likely filled with scoring droughts and momentum swings, Siakam’s consistency could be the difference.
Coaching Chess Match
This series will be defined by in-game adjustments as much as on court activity. Rick Carlisle has leaned on his experience throughout the playoffs, responding to opposing runs with quick substitutions, strategic timeout and challenge usage, and defensive shifts. Against New York, his decision to go small in the second half of Game 6 broke the Knicks’ rhythm and opened up driving lanes.
Mark Daigneault has emerged as one of the league’s best young minds. He’s fearless in changing matchups mid-game, and his ability to tailor schemes around SGA has pushed OKC to new heights.
Look for both coaches to counter punch throughout the series; adjusting defensive coverages on the stars, changing ball-screen responsibilities, and managing rotations based on foul trouble or momentum. Carlisle may have the edge in experience, but Daigneault has shown he can win the mental battle, too.
This chess match will be fun to watch.
Final Prediction: Pacers in 6
The Pacers didn’t come this far by accident. They’ve answered every challenge. Now, they’ll answer the final one.
Pacers in 6. Banner No. 1 is coming to Indy.
At the Buzzer 
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