The Thunder and Pacers will clash one last time in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.
It's a fitting final act for OKC and Indiana, each of whom has battled through adversity, mounted bounce-back and comeback victories, and played like a championship team.
Only one team can come away with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, though. It should be quite the battle from start to finish, and we must pick our spots wisely as we prepare our NBA betting cards.
The good news? You can get all the latest tips, advice and expert opinion from The Sporting News here! Let's check out the odds for this do-or-die NBA Finals Game 7 between the Thunder and the Pacers, then make our final betting predictions of the 2024-25 NBA season.
NBA Finals Game 7 betting tips, predictions and odds
All odds are via Paddy Power unless otherwise stated, and are correct at time of publish.
This one has the makings of a classic.
We've seen the Thunder go 45-8 at home since the start of the season, and an unfathomable 19-2 following a loss. We've also witnessed the Pacers go 55-24 since December 13, and they've won seven of their past 10 road games this postseason.
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We'll find out when the one true champion emerges on Sunday night US time.
- Win Market: Thunder 4/11 | Pacers 21/10
- Over/Under: O 214.5 (5/6) | U 214.5 (8/11)
Paddy Power likes the Thunder to close this series out, but the majority of bettors disagree. Nearly 65 percent of bets on the spread betting markets in the US have been on Indy. A whopping 78 percent of the over/under bets are also on the OVER.
Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals Game 7 best bets and final score prediction
It's an often overstated sentiment in sports, especially ahead of a Game 7, but it's a shame one of these teams has to lose. Both teams have fought so hard to get to this point, and whomever falls short will truly feel the agony of defeat.
But that's sports, and in sports, the more dominant home team typically prevails in Game 7. OKC has responded to adversity this season about as well as any team in NBA history. A .904 winning percentage in games following losses!? An .849 winning percentage at home!? These numbers are mind-boggling.
Indiana has boggled our minds, too, but we expect the insane run to come to an end and for OKC to land at 4/11. Tyrese Haliburton has been shaky on the road this series, plus the calf injury still makes us apprehensive. Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard have come up big in Indy, but they're also not the same players in high-pressure situations on the road.
The Pacers maxed out at 108 in Game 6, a number that won't get it done in a winner-take-all Game 7 at Paycom Center. OKC has averaged 117.6 points per home game this series. Indy hasn't hit 117 in any of the six games.
Plus, the Pacers have committed 61 turnovers in the three games in OKC. Indy's depth is great, but Rick Carlisle does have a lot of youth running out there and failing to take care of the ball. Mark Daigneault should have his squad ready to force more mistakes and turn defense into offense.
Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounce back after an uncharacteristically bad Game 6? He never got into an SGA-like rhythm and he committed a ton of turnovers. He and Jalen Williams should be much more comfortable at home in front of their raucous crowd, as should the ancillary players who have stifled the Pacers at home the majority of the Finals.
Expect the Thunder to get it done and bring OKC its first-ever NBA Championship.
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FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Thunder 111, Pacers 103 — OKC wins, while the score finishes just UNDER the projected total of 214.5.
Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals Game 7 top prop bet and bet builder
*Playing it Safe* bet builder (1.25/1)
— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 30+ points
— Jalen Williams 20+ points
Win or lose, these two have to show up for OKC to have a chance. SGA has dropped 31-plus points in each of the past 10 OKC home games, and JDub just put up a 40-burger at Paycom Center in Game 5.
Getting plus odds on trimmed-down projections for the two most valuable Thunder players — in a Game 7 at home — feels like charity.