The Oklahoma City Thunder may have entered the 2025 NBA Finals as overwhelming favorites, but after four intense games, the series is now tied 2-2 against the Indiana Pacers, setting up a high-stakes Game 5 in Indianapolis tonight.
The Thunder, in their first Finals appearance since 2012, earned their spot by eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, Idman.biz reports.
Meanwhile, the Pacers stunned the basketball world by advancing past the New York Knicks in six games, following underdog wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks in previous rounds.
Despite the Pacers' postseason heroics, oddsmakers opened the Finals with Oklahoma City as -800 favorites at BetMGM, marking the biggest Finals favoritism in franchise history. Indiana, by contrast, began the series as +550 underdogs.
Historically, only the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (-2000 vs. 76ers) and the 2018 Golden State Warriors (-1075 vs. Cavaliers) were heavier favorites in a Finals series. However, being a favorite doesn’t always guarantee a title — the 2004 Lakers famously lost as -700 favorites to the Detroit Pistons.
So far, the 2025 Finals have been anything but predictable:
Game 1: Indiana stole a 111-110 victory in Oklahoma City as 10-point underdogs.
Game 2: The Thunder bounced back, dominating with a 123-107 win and covering the -11.5 spread.
Game 3: Indiana held firm at home with a 116-107 win as +5.5 underdogs.
Game 4: The Thunder reclaimed momentum with a 111-104 win, covering the -6.5 spread.
Heading into Game 4, the Thunder’s series price was -250, while the Pacers stood at +200. Now, with the series knotted up, oddsmakers list Oklahoma City at -625 and Indiana at +450 — still heavily tilted in favor of the Western Conference champions.
Oklahoma City’s impressive 68-14 regular-season record and league-best 55-23-4 mark against the spread (ATS) have made them a bettors’ favorite all year. While they've slipped to a 7-9 ATS in the postseason, their clutch performances — notably in Game 7 against Denver and Game 4 against Minnesota — underscore their resilience under pressure.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are playing in just their second NBA Finals in franchise history. Their last appearance came in 2000, where they lost in six games to the then-dominant Lakers. This year, they’ve won seven games outright as betting underdogs — including each of their last two series wins — showcasing the grit and unpredictability that’s defined their playoff run.
Game 5 tips off tonight, June 17, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. With the series now effectively a best-of-three, the pressure is mounting for both sides. Oklahoma City looks to justify its favorite status, while Indiana aims to continue its underdog fairytale and bring a championship to the Hoosier State for the first time ever.
Idman.biz
