NBA Finals Preview – CopyBet

Tip 1: Oklahoma City Thunder are the huge favourites to win the series and deservedly so. The Thunder are strong in all areas, and with Most Valuable Player award winner (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander backed up by a strong supporting cast, and further options on the bench, they should be able to see off the threat of the Pacers.

However, Indiana have more than enough quality to make this series interesting, and over 5.5 games looks a decent play at the prices.

Over 5.5 games requires both teams to win at least two games – and Indiana look good enough to be competitive.

The Pacers took out Cleveland Cavaliers, the Eastern Conference’s top seed, in five games and followed that up by ousting a New York Knicks outfit who had dumped out defending champions Boston Celtics.

Indiana have been exceptional on the road during the post season with six wins in eight games, and if they can claim a victory in Oklahoma then there is a good chance this series reaches at least a Game 6.

Tip 2: If Indiana Pacers are to pull off what would be a huge upset, they need their on-court general to step up, and Tyrese Haliburton is the deserved favourite to record the most three-pointers in the series.

The Indiana point guard averaged 3.0 threes made per game in the regular season. That figure stands at 2.4 in the playoffs, but that still puts him above anyone in the OKC squad. Haliburton’s main rival in this stat looks to be teammate Aaron Nesmith.

Nesmith is averaging more threes per-game in this year’s playoffs, but he isn’t playing as many minutes as Haliburton so going with the favourite looks the best bet.

Tip 3: OKC have an exceptional team, but Gilgeous-Alexander is comfortably their star man and he will lead the charge throughout the Finals series.

The 2024/25 MVP averaged a career-high 32.7 points per game in the regular season and that figure stands at 29.8 in the playoffs.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 25 points in eight of his last nine games – and at least 30 in seven of those – and has managed at least 25 in 13 of his 16 post-season games this term. He should be able to record at least 25 in every game against the Pacers irrespective of how many games are required.