The 2025 NBA Finals move to Indianapolis for Game 3, with Indiana and Oklahoma City – both chasing their maiden NBA Championships – locked at one win apiece.
As they’ve done throughout these playoffs (and for the third straight series in Game 1), Indiana stole series-opening march on Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City – grabbing a 111-110 upset at Paycom Center.
Indiana trailed by 15 during the fourth quarter and by nine with less than three minutes on the clock. But with Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith producing some huge buckets and boards, the underdogs clawed back…setting the stage for Tyrese Haliburton to bury yet another game-winner on the buzzer.
Siakam top-scored for Indiana with just 19 points, while MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was outstanding in a beaten team with 38 points.
But Oklahoma City hit back in impressive style in Game 2, subduing Indiana 123-107 after building an 18-point halftime buffer following a blistering 19-2 run during the second quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander put up 34 points and 8 assists but had plenty of support, with Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins combining for 38 points off the bench, and Jalen William (19 pts, 5 reb, 5 assists) also contributing.
Indiana’s three-point shooting was well done on Game 1 (46.2% to 35%), while again they had no dominant scorer with Haliburton (17 pts) topping that category – though all five starters had double-figures.
Indiana are 6-2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the post-season, while Oklahoma City are 4-3 on the road – and 0-7 against the line.
But we’ve seen OKC face some big spreads as a road favourite in these playoffs…after looking much more like the team that has been so dominant all season in Game 2, they shape as the value option here to cover a modest start.