Game 6 of the NBA Finals occurs on Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 pm ET. The series is heading back to Indiana.
Two games were played there, and each team won one game.
In Game 5, the Thunder got the 120-109 win. The Thunder lead this series 3-2. After the 9-minute mark or so, the Thunder had the lead the rest of the way.
See my picks and predictions for Game 6 below.
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 6 betting preview
The Thunder put up 120 points, and 71 of them came from just two players: Jalen Williams (40) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31). Two other players had double-digit points, including Aaron Wiggins (14) and Cason Wallace (11). Not only did SGA have 31 points, but he also had 10 assists. As a team, the Thunder shot 40 of 94 from the floor (42.6%), including 14 of 32 from 3-point range (43.8%).
They also converted 26 of 32 free throws (81.3%). They finished with fewer rebounds (50-45), more assists (24-23), more blocks (12-4), more steals (15-9), and half as many turnovers as the Pacers (22-11). Interestingly, the Thunder were outscored in the paint (48-42). The only other time this happened was in Game 3 of the Indiana loss.
The Pacers shot 45.1% from the floor (37 of 82), including 11 of 30 from beyond the arc (36.7%). They shot 80% from the free-throw line (24 of 30). Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was dealing with a calf injury at some point in the game and finished with just four points, including going 0 for 6 from the floor.
All four of his points came on four free-throw tries. He did have seven rebounds and six assists. Five players had double-digit points: Pascal Siakam (28), T.J. McConnell (18), Aaron Nesmith (14), Myles Turner (13), and Obi Toppin (12).
Thunder vs Pacers Game 6 odds
Below are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Spread: Indiana Pacers (+5, -112); Oklahoma City Thunder (-5, -108).
- Moneyline: Indiana Pacers (+172); Oklahoma City Thunder (-205).
- Total: Over 224 (-110); Under 224 (-110)
Thunder vs Pacers analysis
The Thunder actually looked more toward the 3-point shot in Game 5, as seen by them being outscored in the paint. That only happened in one other game, which the Thunder lost. Jalen Williams had 40 points, and SGA, who had one of his worst shooting percentages (9 of 21), still had 31 points thanks to 14 free throws.
Heading into Game 6, it’s hard to play and win in Indiana, but the Thunder have done it despite making just three 3-point shots in Game 4.
The status of Haliburton will be crucial to the Pacers’ chances. He’s an extremely clutch player who has the upside for a triple-double game, game in, game out.
Nonetheless, the Thunder defense continues to play strong, and if they can continue to shoot well from beyond the arc, that could be game over.
Thunder vs Pacers Game 6 picks
In Game 6, I’m taking the Thunder to win. I’m hesitant to take the point spread, so I’ll take the moneyline. Haliburton being banged up is big. He does have a few days to heal up, which could prove to be the difference, but the Thunder can win in so many ways, and SGA is a walking 30 points.
The Pacers shot 36.7% from beyond the arc and still lost. They made three fewer 3-point shots than the Thunder on two fewer tries.
I’m taking the Thunder to finish this series off.
🏀 Pick Thunder ML (-205) at FanDuel🏀
Thunder vs Pacers game info
- Who: Thunder vs Pacers
- Date: Thursday, June 19
- Time: 8:30 pm ET
- Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
- Where to watch: ABC
About the author
Richard Janvrin
Richard Janvrin brings nearly a decade of experience covering sports, sports betting, and everything iGaming. Richard received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism/English from the University of New Hampshire. Throughout his career, Richard has written for sites like Bleacher Report, Forbes, The Game Day, WSN, Gambling.com, and many more.
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