Recreation 7s are the moments the place legends are made.
These are the video games — with little margin for error and every thing on the road — that go down within the annals of historical past, notably at this stage of the playoffs when they’re uncommon. For the reason that NBA-ABA merger at first of the 1976-77 season, there have been solely eight winner-take-all video games to resolve the NBA title.
Sunday night time will see that quantity develop to 9, when the host Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers sq. off in Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals — the primary time that the league’s championship spherical has gone the space since 2016. That recreation is, at a minimal, on the quick record for the best recreation within the historical past of the game, with LeBron James main the Cleveland Cavaliers again from a 3-1 deficit within the best-of-7 collection to dethrone the 73-win Golden State Warriors on their dwelling ground.
The Thunder have been ready for his or her first title since they left Seattle for Oklahoma Metropolis 17 years in the past. The franchise has left the SuperSonics’ historical past up to now. Nonetheless, after a number of near-misses — together with an NBA Finals journey in 2012 and convention finals appearances in 2014 and 2016 — Oklahoma Metropolis had the seventh-most wins in NBA historical past (68) this season. Will probably be the fifth-best staff, by way of wins, within the historical past of the game if the Thunder can declare this yr’s title.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, in the meantime, would put himself in rarified air if he is in a position to win a championship after profitable the scoring title and the league’s regular-season MVP award — one thing solely Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have carried out.
It is a second the Thunder had been anticipated to be in all season. The identical can’t be stated for his or her opponents, nonetheless, as a win for Indiana will cap what needs to be some of the sudden runs to a championship within the NBA. The Pacers have accomplished one historic comeback in every of the 4 rounds of the playoffs, together with star guard Tyrese Haliburton finishing an unparalleled run of clutch shotmaking to associate with Indiana’s penchant for sporting down its opponents.
Coach Rick Carlisle, who led a equally constructed Dallas Mavericks staff to a title in opposition to a large favourite within the James-led Miami Warmth in 2011, has already gained seven video games within the Finals as an underdog, probably the most in NBA historical past.
Indiana may also earn its first NBA championship after making the Finals with Reggie Miller main the best way 25 years in the past. It gained a few ABA championships behind Corridor of Famers Mel Daniels and Roger Brown within the Seventies.
The Pacers and Thunder will sit 48 minutes away from immortality once they take the court docket Sunday night time. Just one factor is for sure: No matter occurs, the sport will by no means be forgotten. — Tim Bontemps
Keys to the sport | Affect gamers | Recreation 7 legacy
Matchups and changes | MVP Odds
Historical past | Greatest bets | Professional picks
MORE: Schedule and information | Offseason information
The most important keys for the Thunder: House-court benefit
Give the house crowd a purpose to remain loud. The Thunder earned the best to host an important recreation of the season by rolling to 68 wins and the perfect document within the league. The Paycom Middle has been an awfully robust place for opponents to play this postseason.
The Thunder are 10-2 at dwelling with 9 double-digit wins, together with victories by 30- and 32-point margins in elimination video games the previous two rounds.
The followers in Oklahoma Metropolis — a small market with just one big-league franchise — present a real home-court benefit that Jalen Williams has in comparison with a highschool soccer powerhouse, the type of program that a complete city revolves round. The stands shall be filled with of us sporting the identical T-shirts by the point the layup strains start. They’re going to be loud, offering the Thunder “the wind behind our backs,” as coach Mark Daigneault places it. — Tim MacMahon
The most important keys for the Pacers: Managed chaos
Restrict turnovers and management the tempo. It is simpler stated than carried out in opposition to a protection as swarming because the Thunder’s, however the Pacers have been at their greatest once they’ve managed to win the turnover battle and cease Oklahoma Metropolis from getting out in transition.
The outcomes are twofold. Not turning the ball over permits the Pacers to aim extra area targets as an alternative of coming away with empty possessions and it stops the Thunder from getting straightforward transition baskets, which makes their offense thrive.
The Pacers desire a chaotic recreation managed of their favor, much like Recreation 6, when Indiana was the staff flying across the ground whereas Oklahoma Metropolis obtained stagnant making an attempt to run an offense within the half court docket repeatedly. — Jamal Collier
Gamers who will swing Recreation 7
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
Alex Caruso is the one confirmed NBA champion on the Thunder roster, the veteran chief of this staff and a participant who was a dominant drive in Oklahoma Metropolis’s earlier Recreation 7 win in opposition to the Denver Nuggets.
Caruso wreaked havoc as the first defender in opposition to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic that afternoon, a significant factor within the 23 turnovers that the Thunder transformed into 37 factors. He was a plus-40 in 26 minutes.
He is one of many hardest rivals within the NBA, a man who lives for one of these highest-stakes scenario. Caruso has had his fingerprints throughout Oklahoma Metropolis’s playoff run to this point. Depend on that persevering with in Recreation 7. — MacMahon
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers’ depth has been their energy all through this playoff run and T.J. McConnell has stepped up with a implausible efficiency on this collection. His high-energy type for 19 minutes per recreation has offered a spark in every contest he checks into, and he is averaging 11.3 factors and 4.5 assists within the collection on 54% capturing.
Haliburton performed by means of a calf damage in a high-stakes Recreation 6 and was efficient, however not as cell as typical, which suggests the Pacers are going to want quite a lot of ball handlers to assist hold their tempo and run their offense.
McConnell nearly definitely will not win the Finals MVP with the efforts of Haliburton and Pascal Siakam developing massive for Indiana all collection, however the best way McConnell and the bench unit have energized the staff — and outplayed their reserve counterparts from OKC — is a serious purpose the Pacers have a chance to win this collection. — Collier
If the Thunder win Recreation 7, we’ll bear in mind their title as _____.
Crossing the end line for a historic season — and taking step one in a possible dynastic run.
Oklahoma Metropolis profiles statistically as some of the dominant groups of all time with the perfect regular-season level differential ever. The one champion to complete the season with extra complete wins than the Thunder’s 84, if Oklahoma Metropolis finishes the job, was the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
Oklahoma Metropolis is on this place with nearly its complete core consisting of ascending expertise.
Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP who’s simply coming into his prime. Jalen Williams is an All-NBA sidekick nonetheless within the comparatively early phases of his growth, as is Chet Holmgren, who has All-NBA and Defensive Participant of the Yr potential.
GM Sam Presti nonetheless has an unprecedented treasure chest of first-round draft picks to make the most of to proceed including expertise and maybe finally exchange some core gamers if tough payroll choices lead to departures.
This ought to be the primary of many Junes that this version of the Thunder is the main focus of the basketball world. — MacMahon
If the Pacers win Recreation 7, we’ll bear in mind their title as _____.
The most important upset in NBA historical past.
Indiana entered the playoffs as a No. 4 seed within the Japanese Convention. Its run by means of the East was full of buzzer beaters and thrilling comebacks because the Pacers defied the chances, and so they nonetheless started the Finals dealing with the longest odds of a staff in 20 years within the championship collection.
They won’t be the favorites in any of the seven video games on this collection, nevertheless it all units Indiana up on the doorstep of some of the unlikely championships in league historical past.
The Pacers do not profile like a typical championship contender, however they’ve spent the playoffs disproving any notion that they don’t seem to be. — Collier
The matchups and changes that may resolve the champ
Historic home-court benefit
In 12 playoff video games on the Paycom Middle, the Thunder have a plus-20.6 level differential, which is the second-largest margin of victory in home-court playoff historical past (minimal 5 video games performed), behind the 1995-96 Utah Jazz’s plus-20.7.
Oklahoma Metropolis’s solely playoff losses at dwelling had been in Recreation 1 in opposition to Indiana and Recreation 1 in opposition to the Nuggets, and so they led in each of these contests till the ultimate seconds.
The occasional capturing woes which have plagued Oklahoma Metropolis within the playoffs have not been a difficulty at dwelling. The Thunder have made simply 29.9% of their 3-point makes an attempt on the highway within the playoffs, vastly underperforming their anticipated mark of 36.5%, in response to GeniusIQ. However at dwelling, they’ve made 37.5% of their 3s, an ideal match for his or her 37.5% anticipated 3-point mark.
Apart from Jalen Williams, each member of the Thunder rotation has shot higher from distance at dwelling. — Zach Kram
An unfamiliar low-scoring recreation
Do not count on a number of factors Sunday as a result of, traditionally, Recreation 7s within the Finals have been low-scoring affairs. The previous 5 ended 93-89, 95-88, 83-79, 81-74 and 90-84, respectively. Not since 1988, when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 108-105, has a staff reached triple digits in a Finals Recreation 7.
It is unclear which staff that type of recreation will favor as a result of neither has performed many prefer it all postseason. The Pacers have not gained a playoff recreation with fewer than 108 factors, however they only turned of their greatest defensive effort of the postseason, permitting solely 91 factors in Recreation 6.
The Thunder, in the meantime, are simply 1-6 within the playoffs once they’ve scored 110 factors or fewer. However OKC does have one low-scoring win — 92-87 in Recreation 4 in opposition to the Nuggets — and ought to be extra accustomed to grind-it-out video games.
The Thunder have held their opponents beneath 100 factors six instances within the playoffs, 5 of them at dwelling. However Oklahoma Metropolis hasn’t carried out so as soon as in opposition to Indiana within the Finals. — Kram
The turnover battle
The 2025 playoffs have been outlined by turnovers. General, groups that commit fewer turnovers than their opponents have a document of 58-21 (.734). Given Oklahoma Metropolis led the league in avoiding turnovers and compelled the second most on a per-possession foundation, the Thunder each drove and benefited from that development. In opposition to Western Convention opponents, Oklahoma Metropolis gained the turnover battle in 14 of 16 video games.
However Indiana has been in a position to flip the script within the Finals.
After stealing Recreation 1 regardless of 25 giveaways, the Pacers had the turnover edge of their Recreation 3 and Recreation 6 wins and performed the Thunder to a attract Recreation 4. Thursday was the largest outlier. Oklahoma Metropolis’s 10-turnover deficit was twice as massive as in some other playoff recreation.
Uncommon Saturday version of The F5:
– Charting the placement of liveball turnovers within the Finals
– Q&A with @MiikeDLR about what makes a very good Considering Basketball video https://t.co/YlJOkAUagR pic.twitter.com/GQ3u5JvJvJ— Owen Phillips (@owenlhjphillips) June 21, 2025
McConnell’s capability to show routine efforts to deliver the ball up into pricey steals has been a key think about Indiana doing to the Thunder what Oklahoma Metropolis has carried out to groups all season. Owen Phillips of the F5 E-newsletter famous Saturday that the Thunder have dedicated 10 turnovers on this collection earlier than getting the ball previous the 3-point line, as in comparison with only one for the Pacers.
As for the significance of dwelling court docket for Recreation 7, nonetheless, Indiana has averaged 21 turnovers in three video games at Paycom Middle, as in comparison with 13.7 in three dwelling video games. If that cut up continues, the Pacers will face an uphill battle Sunday. — Kevin Pelton
MVP contenders
If Oklahoma Metropolis manages to win Recreation 7 and declare the championship, the one lifelike possibility on the Thunder is an apparent one: the league’s regular-season MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander (minus-225).
Jalen Williams (plus-1300) has had some nice moments on this collection, together with his 40-point explosion in Recreation 5, nevertheless it is not shut sufficient to significantly tip the scales away from SGA within the occasion OKC is victorious.
Gilgeous-Alexander has the long-lasting sequence within the collection thus far together with his fourth-quarter closeout in Recreation 4, and his stats throughout the board are superior.
If the Pacers win, nonetheless, the race is wide-open — and really seemingly will come right down to how Recreation 7 itself performs out, and who has the largest impression. The most probably state of affairs is that it’ll, like within the Japanese Convention finals, come right down to a alternative between the 2 Indiana stars, Haliburton (plus-1500) and Siakam (plus-300).
Haliburton, enjoying by means of a calf pressure, has led the staff in assists and had the game-winning bucket in Recreation 1 and a stellar efficiency in Recreation 3. Siakam, alternatively, is main the Pacers in factors and rebounds, whereas averaging 4 assists and over a steal and a block.
The one true wild-card choice, relying on how he performs in a Pacers victory, is reserve guard McConnell (plus-10,000), who has had a wonderful collection. It is unlikely he’ll win the award, on condition that Siakam and/or Haliburton are all however assured of an enormous recreation if Indiana wins, however McConnell has had a big effect all through the collection because the chief of the Pacers’ second unit. — Bontemps
Extra on MVP odds
Historical past of Recreation 7
From ESPN Analysis
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That is the twentieth Recreation 7 within the NBA Finals in league historical past
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It’s the first Recreation 7 within the Finals since 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Warriors to finish the one 3-1 comeback in Finals historical past
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House groups are 15-4 in Recreation 7 of the Finals
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Every of the previous eight Recreation 7s within the NBA Finals have been determined by single digits and 15 of the 19 Recreation 7s within the NBA Finals have been determined by single digits
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The common margin of victory in Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals is 6.9 factors, the smallest margin amongst all Finals video games
The underdogs:
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Since seeding started in 1984, just one staff seeded fourth or decrease gained the NBA title. It was the 1995 Houston Rockets, who had been a 6-seed.
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The Pacers gained 18 fewer video games than the Thunder within the common season. That may be the most important upset by way of regular-season wins in an NBA Finals in league historical past.
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The Pacers had a PPG differential 10.6 factors decrease than the Thunder. That may be the most important upset by way of PPG differential in an NBA Finals in league historical past.
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The Pacers have 10 wins as an underdog this postseason, tied for probably the most by any staff in a single postseason up to now 35 seasons.
Greatest Bets
Andrew Nembhard over 14.5 complete factors and assists (-120). Whereas Haliburton was in a position to play nicely Thursday, he’s nonetheless coping with a calf pressure and is likely to be restricted. Nembhard took on a bigger position in Recreation 6, notching a series-high 17 factors with 4 assists (21 P+A), and I count on him to be known as upon once more in Recreation 7.
Nembhard averaged 12.5 factors and 5.0 assists (17.5 P+A) within the first two video games of the collection, each in Oklahoma Metropolis, and the Pacers will seemingly want him to at the very least match these numbers in Recreation 7. — Andre Snellings
Jalen Williams over 22.5 complete factors (-125). Williams was in his scoring bag going into Recreation 6, averaging 31.0 factors with at the very least 26 in every of the prior three contests. He obtained off to a robust scoring begin in Recreation 6 with 16 factors within the first half earlier than the staff obtained blown out within the third quarter. I search for Williams to bounce again in Recreation 7, enjoying at dwelling, and generate one other high-scoring effort. — Snellings
Extra bets for Recreation 7
Recreation 7 Professional picks
Zach Kram: Thunder
Kevin Pelton: Thunder
Andre Snellings: Thunder
Ohm Youngmisuk: Thunder
Chris Herring: Thunder
Marc Spears: Thunder
Jeremy Woo: Pacers
Neil Paine: Thunder
Remaining tally:
Thunder 7, Pacers 1
