The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder will square off in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 4 NBA picks for tonight's contest. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Monday, June 16.
NBA Finals Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Monday, June 16
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
| 8:30 p.m. | |
| 8:30 p.m. | |
| 8:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Pacers vs. Thunder Free Throw Prop
By Joe Dellera
Jalen Williams had been extremely aggressive during this series, and is continuously attacking the rack while Indiana diverts the bulk of their defensive attention towards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This has resulted in more paint touches and more free throws for J-Dub.
So far this series, he has gone 4/4, 8/9, 7/11, and 11/11 from the charity stripe.
He’s an 80% career free throw shooter, and given the opportunities, he should be able to convert on at least 5 attempts.
Pick: Jalen Williams Over 4.5 Free Throws Made (-115)
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Pacers vs. Thunder Rebounds Best Bet
The Pacers missed out on a glorious chance to have a commanding edge in the series after winning the first three quarters against the Thunder in Game 4. However, Oklahoma City outscored Indiana 31-17 in the final 12 minutes to knot the series at two games apiece.
OKC dominated the Pacers 12-4 on the glass in the fourth quarter, leading to eight second-chance points. Chet Holmgren led the way with 15 of Oklahoma City’s 43 rebounds, while Indiana finished with just 33.
Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the first three games. Although he managed only six rebounds, his presence was enough to make things difficult for Indiana.
With Hartenstein likely to start Game 5, I’d expect the Thunder to continue to control the boards and limit the rebounding opportunities for Indiana.
Based on that assessment, I’ve targeted Pacers forward Obi Toppin as a player we should fade in the rebounding category.
Toppin has a prop of 5.5 rebounds — a projection he has failed to cover in 15 of his previous 19 games and nine of his last 10 when on the road. Moreover, Toppin has also stayed under this number in each of his last four meetings against the Thunder.
Given how bench players tend to perform better at home vs. on the road, we could see some diminishing returns with Toppin on the glass, especially considering the Thunder’s likely commitment to playing a bigger lineup with Hartenstein back in the mix.
Pick: Obi Toppin Under 5.5 Rebounds (-122)
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Pacers vs. Thunder ATS Pick
Games 1 and 2 of this series closed with OKC as double digit favorites, and I think the same comes for Game 5 back in OKC.
