The NBA Finals will officially begin on Thursday night, as Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder takes center stage at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 5 NBA picks for tonight's contest. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Thursday, June 5.
NBA Finals Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Thursday, June 5
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
| 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
By Joe Dellera
The Pacers face off against the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight, and one player that has had a horrific time against them is Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton has had the water completely shut off in their two matchups this season averaging 11 points and 5.5 assists.
While we should expect a slightly better performance here, he has struggled with all of Oklahoma City’s athletic wings.
They simply do not have the weak points that all of the Eastern Conference opponents Indiana has faced have had on the defensive side of the ball.
Haliburton has exceeded this line in 56% of playoff games, but this matchup is a different animal. Not only can they stifle Hali’s scoring, but they can attack everyone else’s ability to finish.
I’ll fade Haliburton in Game 1.
Pick: Tyrese Haliburton Under 26.5 Points + Assists (-105)
| | | | |
Pacers vs. Thunder
The Pacers will face their biggest test when they meet the Thunder in the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City is a superior defensive team, posting a league-best defensive rating of 106.6 during the regular season, which improved to 104.7 in the playoffs.
OKC smothers its opponents, generating more turnovers and steals than any other team throughout the year.
One Thunder player who fully embodies this defensive trait is Cason Wallace. The Kentucky product enters this contest with a steal + blocks prop of 1.5 — a number he has covered in 60 of his 85 games (71%) this season.
Wallace has also cleared this line in seven of his last nine games, and he’s not even a full-time starter.
Against the Pacers, he registered three or more steals + blocks in their previous three meetings.
With OKC a heavy home favorite laying 9.5 points, it wouldn’t surprise me if OKC takes a commanding lead in Game 1, with Wallace logging some heavy minutes off the bench.
Pick: Cason Wallace Over 1.5 Steals + Blocks (-125)
| | | | |
Pacers vs. Thunder
By Alex Hinton
The Indiana Pacers got to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years behind one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. They have six players averaging at least 10 points per game this postseason. They will need that depth to pull off the upset tonight and in this series because Oklahoma City has the defensive personnel to limit both Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. That is why I am looking at Andrew Nembhard in Game 1.
Nembhard is averaging 12.8 points per game this postseason, nearly three points more than his regular season average. He has scored 11 points in 10 of 16 games this postseason. Nembhard struggled to shoot at times in the Eastern Conference Finals, but closed it with 14 points to help the Pacers advance. He also had a big assignment defending Jalen Brunson.
Nembhard will have another in this series if he is matched up with Canadian National teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He seems to relish the opportunity to match up with SGA because he has scored at least 14 points in five of his last six games against the Thunder. That includes 23 and 16 points in the two meetings this season.
Nembhard is averaging 33.2 minutes per game this postseason, third-most on the team behind Siakam and Haliburton. If he gets 30 minute tonight, he will have ample opportunity to score 11 points. He is also +245 on Fanatics for 15 points.
Pick: Andrew Nembhard Over 10.5 Points (-130)
| | | | |
Pacers vs. Thunder
This has been a one-directional over market so far, opening at 229.5 and climbing up to 231 at some books.
