The NBA Finals are entering their final phase. Currently, the OKC Thunder lead 3-2, with Game 6 set to take place in Indiana tonight. There are some indications that Tyrese Haliburton might be injured, but he stated that, regardless of his condition, he will play tonight and make no excuses.

From what we’ve seen so far, the Thunder have a slight advantage, and each time, they have had the lead before allowing their rivals to come back, only to have a furious final period when they usually steal the victory.

The Pacers are playing in waves, unlike the Thunder, who have some sort of consistency on the floor. However, that might just be how Rick Carlisle’s team functions and their previous results support this concept.

The Thunder is a solid favorite to win tonight and a huge one to take the Larry O’Brien trophy. For more NBA odds, click here.

OKC Thunder

The No. 1 seed after the regular season scores 114.2 points per game, almost 5 more than the Pacers, and they have 13.4 turnovers per game, five fewer than their rivals.

As expected, the top two players are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with 32.4 points per game, and Jalen Williams, who pours 25.8. He only recently had a 40-point performance, leading the Thunder to a 3-2 series lead, their first in the Finals. Both of these players play good defense, with Shai posting 2.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game and Williams usually sticking to Haliburton and other players from the Pacers’ backcourt.

The x-factor in the series is Alex Caruso, who has 12.2 points with 2.8 steals and an incredibly good defense. We need to admit that the Thunder has certain credit with the refs because on one side, Caruso beats the hell out of his rivals, and on the other, SGA goes to the foul line for a mere contact.

Indiana Pacers

That inconsistency in the Pacers’ performances is evident in Haliburton’s numbers. From 18 points in Game 4 he went to 4 in Game 5. After shooting for three 50% in Game 3, he had 14.3% in Game 4 and 0% in Game 5. so enough said here.

Pascal Siakam is the only constant guy in Indiana because he delivers 20.6 points per game with 7.4 boards. He also has 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks and looks pretty decent on both ends of the floor, yet without too much help, especially on the offensive side in certain moments.

There is always one player who explodes in Indiana, like Toppin or Mathurin, or Haliburton, yet none of these guys are constant, and that’s the main reason why they trail. OKC always has Shai and Williams, plus a third player, such as Holmgren, who typically scores around 10 to 15 points.

OKC Thunder VS Indiana Pacers

Game 6 will be very rocky for the Pacers who won’t have Haliburton at 100%. Additionally, even with him on the floor, they kinda struggle, having more than 18 turnovers per game. Overall, the team relies too heavily on shooting behind the arc, and if they get going, that’s it.

Meanwhile, the Thunder is in much better shape considering their system and all that goes with it. Sure, they may play less appealing basketball, but on the other hand, it is more effective in the long run.

When we consider that SGA has enormous credibility with the refs, we don’t think the Pacers stand a chance of winning the title. This series will probably end tonight.

 

 

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