Pivotal NBA Finals Game 2: All Eyes on Thunder's Response
The Oklahoma City Thunder walked into the 2025 NBA Finals with swagger. Fresh from a league-best 68-win season and riding high on MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s electric year, their championship outlook seemed set. But basketball has a knack for upending expectations. Game 1 offered a gut-punch for Thunder fans — and a rush of adrenaline for the Indiana Pacers. Down double digits with the clock winding down, Indiana rallied behind Tyrese Haliburton’s fearless play, capped by a heart-pounding buzzer-beater that silenced the Paycom Center.
Now, the Thunder find themselves staring at a must-win situation in Game 2. They’re heavy favorites again — 11.5 points, according to DraftKings — but confidence has become fragile. The tip-off is slated for Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. ET, with ABC carrying the broadcast and streaming options on fuboTV for those glued to every moment. The stakes? Enormous. Oklahoma City is desperate to avoid sinking into an 0-2 hole before the Finals shift to Indiana next week.
If you’re tracking betting odds, there’s a clear message: oddsmakers still trust the Thunder. Moneyline odds sit at -581 for OKC, a stark contrast to Indiana’s +424. But here’s the twist — Indiana has now taken nine of their last thirteen from OKC, including pivotal battles in recent playoff meetings. That history isn’t lost on anyone inside the Pacers locker room, or their growing bandwagon of believers.
At the center of the drama is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The newly crowned MVP faces huge expectations, especially after Game 1’s collapse. Will he single-handedly steady the ship and spark his team to tie the series? Or will Haliburton, whose nerve has now become stuff of legend in Indianapolis, keep rolling with another signature Finals moment? OKC’s recent dominance at home (6-1 over their last seven games, 18-1 against the East) gets put to a real test against a Pacers squad thriving as underdogs.
- Game 2 Date/Time: Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
- Watch On: ABC (TV), fuboTV (streaming)
- Point Spread: Thunder -11.5 (DraftKings)
- Over/Under: 228.5 points
For Indiana, momentum is their weapon. Their Game 1 win wasn’t just another blip; it was their ninth victory over OKC in the last thirteen tries. Haliburton isn’t alone—Indiana’s second unit continues to give them a boost, especially in crunch time. Even as heavy underdogs, the Pacers don’t seem rattled. They’re treating every night like it’s their shot at history.
For the Thunder, the message is clear: steady the nerves, avoid careless turnovers, and unleash the offensive firepower that made them the West’s top seed. Missing another opportunity at home is unthinkable for a group with so much riding on this run. If they want to stop the bleeding, it has to start with a defensive stand and sharper execution under pressure—especially with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge.
