Indiana Pacers,Oklahoma City Thunder Enter NBA Finals With Key Injuries

The 2025 NBA Finals tip off Thursday night with the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Indiana Pacers in Game 1. The Thunder enter the series healthy except for redshirt rookie Nikola Topic, who remains out for the season with a torn ACL, while the Pacers will miss Jarace Walker due to a right ankle sprain and Isaiah Jackson with a torn Achilles, with Tony Bradley listed as questionable but expected to play. The Thunder, who finished with a franchise-best 68-14 regular-season record, are heavily favored and have dominated the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-4 record, whereas the Pacers are the underdogs despite a perfect 12-0 postseason record when scoring 110 or more points. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, viewed as key to any upset hopes, must be aggressive and the best player on the court for Indiana to challenge the Thunder, according to ESPN analysts. The contrasting defensive strength of Oklahoma City versus Indiana's offense is expected to determine whether the series will be brief or an instant classic. Both teams have had rest days to prepare for Game 2 on Sunday as they aim to gain early momentum in the finals.