Sunday, June 15

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's NBA Finals clash between Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

With everything still to play for, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are back in action at the PayCom Center for Game Five of the 2025 NBA Finals on Tuesday.

The home side battled to level the series at 2-2 with a hard-fought win last time out and now have the opportunity to move within one victory of championship glory.

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Match preview

The hallmark of most great teams is their ability to dig themselves out of seemingly hopeless situations, and the Oklahoma City Thunder definitely exhibited that courtesy of a 111-104 triumph in Saturday's Game Four.

Mark Daigneault's men were facing the prospect of going 3-1 down, having trailed by four points heading into the final three minutes of the clash, during which they went on an incredible 12-1 run to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was far from his best in Game Three, but the reigning MVP rose up to expectations in Game Four with a 35-point display on 50% shooting, while also scoring 15 of his side's final 16 points to break the record for the most clutch points in an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era.

Having now swung the tie back in their favour, the Thunder know they cannot afford another slip-up on home court if they are to avoid going back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Friday's Game Six staring down the barrel of elimination.

En route to victory last time out, Tuesday's hosts set a new NBA record for the most total points scored (12,205) across the same regular season and postseason campaign, surpassing the 2018-19 Warriors (12,161), and OKC will be keen to avoid falling short at the final hurdle like the '19 Warriors.

After winning each of the opening three quarters to take a seven-point lead heading into the final lap, the Indiana Pacers had a glorious chance to put themselves on the cusp of basketball heaven but fell apart at the crucial stage.

Rick Carlisle's men were uncharacteristically cold on offence in the final 12 minutes, where they managed just 17 points, their fewest over the last 50 quarters of play since the second quarter of their Game Three defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

Following his heroic performance in Thursday's 116-107 win, Bennedict Mathurin endured a torrid end to proceedings last time out, as he missed three clutch free throws which would have got the Pacers back in the game and also committed some costly fouls down the stretch.

While the Pacers will undoubtedly be disappointed by how things ended in Game Four, the Eastern Conference champions find themselves in a much better situation than they did after four matches in their last appearance at this level 25 years ago, trailing 3-1 before coming out on top in the fifth encounter to force an eventually decisive Game Six.

Like their hosts, Tuesday's visitors have not suffered consecutive losses in the ongoing playoffs, so the Pacers will fancy themselves to respond in Game Five and take a 3-2 lead back to Indianapolis, where they could potentially close things out.

Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Playoffs form:

Indiana Pacers NBA Playoffs form:

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Team News

 

Jarace Walker is yet to fully recuperate from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the Indiana Pacers since Game Six of their conference final matchup against the New York Knicks.

Meanwhile, Isaiah Jackson remains unavailable for the away side due to a calf problem and is not expected back in action until the start of next season at the earliest.

Nikola Topic is a guaranteed absentee for the Thunder through an anterior cruciate ligament issue which has denied him the opportunity to debut for his current employers since his move from Serbia.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently joined Steph Curry and Luka Doncic as the only point guards in NBA history with 600+ points in a single playoff run and will be looking to deliver the goods once again.

Oklahoma City Thunder possible starting lineup:

Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort; Wallace, Williams; Holmgren

Indiana Pacers possible starting lineup:

Haliburton, Nembhard; Nesmith, Siakam; Turner

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We say: Thunder to win by 7+ points

The Thunder claimed arguably their hardest victory of the playoffs last time out but will know it would have all been for nothing should they lose on Tuesday.

We can see them fending off the threat of their visitors to secure a crunch win in the race for NBA glory.

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