It’s NBA Rivals Week, and one of the marquee matchups on the slate is Friday night’s showdown between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, a rematch of last season’s seven-game Finals that the Thunder ultimately won.
The intensity from that Finals series spilled into the current season, as the teams’ first meeting in October 2025, which doubled as Indiana’s season opener, required two overtime periods before Oklahoma City escaped with a 141-135 victory.
Here’s a preview of this game, scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET tipoff.
Pacers vs Thunder Odds
Moneyline: Pacers (+850) vs Thunder (1450)
Spread: Pacers +16.5 (-110) vs Thunder -16.5 (-110)
Total (O/U): Pacers o226.5 (-110) vs Thunder u226.5 (-110)
Editor’s note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Pacers vs Thunder Preview and Prediction
Preview
The intensity of this matchup has taken a hit, particularly with the Pacers enduring a down season following Tyrese Haliburton’s torn ACL and lengthy injury reports impacting both teams. In addition to Haliburton, Obi Toppin and Bennedict Mathurin, two key contributors from Indiana’s playoff run last year, are sidelined, while the Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso and breakout sophomore Ajay Mitchell.
Indiana enters the game on a three-game losing streak, though that skid follows a strong stretch earlier in January in which the Pacers won four of five games, including a three-game winning streak against competitive Eastern Conference teams in Charlotte, Miami and Boston.
Without Haliburton, however, the Pacers have struggled significantly, ranking at the bottom of the league in field-goal percentage and among the poorest teams in rebounding and assists.
That contrasts sharply with the Thunder, who have carried over their defensive dominance from last season despite injuries thinning their lineup. A major reason for that success is the continued excellence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In his most recent outing, a 122-102 win over the Bucks, he scored 40 points and dished out 11 assists while shooting 16 of 19.
The reigning MVP, who is averaging 32.0 points, 6.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds this season, has also benefited from strong support from Chet Holmgren, who is posting 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game for the defending champions.
Prediction
While the Thunder are missing two starters, the Pacers are without their identity. Indiana’s frontcourt does not present a serious challenge to Oklahoma City’s interior, even with Hartenstein out, and the Pacers’ backcourt is no longer the same unit that powered last season’s Finals run. With defenders like Lu Dort and Cason Wallace, the Thunder should be able to disrupt Indiana’s offense and control the game.
Our prediction: Thunder win by 22.
Pacers vs Thunder Player Props
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander O/U 32.5 points – Take the over.
- Chet Holmgren O/U 18.5 points – Take the over.
- Pascal Siakam O/U 21.5 points – Take the over.
- Andrew Nembhard O/U 14.5 points – Take the over.
