How Thomas Sorber learned from watching NBA big men
From Jokic to Holmgren, this player breaks down how he studies NBA bigs to sharpen his own skills.
After trailing 2-1 in the NBA Finals, the Thunder are one win away from being crowned as NBA champions.
This comes following back-to-back victories in Games 4 and 5, including a 120-109 win on Monday night in Oklahoma City.
While league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his typical 30+ point performance, it was Jalen Williams who stole the show, scoring a playoff-high 40 points, adding in six rebounds and four assists in the Game 5 win.
It was the complete opposite for Pacers’ star Tyrese Hailburton, who missed all six of his field goal attempts and only scored four points, tied for his lowest output in a single postseason game.
The more concerning part for Haliburton is that he’s believed to have suffered a strained right calf in Game 5 as we await the results of his MRI.
Even if Haliburton’s able to take the floor on Thursday night, he almost certainly won’t be able to be his effective, usual self.
Will the Thunder take care of business and close it out in six games, or can the Pacers with a hobbled Haliburton force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City?
Here are the betting odds, and our betting preview on the spread, total and moneyline prediction for Game 6 between Thunder and Pacers in the NBA Finals:
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, June 19:
Thunder vs. Pacers spread: Thunder -6.5 (-110), Pacers +6.5 (-110)
Given the uncertainty with Haliburton’s status, the oddsmakers still have the Thunder as comfortable road favorites after covering as a 5.5-point favorite in Game 4 in Indiana.
If news comes out that the Pacers All-Star point guard will be forced to miss this elimination game, this line will certainly move in Oklahoma City’s favor and likely make OKC a double digit favorite or higher in Game 6.
After the Pacers magically covered in Game 1 as a 10-point road underdog and won outright 111-110, the spread has been dominated by Thunder.
Oklahoma City is 3-1 against the spread (ATS) in the last four games, covering as 11.5-point favorites in Game 2, 5.5-point favorites in Game 4 and 9.5-point favorites in Game 5.
The only time they failed to was in Game 3 when Indiana won 116-107, covering as 5.5-point home underdogs.
It boils down to if the Thunder win outright then they’ve covered the spread and if the Pacers win they cover since they’ve been underdogs this entire series.
I anticipate that Haliburton will try to play through this injury but ultimately it will limit or force him to leave the game early, therefore the Thunder taking advantage of that absence to control the game against Indiana without its most dynamic playmaker and cover the spread on the road by winning by at least seven points in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Prediction:Â Thunder -6.5 (-110)
Thunder vs. Pacers total: Over 221.5 points (-115), Under 221.5 points (-105)
Even though the first half of Game 5 wasn’t a shootout (both teams under 60 points), the offenses picked up the action in the final 24 minutes, with a total of 125 points scored in the second half, making sure the over cashed for only the second time this series.
There’s always a worry when you have a player of Haliburton’s level not at 100 percent trying to play through injury or ending up missing the game completely.
Will it be Andrew Nembhard or the likes of TJ McConnell, who has been tremendous off the bench for Indiana and scored a postseason high 18 points in Game 5?
Regardless of who potentially fills Haliburton’s role or picks up the offense if he’s limited in any way, I’m betting the total stays under 221.5 points, with a lower scoring affair on deck in Game 6.
Prediction:Â Under 221.5 points (-105)
Thunder vs. Pacers moneyline: Thunder -250 (Bet $250 to win $100), Pacers +200 (Bet $100 to win $200)
There’s no denying just how impressive this Pacers season has been. They were not one of the favorites to even be in this spot. But they pulled off upsets every time in these playoffs whether it was against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the team to beat in the East in the Cleveland Cavaliers or even the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Most prognosticators thought the Thunder could sweep the Pacers or at worst defeat them to five games. Nobody had the Pacers winning Game 1 in Oklahoma City or holding a 2-1 advantage against the team with the best record in the NBA this season.
It truly shows how much Indiana deserves to be in this spot given the valiant effort and ability the organization has shown throughout this entire season.
However, given the injury to Haliburton and the Thunder in control for a large majority of the last two games, the Pacers magical run ends here on their home court, as OKC wins the NBA title in Game 6, with SGA taking home MVP honors for the franchise’s first title in its 17 years as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Prediction: Thunder 113, Pacers 100What time is Thunder vs Pacers Game 6 today?Date:Â Thursday, June 19Time:Â 8:30 p.m.
The best-of-seven NBA Finals heads back to the Hoosier state with Game 6 in Indiana, with tip-off coming shortly after 8:30 p.m. tonight.
What channel is Thunder vs Pacers Game 6 today?
Watch Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals Game 6 live on Fubo
Thunder, Pacers odds to win NBA Finals going into Game 6
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, June 19:
Thunder:Â -2500 (Bet $2500 to win $100)
Pacers:Â +1050 (Bet $100 to win $1050)
Who are the betting favorites to win Finals MVP ahead of Game 6?
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, June 19:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder):Â -600
Jalen Williams (Thunder):Â +625
Pascal Siakam (Pacers):Â 15/1 (+1500)
Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers): 40/1 (+4000)
Alex Caruso (Thunder), Chet Holmgren (Thunder), Andrew Nembhard (Pacers), Myles Turner (Pacers), Aaron Nesmith (Pacers) and TJ McConnell (Pacers): 500/1 (+50000)
Lugentz Dort (Thunder), Cason Wallace (Thunder), Isaiah Hartenstein (Thunder), Obi Toppin (Pacers), Aaron Wiggins (Thunder) and Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers): 1000/1 (+100000)