Category: Basketball

This past week in the WNBA was defined by some standout performances by some of the league’s brightest stars. Angel Reese picked up her first-ever triple-double in the Sky’s 78-66 win over the Sun on Sunday, and last week featured a multitudinous amount of 30-pieces put up by eight different players. Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jackie Young all scored 30 or more points for their respective teams.

But before I dive into the games to pay attention to, which include games of consequence for the Commissioner's Cup Final, I want to provide an explanation of assorted contracts which include hardship and rest-of-season (ROS) contracts. These are types of contracts which have popped up frequently in the league since the month of June began as many more injuries and overseas commitments (namely the EuroBasket qualifiers) have impacted rosters throughout the league.

It’s vital to understand what these contracts are especially when managing fantasy teams, and when players who didn’t begin the regular season on rosters begin playing games. From May 20 through June 17, WNBA teams have signed a total of 12 different assorted contracts.

Especially with three different assorted contracts signed on Tuesday including Grace Berger signing with the Sparks, and Haley Jones and Kaila Charles signing with the Wings, some of these players will see meaningful minutes.

What are hardship contracts?

Hardship contracts are the path that most teams take when players on roster are injured or otherwise unable to play for an extended period of time. In the WNBA there currently isn’t a mechanism like an injured reserve or injured list like in the NFL or MLB which allows for teams to open up additional roster spots.

But what if a team doesn’t have enough salary cap or roster space to be able to sign a player to fill the gap?

Instead, the WNBA requires that teams have 10 healthy players able to play, and if a team does not, then a general manager or executive is able to sign a free agent player who can suit up so the team has at least 10 available players to play in a game. This is called an emergency hardship.

That was what happened in Indiana when Aari McDonald joined the Fever roster on an emergency hardship when both Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark weren’t available to play for around two weeks. Because of the amount of high paid veteran contracts that the Fever signed during the offseason, Indiana only began the season with 11 players on their roster. That made the Fever eligible for an emergency hardship since they only had nine available players and they went over the salary cap with the league’s assistance.

Once Cunningham and Clark were deemed available to play on Saturday, McDonald was required to be released from her emergency hardship contract, and she became a free agent. The Fever could re-sign her down the line, but they’d have to wait 10 days and waive one of their 11 players according to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Also, they would have to hope that McDonald doesn’t decide to go elsewhere.

Standard hardships are used when teams have two players out because of injury, illness or other personal reasons for at least three weeks, and the team doesn’t have enough salary cap space to be able to sign a hardship. A team can sign a standard hardship even when they have 10 players available.

Both the emergency and standard hardships primarily focus on teams that need salary cap relief to be allowed to sign these players. In cases where the team has the necessary salary cap but not the roster space, there is a roster hardship rule defined outside of the CBA.

A recent example of this was Haley Jones’ short stint for the Phoenix Mercury when Natasha Mack and Kahleah Copper were both unable to play for an extended period of time. This was in addition to an injury that Alyssa Thomas was working through. The Mercury had the space in the salary cap to sign a player, but they had the maximum of 12 players. Jones had to be waived right before Mack returned to play, even though Copper was still rehabbing.

The money that is paid for any hardshipcontract comes out of the team’s salary cap, and the salary the player receives is a prorated amount of their base salary dependent on when the contract is signed and the type of hardship signed.

What are rest of season (ROS) contracts?

A team that is also dealing with a lot of roster turnover is the Golden State Valkyries.

They have signed a lot of new players since Cecilia Zandalasini, Temi Fagbenle, Janelle Salaün and Julie Vanloo all left for the EuroBasket continental championship tournament. These players aren’t on hardship contracts but instead are on ROS contracts.

The reason for this is because all of these players going to EuroBasket were temporarily suspended, which means they now do not count against Golden State’s 12-player roster. None of these players were injured to be clear, and as a result a lot of roster room opens up for a team where the salary cap is a distant concern. The Valkyries can just choose to sign players until Zandalasini, Fagbenle, Salaün and Vanloo return.

That’s exactly the reason for recently-signed WNBA veteran Aerial Powers, and previous Golden State training camp players Kaitlyn Chen and Chloe Bibby.

What future lies ahead for some of these players?

For players signed recently by Golden State, there probably won’t be many opportunities to remain on the Valkyries as Golden State seemed quite content with that foursome of players before they all jetted off to Europe.

But for a player like McDonald, who made an impression during the Fever’s time of need, there's considerable appeal for teams who have a lot of injured players and could use a stable point guard. With enough cap space, a team could wait 10 days to sign her to a standard contract.

Now for Jones, who just signed an emergency hardship following the announcement of Maddy Siegrist being out indefinitely for the Wings, there’s much more of an opportunity to contribute.

After the mid-season cut-down date on July 13, teams can sign players to seven-day contracts instead of rest of the season contracts, which are a “more flexible” alternative to teams that don’t have a ton of cap space. A player can sign at most three seven-day contracts with any one team each season before either that player is waived or that player joins on a ROS contract.

The Week Ahead

Now back to the present. Commissioner’s Cup games officially end on Tuesday night. I will address the multiple scenarios that allow teams to clinch a spot in the finals below. Once the cup games are over, we return to regularly scheduled programming with a bunch of other interesting regular season matchups to watch.

Atlanta Dream @ New York Liberty

(Tuesday June 17 at 7 p.m. et on League Pass)

The Dream and the Liberty face off for the first time of the 2025 season with a lot on the line. If Atlanta defeats the defending champs, the Dream clinch their first Commissioner’s Cup Final berth in franchise history. If the Liberty get back on track after their 102-88 loss on the road to the Fever, it’s up to Indiana to decide who advances to the Cup Final. If the Fever defeat the Connecticut Sun at home on Tuesday night— and any other outcome would be shocking— Indiana earns their first appearance in the Commissioner’s Cup Final. But back to the Dream and the Liberty: regardless of the Commissioner’s Cup implications, this is a battle between the first (New York) and the third (Atlanta) best offenses in the league. While many fans have been clamoring for the highly anticipated first WNBA Finals rematch between the Liberty and the Lynx on July 30, Dream vs. Liberty could deliver a similar competitiveness and high octane play.

Las Vegas Aces @ Minnesota Lynx

(Tuesday June 17 at 8 p.m. ET on League Pass)

To clinch their spot in the Commissioner's Cup Final, all the Lynx have to do is defeat the Aces on their home court. Minnesota can also clinch with a Storm loss to the Sparks. On paper this might not appear to be a game to keep an eye on especially when A’ja Wilson will be missing her third game in a row while she is in concussion protocol following a hit to the head during the Aces’ June 11 game against the Sparks. This game is simply worth watching to see how the Aces continue to put their offense and defense together without Wilson on the floor. Aces newcomer Jewell Loyd has had her two best offensive and most efficient performances during Wilson’s absence. Can she keep this going? Or will the Lynx and Napheesa Collier go off as they did against the Sparks on Saturday? The Lynx have shown complacency in spurts during the 2025 season so far, and the Aces are incredibly well-versed at playing spoiler (see Game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals).

Phoenix Mercury @ New York Liberty

(Thursday June 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Prime Video)

Kahleah Copper made her return to the court on Sunday afternoon against the Aces after being sidelined for a month following a left knee arthroscopy on May 18. She scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting in her 18-minute regular season debut and elevated the Mercury to their eighth win of the season. But how does the Mercury’s big three of Copper, Satou Sabally, and Alyssa Thomas face off against the defending champions in the Liberty? Thomas has previously struggled to defeat the Liberty’s big three in Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones during Thomas’ final two seasons playing in Connecticut finishing with a 2-11 record against the Liberty trio in two seasons. But how does Thomas do against New York with a very different looking supporting cast?

Indiana Fever @ Golden State Valkyries

(Thursday June 19 at 10 p.m. ET on Prime video)

Contrary to popular belief, it is the Golden State Valkyries who lead the WNBA in average attendance rather than the Indiana Fever. While the Fever’s 2025 marketing campaign was created around this idea that the Fever’s “road games sound like home games,” the loyal fanbase in the Bay Area might challenge that notion. In five home games at Chase Center, the Valkyries have eclipsed 18,000 people each time. Expect Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase’s well coached and defensively pesky squad to be ready to annoy the Fever’s offense and turn them over. The Fever will be flying cross country and changing time zones after they play the Sun, a team with the worst net rating, defensive and offensive ratings in the league.

Washington Mystics @ Atlanta Dream

(Friday June 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ION)

The Dream crushed the Mystics by over 30 points on June 15 on a monster performance from Allisha Gray where she shot 10-for-14 from the field including six made threes. It simply looked like she just couldn’t miss. The Mystics, while one of the youngest teams in the league, are a quite prideful bunch, and that begins with veteran and free throw drawing machine Brittney Sykes who only scored 9 points on 2-for-10 shooting and just five free throws made. Similar to how the Mystics played the Liberty a second time on June 5 after being blown out by also over 30 points the first time on May 30, I expect the second regular season matchup to be much more competitive.

OKLAHOMA CITY —Tyrese Haliburton was clearly slowed as he played through the aggravation of a calf issue during Game 5 of the NBA Finals Monday night — four points on 0-of-6 shooting, his first bucketless game of the playoffs.

Now comes a report that Haliburton has been diagnosed with a calf strain and will undergo an MRI, via Shams Charania of ESPN.

"Once the Pacers and Haliburton get the results back on this MRI, on that calf strain, they're going to be able to identify the severity and then huddle and map out exactly what the plan will be going into Game 6," Charania said on the network.

If this were the regular season, Haliburton likely would be out 7-10 days (the standard recovery time for a Grade 1 strain), partially to protect him from himself. Calf strains can become a much more severe injury if the muscle is not allowed to heal properly. However, Thursday night is Game 6 of the NBA Finals and Haliburton said he intends to play.

"It's the Finals, man," Haliburton said. "I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play [in Game 6]. If I can walk, then I want to play."

"He's a fighter. He's been our rock all year," Pascal Siakam said of Haliburton after Game 5. "He's a big reason why we're here. I don't know exactly what's wrong, but I know he's fighting and he's going to give us everything he's got. We are a hundred percent behind him and we support him.

"I think one thing he showed, his resiliency. He showed that all year. I think that we can continue to count on him to keep fighting. I admire that from him, just because I know that it's hard. We've got a couple of days. Take care of our bodies, rest well and be ready for Game 6."

The Pacers are going to need more from Haliburton in Game 6 to extend their season. Without him playing like an All-NBA guard, the Pacers' offense is not the same threat, especially in the face of the swarming Oklahoma City defense. This has been a Finals relatively free of injury talk, both teams had been healthy, but that has changed.

Haliburton's calf and how he plays will be the thing to watch in Game 6. Whatever the MRI finds.

Less than a week before the NBA Draft and trade talk is ramping up fast. Here is a breakdown of some of the hot rumors, with a focus on Kevin Durant talks.

Durant wants Spurs, Suns make no promises

Kevin Durant is a hooper — he just wants to play basketball. You know all the focus on where he plays and his trade value can't thrill him, but here we are. His trade is the next major domino to fall this offseason. With so much going on, let's break it down point by point.

• Durant wants Spurs. While there are three teams Durant reportedly is open to signing an extension with — Miami, Houston, and San Antonio — it's playing for the Spurs alongside Victor Wembanyama that he most wants, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski. There's a logical fit there: Durant playing between Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox speeds up the timeline and instantly vaults the Spurs to the top tier in the West, making them a real threat.

Except that may not be what the Spurs want. San Antonio is going to draft Dylan Harper No. 2 and, if he is the future All-Star (and maybe more) many scouts believe he can be, the best move for a patient franchise may be to focus on Harper and Wembanyama and the core, maybe trading Fox in the next year for a wing player, and build that way with youth. San Antonio appears to be thinking that way, with trade offers centered around the No. 14 pick and Devin Vassell at best, which reportedly have not thrilled the Suns.

• Phoenix trying to find better offers. The Suns are working with Durant's longtime business partner and agent, Rich Kleiman, to find a deal that works for both parties. So far, that trade has yet to emerge. Phoenix is checking around the league to find better offers than the ones they consider lowball from the Spurs and Rockets (a Jabari Smith-based trade). The best Miami can offer is one centered around Andrew Wiggins and/or Duncan Robinson, and that's not going to be enough for Phoenix.

• Suns, Timberwolves hope Durant changes mind. Minnesota has genuine interest in a Durant trade — he is Anthony Edwards' idol, and he could help get them over the top — but Durant has no interest in going there.

Phoenix is not looking to tear it down and rebuild, they want to retool fast and win with a Devin Booker-based team, and a trade with Minnesota would be based around Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle, with maybe someone such as Donte DiVincenzo mixed in — that is closer to the kind of haul the Suns want (even though they realize they are not going to get back what they gave up to land Durant in the first place). The problem is that Durant wants no part of this, something ESPN’s Sham Charania reported.

"I'm told Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota with the Timberwolves. So how does that shape how the Minnesota Timberwolves and other teams that could have interest?"

• Suns prioritizing return, not Durant's wishes. In an ideal world, the desires of Durant, the Suns, and a third team would all line up in a trade that would make everybody happy. That seems less and less likely, and when push comes to shove the Suns will focus on what's best for them, something Marc Stein reported at his The Stein Line Substack, and Amick and Krawczynski echoed at The Athletic.

"The Suns have made it clear to Durant's camp that they need to prioritize the best return for the team in a deal. What's more, they appear focused on landing the kind of impact players who can help now as opposed to prioritizing draft picks."

• Knicks were not interested in Durant. Kevin Durant was open to a trade to the Knicks this summer, but the Knicks had no desire to land Durant, reports ESPN’s Marc Spears.

"KD wanted the New York Knicks. He wanted to go there. The Knicks have no interest in bringing him in."

Grizzlies not trading Morant, Jackson

In the wake of the Desmond Bane trade and all the draft picks that poured back into Memphis, speculation arose both in league circles and among fans that this could mark the start of a tear-down and rebuild for the Grizzlies.

That is not the case, the Grizzlies have shot down overtures about either Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr., a league source told NBC Sports. That echoes other reporting, specifically at ESPN, that Memphis is looking to retool around Morant and re-sign Jackson.

Don't bet on the Grizzlies trading away another star.

Heat, Bulls on Kuminga watch?

If the Heat can't land Giannis Antetokounmpo (not currently available) or Kevin Durant, would they pivot to a sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga? Would the Bulls want to pair Kuminga with Josh Giddey? HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the Heat and Bulls "are two teams to monitor as potential sign-and-trade candidates."
Monitor, sure, but I'm not sure there's a trade to be made. Would the Heat move on from Andrew Wiggins and send him back to the Bay for Kuminga (would the Warriors want him back?). The sign-and-trade market for Kuminga is quiet right now, but Scotto is right that a team or teams may pivot on that front after the opening of free agency doesn't go as they hope.

Gary Harris, Cory Joseph become free agents

Speaking of fallout from the Desmond Bane trade, the Orlando Magic have declined the team options for Gary Harris and Corey Joseph for next season, according to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype. Both become free agents.

No market for Issac Okoro

While the focus outside Cleveland has been on the blockbuster trade ideas (usually based around Darius Garland, who the Cavs don't really want to trade), the franchise itself has had other priorities. Like trying to find a new home for wing Isaac Okoro, but that's not going well, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

"From everything that I'm told they're having a hard time finding anybody that has legitimate interest in Isaac Okoro, unless Isaac also comes with some kind of sweetener from the Cavs."

Okoro averaged 6.1 points a game in 55 games for the Cavaliers last season, and he has two years and $22.8 million remaining on his contract. Other teams are not going to take that on based on the hope he might be a better fit with them.

Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals takes place this Thursday, June 19, in Indianapolis as Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers host Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tip-off is at 8:30 PM ET on ABC.

RELATED:No Pacers comeback this time, Thunder take 3-2 Finals lead with Game 5 win on night Haliburton hobbled

The Thunder are just one win away from winning their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. OKC defeated Indiana 120-109 on Monday night, securing a 3-2 series lead.

Jalen Williams led the scoring for Oklahoma City with a playoff career-high 40 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists.

"[My performance] is something that I'll look back on later, [rather] than worry about what kind of statement it makes," said Williams. "The only statement we have right now is we're up 3-2. We still have to go earn another win."

"There's a lot of room for growth, but I thought our improvement from Game 4 to 5 was critical, and we're going to need a similar kind of approach," said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. "We have to take the humility to understand there's still a lot we can get better at if we want to go on the road and win a game."

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers in scoring with 28 points, while T.J. McConnell added 18 points — 13 of which came in the third quarter. But the Pacers struggled, as Haliburton, dealing with a calf injury, finished with just 4 points, going 0-of-6 shooting. The All-Star guard appeared to re-aggravate the injury early in the first quarter.

“He’s not a hundred percent. It’s pretty clear,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he’s not a hundred percent.”

“I was not great tonight by any means, but it’s not really a thought of mine to not play [in Game 6],” Haliburton said. “If I can walk, then I want to play. They understand that. And it is what it is. Got to be ready to go for Game 6.”

RELATED:Tyrese Haliburton hobbled through Game 5, Pacers need more in Game 6 to keep season alive

How much does home-court advantage matter to players in the NBA Finals?

Indiana fed off the crowd during its Game 3 win, but players will say the advantage is more about the comfort of routines at home.

• Kurt Helin,

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 6:

• Date: Thursday, June 19
• Time: 8:30 PM ET
• Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
• TV Channel: ABC

Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview: 2025 NBA Finals prediction, schedule, who to watch

The Thunder come in as heavy favorites, but we also have some best bets to consider this series.

• Kurt Helin,

When is Game 6 of the NBA Finals?

Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 PM ET on ABC.

What channel is the Thunder vs Pacers game on?

The Thunder vs Pacers series will take place on ABC.

Thunder vs Pacers Series Scores and Schedule:

*All times listed are ET  (* = if necessary)

• Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
• Game 2:Thunder 123, Pacers 107
• Game 3:Pacers 116, Thunder 107
• Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104
• Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109
• Game 6: Thunder at Pacers - Thu. June 19, 8:30 PM on ABC*
• Game 7: Pacers at Thunder - Sun, June 22, 8 PM on ABC*

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for each game of the Thunder vs Pacers series!

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Path to the NBA Finals:

The Thunder are seeking their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the franchise reached the Finals was in 2012, dropping their series against LeBron James' Miami Heat in 5. Here is how they advanced to the NBA Finals:

Oklahoma City swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round, eliminated the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in 7 in the Conference Semifinals, and defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 in the Western Conference Finals.

RELATED:Times, they are a changin’ - Thunder vs. Pacers Finals highlights generational change sweeping NBA

Indiana Pacers’ Path to the NBA Finals:

The Indiana Pacers are seeking their first NBA title. The team's last Finals appearance was in 2000, when they lost to the Lakers in 6. Here is the team's path to the Finals:

Indiana eliminated the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games, before knocking out the No. 6 New York Knicks in 6 to advance to the Finals.

Head to nbcsports.com/nba for the latest news, updates, and storylines!

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jason Williams' forceful, epic Game 5 did not start out looking like that at all. He struggled to create his own shot at the outset of the night, and while he had a few dunks, he missed a couple of floaters (one from each side of the basket) and a couple of midrange shots in the first quarter.

That didn't faze Williams, he had been there before — he started the season with some rough patches, but he also knew he put in the work to improve.

"There's times earlier in the season where he had some ugly plays, ugly games, trying to establish the type force you saw tonight," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "I complimented him back then. But he's trying to make an All-Star team. He's an All-NBA player this season... The way that you accomplish your goals and become the player you're going to be is by improving."

"I'm extremely fortunate that I have a coach and a staff and teammates that allow me to have those ugly plays during the year and figure out my game," Williams said. "I think right now it's paid off, to be honest. Just like, I understand the level of physicality I have to do in order to be good. Yeah, like I said, I'm just extremely fortunate that I have a coach that allowed me to go through that process of figuring out what I'm good at and just like what I need to do in order to be successful."

That improvement paid off with a 40-point night in the biggest game of the year and it has Williams and the Thunder on the doorstep of an NBA title.

The biggest question the Thunder faced entering the playoffs was whether Williams (and Chet Holmgren) would be able to step up and be the secondary scorer the Thunder needed alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. A year ago, Williams was not fully ready for that role.

He is now. Williams was the best player on the floor in Game 5.

After that slow start Monday night, Williams found his footing by working hard off the ball to get his opportunities — there were a couple of second-quarter back cuts that got him buckets and that got him going. Over the course of these Finals, Williams has become increasingly adept at exploiting the Pacers' defensive focus on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against them — when the Pacers start to slide help to Andrew Nembhard to keep SGA from making a play, Williams is using that space to make his own play. He's also a beast in isolation and the Pacers have nobody who can stop him from getting to the rim. Williams has found his confidence and his rhythm and has become a force the Pacers could not tame.

It wasn't just Williams celebrating that, it was his teammates.

"He's one of those guys that you want to see succeed, especially when you know him personally," Chet Holmgren said of Williams. "You want to root for him. You want him to do good just because he shows up every single day, does the right things. He's a good guy off the court, treats everybody well. He's always respectful. He works really hard. You want to see it pay off for him. We saw it tonight. Not only tonight. We don't get here without him playing as good as he's playing. So, we got to make sure he gets his credit, gets his flowers."

"He was, like, really gutsy tonight," said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who added 31 points and 10 assists in OKC's win. "He stepped into big plays. Felt like every time we needed a shot, he made it. He wasn't afraid. He was fearless tonight."

A sign of how fearless Williams played was how he attacked the rim, as he made 16 of his 25 shots in the paint, plus getting to the free throw line 12 times. When asked about how J-Dub played, Daigneault used two words.

"Great force," Daigneault said. "I mean, that's the word. We've used that word with him in his development. When he's at his best he's playing with that type of force. That was an unbelievable performance by him, just throughout the whole game. He really was on the gas the entire night. Applied a ton of pressure."

"I think the playing with force, yes, it puts pressure on officials to make a call," Williams said. "At the same time, like halfway through the year, this was part of me and Mark talking about what it's going to take. I was figuring out my game a lot of it was not just looking for a foul, being able to finish through contact. From there, if you finish through contact and make the shot, you don't really need the foul. That's kind of the way I've been approaching it. Being aggressive, getting to the rim, playing through a lot of the contact."

He played through a lot of contact in Game 5. If J-Dub can play with that same force on the road in Game 6, Oklahoma City could be celebrating a title on the Pacers' home court.

On Thursday, June 19, the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) and Indiana Pacers (50-32) are all set to square off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The Thunder won Game 5 at home, 120-109, with Jalen Williams going off for 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted a 31-point and 10 assist double-double.

Tyrese Haliburton was dealing with a calf injury that limited him to 4 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists over 34 minutes, while Pascal Siakam recorded 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. TJ McConnell was the impact player off the bench for the Pacers with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 22 minutes.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Thunder vs. Pacers live today

• Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
• Time: 8:30PM EST
• Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• City: Indianapolis, IN
• Network/Streaming: ABC / ESPN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Thunder vs. Pacers

The latest odds as of Thursday:

• Odds: Thunder -205, Pacers +170
• Spread: Thunder -5
• Over/Under: 225.0 points

That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 114.5, and the Pacers 110.5.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Thunder vs. Pacers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the value on Jalen Williams for Finals MVP (+700) and Pascal Siakam (+1300):

"During Game 5 in the third quarter, I sniped Jalen Williams at +2700 to win NBA Finals MVP and after his 40-point night concluded, his odds have dropped to +700 to +900 at most shops. Over the last three games, Williams has averaged 31.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 50/40/79 shooting splits.

If the Pacers win Game 6 and 7, then Pascal Siakam is the best bet to win Finals MVP. Much like the Eastern Conference Finals, Siakam is the best overall and most consistent player for the Pacers. Siakam just hasn't had the game winners like Tyrese Haliuburton to boost his popularity."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Thunder & Pacers game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oklahoma City Thunder at -5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.0

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Thunder vs. Pacers on Thursday

• Oklahoma City is 0-1 in. Game 6's this postseason and 0-2 dating back to last year.
• Indiana is 1-0 this postseason in Game 6's and 3-0 in series clinching games
• Pascal Siakam is 5-0 to the Over on his points prop in the NBA Finals
• TJ McConnell is 5-0 to the Over on his points prop in the NBA Finals
• Jalen Williams is 3-0 to the Under on his assists prop in the last three NBA Finals games
• Chet Holmgren is 3-0 to the Over on his rebounds prop in the last three NBA Finals games
• Tyrese Haliburton is 4-1 to the Under on his points prop in the NBA Finals
• Isaiah Hartenstein is 4-1 to the Under on his points prop in the NBA Finals (4-0 in the last four)

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Tyrese Haliburton is going to play in Game 6.

"It's the Finals, man," Haliburton said. "I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates any way I can."

If Indiana is going to win that game and give itself a chance in a Game 7, it will need more from the orchestrator of its offense than it got Monday night: four points on 0-of-6 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists with three turnovers. While Pascal Siakam and T.J. McConnell had great games to keep the Pacers within striking distance of the Thunder, the Pacers could not get over the hump without a burst from Haliburton.

"I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play [in Game 6]," Haliburton said. "If I can walk, then I want to play. They understand that. And it is what it is. Got to be ready to go for Game 6."

Haliburton was slowed after he tweaked his left calf, which was reported during the broadcast as "calf tightness," and he said postgame that the issue was in the same area that had him limping slightly after Game 2. Haliburton slipped on a first-quarter drive and appeared to aggravate that calf injury. He left the game, went back to the locker room, but returned to the game about five minutes later and played 34 minutes.

However, Haliburton wasn't the same after aggravation. While he moved fairly well, he could not push off and accelerate a drive with that leg the rest of the night. By the fourth quarter, Alex Caruso started to shade his coverage, forcing Haliburton in a direction where he could not accelerate enough to get separation.

If this were the regular season, Haliburton likely would miss a game or two as a precaution, just because aggravated calf issues can lead to much worse injuries if the muscle is weakened. But this is the NBA Finals, the calculations are different.

"He's not a hundred percent. It's pretty clear," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "But I don't think he's going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he's not a hundred percent."

Carisle also said the Pacers' medical team would evaluate how Haliburton is feeling Tuesday morning. However, Haliburton was not limping when walking around postgame, a very good sign with a couple of days off and plenty of time to get treatment.

His teammates know they can count on Haliburton.

"He's a fighter. He's been our rock all year," Pascal Siakam said. "He's a big reason why we're here. I don't know exactly what's wrong, but I know he's fighting and he's going to give us everything he's got. We are a hundred percent behind him and we support him.

"I think one thing he showed, his resiliency. He showed that all year. I think that we can continue to count on him to keep fighting. I admire that from him, just because I know that it's hard. We've got a couple of days. Take care of our bodies, rest well and be ready for Game 6."

The Pacers will need that resiliency in Game 6, because their season is on the line.

OKLAHOMA CITY — For three and a half quarters, Game 5 had some Game 1 vibes. Oklahoma City was the better, more aggressive team; their defense was smothering, and they rediscovered their 3-point shot. Still, the Thunder could not pull away, and while the lead reached 18 at one point in the second quarter, the Pacers just kept hanging around within striking distance.

Then, behind an epic T.J. McConnell 13-point quarter, the Pacers cut the lead to two in the third and waves of concern washed over the Paycom Center. Thunder fans had seen this movie before and did not enjoy the ending.

Two things kept this from being Game 1.

First, Tyrese Haliburton tweaked his calf in the first half and was not the player who could cap off a comeback. Haliburton slipped on a second-quarter drive and appeared to aggravate his left calf, the same one that had him limping slightly after Game 2. He left the game, went back to the locker room, came out about five minutes later and eventually returned to the court, playing 34 minutes on the night. Still, after he came back, it looked like he had trouble pushing off with his right leg.

"He's not 100%, it's pretty clear," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. "But I don't think he's going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he's not 100%."

Haliburton was not limping after the game, walking into his press conference.

"It's the Finals, man. I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete," Haliburton said. "Help my teammates any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play."

Haliburton said this injury, whatever the medical definition, was in the same spot as the injury he suffered in Game 2, but he didn't know if they were related. They likely are. Indiana will need more out of him come Game 6 on Thursday. Haliburton finished the night with four points on 0-of-6 shooting, all his points came from the free throw line.

The second reason Game 5 was not a redo of Game 1: This was Jalen Williams' best game of the playoffs. The Thunder's No. 2 option was their best player Monday night, scoring 40 points.

The result was a 120-109 Oklahoma City win that has the Thunder one win away from their first championship (we're not counting the Seattle one in these parts). Indiana heads home for a must-win Game 6 on Thursday back in Indianapolis.

Indiana may need more Haliburton in that game, but it also needs to take better care of the ball — Indiana had 23 turnovers that led to 32 Oklahoma City points.

"That's the game. We've got to do a heck of a lot better there," Carlisle said.

The Pacers did get a lift from Pascal Siakam, who scored 28 and took over Indy's scoring in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of their first 12.

"I think we didn't make the necessary plays at the right time," Siakam said of the Pacers' offense in the clutch. "Some rebounding or turnovers there that they converted into buckets. They made some tough shots. Tough shots after tough shots in those moments. We weren't able to get anything really going offensively at that point."

Oklahoma City got another big night from their MVP, who scored 31 points with 10 assists, and he got to the line 14 times.

This felt like the Thunder's night from the start. OKC came out and forced four quick turnovers that became six points, and they started out shooting 8-of-8 at the rim, plus on top of all that their defensive rotations are sharp. All of that pushed the Thunder out to a 10-point lead midway through the first. Those trends continued for much of the first, but that Game 1 vibe was alive early as the Thunder could not pull away. The Pacers made some plays, the Thunder missed some shots, and it was a 10-point OKC lead, 32-22, after one quarter.

The second quarter continued the trend of the Thunder looking like the better team, largely due to their ability to drive to the rim — scoring 22 first-half points in the paint — which led to kick-out open 3s. The Thunder shot 8-of-17 from 3 in the first half of Game 5, one game after going 3-of-16 in all of Game 4.

Then there was the OKC defense. The best sign of how well the Thunder were locking up the Pacers was not the turnovers: The average Pacers possession took 15.7 seconds in the first half, much longer than they want (usually around 12.5 seconds).

Even with Haliburton not himself, the Pacers were still the Pacers and cut the Thunder lead to seven behind a monster third quarter from T.J. McConnell, who scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the frame.

In the fourth, the Pacers got the lead down to two, but without Haliburton not himself, Indiana couldn't close the deal. The Thunder went on a 21-8 run, and that was the ballgame.

Oklahoma City has a chance to celebrate an NBA championship on their opponent's floor, but if we know one thing, it's that the Pacers will not go away.