NBA Finals 2025, Finals, Game 3, Thursday, June 12, 2025, 2:30 a.m.
In Game 2, I hit the nail on the head and, in doing so, cashed in on a first-class sports betting bonus.
Now I want to successfully convert the NEO.bet bonus with my Pacers Thunders tip. All it takes is another gala performance from OKC and some of its key players!
The series is tied at 1-1, but anyone who saw Game 2 knows that the balance of power has shifted. OKC flipped the switch – and they did it with a bang.
After letting Game 1 slip away late, their second outing was a statement: full throttle from start to finish, no weak moments, no doubts. This wasn’t luck or one player getting hot – it was a collective exclamation point.
The defense took the wind out of the Pacers early, Haliburton couldn’t get into his rhythm, and when he tried again in the fourth quarter, the game was long over.
OKC responded to the opening loss with the kind of response only true contenders can deliver.
The impressive thing about it: It wasn’t even an exceptional night for Shai – although 34 points at maximum efficiency is almost standard for him. But what really stuck was what happened around him.
Aaron Wiggins came in and delivered like a starter. Alex Caruso poured in four three-pointers against the Pacers and annoyed them defensively as usual. The bench scored almost 50 points in total – that’s not just a fluke, that’s the depth that makes this team dangerous.
And that’s exactly what they can use to keep the pressure on in Indiana. Because when you get that kind of bench production and Shai continues to play like a Finals MVP, you don’t need a miracle on the road – a solid team performance is enough.
Sure, the Pacers aren’t going to go down without a fight. They’re coming home, they “stole” Game 1, and they can take the series back with two home wins in a row. But that’s exactly the point: it doesn’t feel like they’re taking control.
It seems more like they got the most out of the split in OKC – and now the part they can’t control is starting. Haliburton doesn’t look fit, or at least inhibited, and he’s only aggressive in moments.
If he doesn’t get into the game right away, Indiana simply lacks an offensive engine. And Game 2 clearly showed that Pascal Siakam can’t carry this team on his own for four quarters.
Pacers coach Carlisle even took out the starters at the end – a clear sign that he’s assessing the situation realistically. And what does that mean for Game 3? That the pressure is not only growing, but that it’s also being felt.
OKC is coming into the arena with momentum, and what makes them particularly dangerous is that they’ve learned their lessons. They were behind in the series against Denver, but they responded promptly every time. And now? Now they are in control for the first time.
The Thunder are younger, fresher, more versatile – and they now seem more mentally stable. The Game 2 victory was not a simple “we’re back in it,” it was a statement of intent.
They showed Indiana that they can not only play beautifully, but also dominate ugly – physically, focused, uncompromising.
As for a good Pacers Thunder tip, I’ve found several offers in the NEO.bet program that I’d like to present to you in quick succession.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores a double-double” at odds of around 3.60 is, in my opinion, at least as interesting as the selection “OKC wins the 1st quarter” at around 1.70.
The tip “IND under 110.5 points” at a current win multiplier of 1.94x, on the other hand, is based on the assumption that Oklahoma City will continue to defend excellently in Game 3.
You can already imagine how it might play out: Indiana starts wildly, looking to redeem itself in front of its home crowd, but OKC stays cool, plays with discipline, doesn’t let Haliburton get into the game, and capitalizes on every bit of uncertainty.
At some point, Shai picks up the pace again, Wiggins or Caruso hit their shots – and suddenly OKC has the game under control. It doesn’t have to be another blowout, but it smells like a game where the Thunder never really get into trouble.
Indiana is dangerous when they’re on a roll – but once they fall behind, they often lack a clear answer.
My Pacers Thunder prediction: OKC win.
