After an exciting six-week journey through the playoffs in both conferences, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are set to clash in the NBA Finals starting Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. This best-of-seven series will crown a new champion, marking the seventh consecutive year with a different winner and setting a new league record for competitive balance. (The Pacers boast multiple ABA titles, while Oklahoma City`s single NBA crown came during their time as the Seattle SuperSonics.)
This matchup promises thrilling basketball action. Oklahoma City, the Western Conference representative, finished the season as the league`s top defensive team. In contrast, the Eastern Conference`s Pacers are known for their potent offensive force. Both squads employ a high-octane, full-court approach designed to pressure their opponents.
To help you prepare for the series, we`ve compiled our ranking of the top 20 players participating. This list is based on their performance throughout the 2024-25 season, their impact in the playoffs so far, and their projected influence on this Finals series.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Unsurprisingly, the league`s Most Valuable Player leads our list. He guided the 68-win Thunder on an impressive path through the West, bringing Oklahoma City back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to dominate both driving to the basket and operating from the midrange. His ability could easily draw fouls on Indiana`s main wing defenders, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard. It`s difficult to envision Indiana completely stopping him; their success might depend on limiting his ability to dismantle their defense single-handedly.
2. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
After a tentative start, possibly affected by lingering hamstring issues, Haliburton has performed at an elite level since the start of 2025. In the final 39 regular-season games, he averaged 19.5 points and 9.7 assists, shooting an impressive 51% overall and 43% from beyond the arc. During the playoffs, Haliburton has generated a league-leading 25.3 points via assists, according to NBA Advanced Stats, and hit crucial shots in several of Indiana`s improbable comeback victories. The main uncertainty is how he will fare against a Thunder defense filled with top-tier point-of-attack defenders. As ESPN`s Zach Kram pointed out, Haliburton has averaged only 12 PPG against Oklahoma City over the past two seasons, his lowest against any opponent.
3. Pascal Siakam, Pacers
Siakam, who earned MVP honors in the Eastern Conference Finals, is the only player in Indiana`s rotation with previous NBA Finals experience. He was a key member of the 2019 Toronto Raptors championship squad, notably scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to seal the series in Game 6 against the Golden State Warriors. Siakam has seamlessly integrated with the Pacers and Haliburton since joining the team less than 18 months ago. For Indiana to make this a competitive series, he will need to maintain the high level of play he demonstrated in the conference finals.
4. Jalen Williams, Thunder
The Western Conference Finals proved to be a significant step in Williams` development as a premier sidekick. He initially struggled against the Denver Nuggets` zone defense in Round 2, similar to their series loss to the Dallas Mavericks last season, shooting just 10-of-43 (23%) across Games 3 through 5 before breaking out with 24 points in Game 7. However, against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals, Williams excelled, averaging 22.2 PPG on 49% shooting, including an impressive 12-of-26 (46%) from three-point range. If Williams can replicate that performance in the Finals, the Thunder stand an excellent chance of raising their first championship banner in Oklahoma City.
5. Chet Holmgren, Thunder
Holmgren delivered his best playoff series against the Timberwolves in the West Finals, surpassing 20 points in three of the five games and shooting 56.7% for the series. The versatile 7-foot-1 big man is expected to spend time guarding both Siakam and Myles Turner. As always, he will be a crucial component of the Thunder`s swarming defensive strategy aimed at slowing down the high-powered Pacers offense. Like Williams, if Holmgren can maintain his offensive output against Indiana, the Thunder will be exceptionally difficult to defeat.
6. Alex Caruso, Thunder
While Caruso hasn`t started any playoff games, he is clearly one of coach Mark Daigneault`s most trusted players in critical moments due to his defensive prowess and reliable three-point shooting. Caruso began the second half in two of the Thunder`s most significant wins: effectively matching up with Nikola Jokic in Game 7 against Denver and contributing to Oklahoma City`s Game 4 victory in Minneapolis that swung the West Finals. The Thunder`s defense is consistently strong, and Caruso`s disruptive presence elevates it to a historically elite level.
7. Aaron Nesmith, Pacers
Nesmith has emerged as one of the standout performers of these playoffs. His exceptional display in Game 1 of Indiana`s Eastern Conference Finals win over the New York Knicks was pivotal, almost single-handedly fueling the Pacers` 17-point fourth-quarter comeback. He also did a commendable job guarding Jalen Brunson before a right ankle sprain impacted his performance later in the series. Nesmith, who is shooting 50% from three-point range during the postseason, will play a vital role in the Finals, likely tasked with defending either Gilgeous-Alexander or Williams. His health and shooting touch will be critical for the Pacers` chances in the series.
8. Myles Turner, Pacers
Turner provides a crucial stretch element to Indiana`s offense that helps the entire system function effectively. Long before centers like Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama showcased expanded offensive capabilities, Turner was consistently making more than one three-pointer per game. This season, he achieved a career-high 2.2 made threes with 40% accuracy. Furthermore, Turner has significantly improved his rim protection during the playoffs, blocking a league-high 7% of opponent two-point attempts, a rate he hadn`t reached in the regular season since 2021-22.
9. Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder
Isaiah Hartenstein possesses the potential to dominate rebounding in the Finals, much like Mitchell Robinson did for the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Hartenstein, an excellent rebounder, has seen his playing time fluctuate throughout the playoffs. However, it seems probable that he will have a significant impact when Myles Turner rests and Indiana deploys smaller lineups. His rebounding could be a key factor in those minutes.
10. Luguentz Dort, Thunder
A first-time selection for the NBA All-Defensive first team and finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Dort is the likely candidate to guard Tyrese Haliburton when both teams` starting units are on the floor. According to GeniusIQ tracking, Haliburton has scored just eight points in 122 possessions against Dort over the past two seasons, his lowest per-matchup total against any defender he has faced at least 100 times during that period. To remain on the court to defend Haliburton effectively, Dort also needs to contribute offensively. He is currently shooting just 30% from three-point range in the playoffs after hitting a career-best 41% in the regular season.
11. Andrew Nembhard, Pacers
Nembhard is a competent defender and provides excellent support in the backcourt alongside Haliburton, complementing his teammate`s skills. Nembhard has dramatically improved his three-point shooting in these playoffs, jumping from 29% in the regular season to 48%. This improvement has been crucial to Indiana`s run to the Finals and will need to continue against OKC, who are expected to play their characteristic high-energy defense, often leading to open shots. Nembhard will also spend significant time guarding fellow Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and must be careful to avoid foul trouble.
12. Cason Wallace, Thunder
Pacers ball handlers would be wise to remember a classic quote from `The Wire` when Oklahoma City`s backup guard steps onto the court: “Where`s Wallace?” On a team stacked with elite defenders, Wallace might be the best on-ball stopper, having ranked third in steals per game (1.8) while averaging 27.6 minutes during the regular season. Here`s a remarkable statistic, per GeniusIQ tracking: When Wallace defends the player bringing the ball upcourt in the playoffs, Thunder opponents have averaged an offensive rating of just 92.6, compared to 108.3 with any other Oklahoma City defender.
13. Obi Toppin, Pacers
Facing his former team in the postseason for the second consecutive year, Obi Toppin had arguably his best performance in Indiana`s series-clinching Game 6 victory against the Knicks. He scored 18 points and recorded three blocks, after having only two blocks total through Indiana`s first 15 playoff games. Toppin`s shooting will be needed against the Thunder. However, he must also handle the ball carefully; he sometimes tends to be somewhat careless with it, and no team is better at capitalizing on turnovers than Oklahoma City.
14. Aaron Wiggins, Thunder
A career-high 12.0 PPG scorer this season, the 55th pick in the 2021 draft provided key contributions during the Thunder`s series win over Denver. Wiggins scored all 11 of his points in the second half of the crucial Game 4 road win and ranked second among Oklahoma City reserves in scoring during that series, behind only Caruso. However, Wiggins saw his role diminish against Minnesota, receiving his first DNP-CD of the season in Game 4, highlighting the depth and flexibility of the Thunder`s bench options.
15. Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers
Remarkably, Mathurin, the sixth overall pick in 2022, is the highest draft selection on the Indiana roster. He is a skilled but inconsistent scorer, putting up 20 points in Game 4 and 23 in Game 5 against the Knicks but totaling only 15 points across the other four games in that series. Like Toppin, Mathurin can sometimes be passive with the ball. In the minutes he plays in the Finals, Mathurin must avoid this tendency and prevent OKC`s turnover-forcing defense from creating easy offense. His size and athleticism on the wing could also be a factor on the defensive end.
16. Isaiah Joe, Thunder
The best shooter on a team that sometimes lacks shooting depth, Isaiah Joe averaged 10.5 three-point attempts per 36 minutes during the regular season, hitting them at an impressive 41% clip. Malik Beasley, the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, was the only other player to shoot better than 40% on at least 10 attempts per 36 minutes. Joe`s slender build can make him a defensive target in playoff situations, but he is always ready to shoot when given an opportunity.
17. T.J. McConnell, Pacers
T.J. McConnell, a notable product of Philadelphia`s “Process” era, has solidified his role in Indiana`s rotation as Tyrese Haliburton`s primary backup, influencing the game`s pace and consistently attacking the paint whenever he`s on the court. However, as the Knicks adjusted their rotation in the conference finals to play Delon Wright more, McConnell`s production decreased, dropping from double-digit scoring in the first three games to just 15 points total over the final three. Given the talent of Oklahoma City`s perimeter defenders, it remains to be seen if this trend will continue or reverse in the Finals.
18. Ben Sheppard, Pacers
Ben Sheppard`s role has grown increasingly significant throughout the playoffs, to the extent that he played more minutes than Bennedict Mathurin in the conference finals. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has been able to rely on Sheppard for consistent three-point shooting (42% in the playoffs, up from 34% in the regular season) and solid defensive effort, although guarding Jalen Brunson proved challenging. Sheppard will undoubtedly be needed in a similar capacity in this series.
19. Kenrich Williams, Thunder
In his fifth season with the Thunder, Kenrich Williams` playing time increased significantly from the early playoff rounds to the West Finals, where he appeared in all five games. His versatility to play as a very small-ball center at 6-foot-6 or as a power forward, combined with his three-point shooting (21.4% this postseason) and defensive capability, makes him a potential option for OKC in different roles throughout this series.
20. Jaylin Williams, Thunder
It speaks to Oklahoma City`s impressive depth that Jaylin Williams, primarily the team`s 11th man, was so effective when starting this season. In nine starts, he recorded three triple-doubles, averaging 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, despite one start being cut short by an ankle injury. Williams` primary role has been defending strong centers like Nikola Jokic, a specific skill set that may not be as critical in this particular series matchup.
