Thunder vs Pacers NBA Game 5 Pick: Who Goes Up 3-2 In This Back And Forth Series? (Jun 16)

• The Oklahoma City Thunder regained home-court advantage with a gritty win in Game 4.
• The Indiana Pacers look to add another road win to their impressive postseason run.
• These squads last played on Jun. 13, with the Thunder winning that game 111-104.

Monday’s NBA slate features the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Which squad takes this pivotal contest in our Pacers vs Thunder Game 5 pick?

NBA Finals Game 5 Preview

After dropping two of the first three contests, the Thunder bounced back with a much-needed seven-point victory in Game 4, tying this NBA Finals series at 2-2.

Following his lowest scoring output of the series, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a 35-point effort on 12-for-24 shooting from the field. He also knocked down all 10 of his attempts from the free-throw line.

Jalen Williams stepped up with 27 points and seven boards. Chet Holmgren added a double-double that included 14 points and 15 rebounds. Alex Caruso led the bench unit with 20 points on an efficient 7-of-9 effort from the floor.

Meanwhile, the Pacers’ offense placed five players in double figures, including four of the team’s starters. Pascal Siakam did a bit of everything for Indiana, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

Tyrese Haliburton added 18 points and seven assists. Obi Toppin had 17 points, which was his second double-digit outing of the series.

The Thunder appeared to be on the brink of going down 3-1, as they trailed by seven points entering the final frame. But thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 15 of his 35 points in the final 4:38, OKC finished the game on a 16-7 run and reclaimed home-court advantage.

Thunder vs Pacers Game 5 Pick

After winning a game they had to have, the Thunder enter the upcoming matchup as a 9.5-point favorite, according to BetOnline. Here are a few trends to consider for both teams ahead of Game 5.

• The Thunder are 18-2 straight-up (SU) in their last 20 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• Oklahoma City is 9-2 against the spread in its previous 11 outings against Central Division teams.
• The Pacers are 12-5 overall in their last 17 contests.
• Indiana is 10-5 ATS in its previous 15 matchups.

OKC is 8-2 on its home floor, while Indiana has produced seven wins in 10 road games. The Thunder are 2-0 in Game 5s this postseason, and the Pacers hold a 2-1 record.

Look for the Thunder to come out on top, but it would not be surprising to see Indiana cover the large spread.