That's the way it's always been. Throw basically the same line as the first game and maybe bump it up a point or two to account for a get even scenario. Nothing out of the ordinary. That being said, Pacers set out what they were to do steal home court and they did. I don't think the Pacers can win back to back road games again like vs Knicks and Cavs for a third straight time. Call off the dogs and get ready to roll at home.
@Digitalkarma
They don't have to win the game but just cover. I Iike Indiana to cover +11.5. No fkn way they are getting blowing out. I still think it's a tight game and not a double digit win for OKC. Like the experts say Indiana have the better coach. They still have all around players from the starters to the bench. OKC is a hit and miss if SGA and J. Williams don't play well. We shall see tomorrow.!
My picks:
Indiana +11.5
Over 227.5 OKC/Indiana
Now that the nervous are out of Indiana system game 1. I think they are ready to ball. For those who thinks the line makers are giving you free money by jacking up the points thinking about OKC blow out, Come back here when the game is over. I truly think Indiana 's offense will start to click in game 2. My score prediction:
OKC 119
Indiana 113
Good luck to all whatever side you choose. May the force be with you!
Sure buddy
could easily see pacers winning game 2 & the thunder winning games 3 & 4...pacers dont defend home court special. OKC could get down 3-1 & still win.
Ill tell you why Vegas doesnt respect the Pacers, Vegas isn’t emotional. Bookmakers aren’t rooting for anyone. They deal in probabilities, patterns, and ruthlessness. And when it comes to the Indiana Pacers? They just don’t buy it.
And maybe that’s because Rick Carlisle doesn’t either.
Let’s state the obvious:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is OKC’s entire offensive identity.
Every possession flows through him — initiator, scorer, playmaker, tempo-setter.
Remove SGA, and the Thunder offense gets exposed for what it is: a talented, well-coached system without a real secondary creator in high-pressure moments.
Jalen Williams is promising, Chet Holmgren is versatile, and Isaiah Joe can shoot — but none of them consistently create offense in the halfcourt under playoff duress.
Vegas sees this. It’s why OKC’s offensive rating drops dramatically when SGA sits or is contained. It’s no secret.
So here’s the question:
If everyone knows SGA is the only serious offensive weapon...
Why not triple-team him?
Force the ball out of his hands every time. Turn the series into a referendum on whether Isaiah Joe and Lu Dort can beat you. They probably can’t.
It sounds crude, but it’s effective — and it’s exactly the kind of thing playoff coaching is made of. You take the hit on aesthetics to secure the result.
But Rick Carlisle?
He refuses to go that far.
He opts for “sound” defense: hedges, switches, controlled doubles. Textbook stuff.
But textbooks don’t win playoff games against supernovas like SGA. Creative traps and chaotic pressure sometimes do.
And Vegas notices this passivity. It’s why Indiana’s betting lines are often less favorable than their record or momentum would suggest — Carlisle doesn’t sell the vision of a coach willing to go all-in to win ugly.
3. Perception vs. Execution: Carlisle Is Playing Checkers While the Game Requires Chess
Here’s the brutal truth:
Carlisle is a brilliant basketball mind — when the game is balanced. When it’s system vs. system. But playoff basketball is often imbalanced, and sometimes, the team with the guts to abandon orthodoxy wins.
SGA is scoring at will?
Triple him. Box-and-1 him. Face guard him at halfcourt. Double even off the inbound. Whatever it takes.
“Normal” won’t cut it.
Carlisle won’t do that — and Vegas interprets that as hesitancy, not strategy.
In the world of high-stakes basketball — like the betting world — you don’t get credit for “almost solving” a superstar. You get respect when you break the game and win.
Boston triple-teamed Embiid in spurts.
Miami used chaotic zones to trap Tatum.
Steve Kerr has face-guarded Luka Doncic out of possessions.
Rick Carlisle? Still waiting for the “adjustment.” Still trusting structure.
And that’s why Indiana doesn’t move the line in Vegas the way other teams do.
Indiana has the talent. They have the depth. But until Rick Carlisle embraces chaos — until he breaks the rhythm of predictable playoff defense and overloads the one man who matters — Vegas won’t bite. higupin niyo lahat ng malas ko - atiya
Still 3-1 for the day!
Had Halliburton showed up in 1H, Indiana wouldn't be trailing as much. As stupid as it sounds, Halliburton should have been more aggressive scoring than passing in the 1st place. That is what coaching is about if you asked me. Adjustments will be made he Rick was a smart coach! This Halliburton passing strategy can only work so long. I expect to be more aggressive, scoring in Game 3.
Game 3 line already out.
OKC -4.5
O/U 227.5 OKC/Indiana
@atokst13
You have no idea what you are talking about. When lines are made by "Vegas," they use Power Ratings. They will alter it by a point, maybe 2 depending on public perception, but the ratings dictate the line. They don't give a fuck about any of that stupid shit you brought up. They use their ratings which are made from statistics, which are crunched by computers based on the parameters that they set. It is 95% automated. How do you think adjustments to live lines are made so quickly?
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