OKC is -9.5 favorite in GM 1

High comedy. Books treating this OKC team like they’re the 90’s Bulls. 

Indiana ATS every single game will be my wagers.

The last game they played 2 months ago, Thunder beat Pacers 132-111. That’s a 21 pt victory 

Pacers were fully healthy 

you’re in an emotionally vulnerable state bc you lost your arse tonight betting on the Knicks and believe Pacers are your God now.

take a day to reflect and be unbiased and unemotional 

Thunder are the better team by far 

The issue is the Pacers play the same style of ball as OKC. OKC just has better players. Match ups like that usually are not good for the team with the inferior talent.

Knicks would have matched up better with OKC as the Knicks have more star power and a big in Towns who can create problems down low as well as a strong finisher in Brunson. 

OKC going to win it with the next iteration of talent. Durant, Westbrook, Harden and company got there but couldn't handle the Heat. Talent disparity in the NBA usually makes only a handful of teams have a real shot minus luck and injuries. A hot handed All Star can take over a basketball game more than in any other team sport. Rick Carlisle is one hell of a cerebral coach and Indiana deserves to be there. It would be a pretty big upset you don't see those very often in basketball finals. Boston should have been there for sure in the East. 

OKC won by 6 at Indy....

Also won by 21 at home....

It's okc year. Shai is on a mission. Getting through Denver was their big test. Now they are ready to start their dynasty.  Their time and pacers not standing in their way

Not gonna bet on this crap but if I were to make a pick I'll take the Pacers for the series upset at +500. Pascal Siakam is a dawg he's been instrumental in helping to take Pacers to the next step. Been a championship winner and use his experience to guide Pacers to their first title opportunity in decades. Dog role is perfect for them they have played loose throughout the playoffs and give Thunder all they can handle. Will be their toughest opponent since Denver 

Rick Carlisle has done the impossible way back in 2011

Indiana plus the points game 1

I also think the NBA has done its best to create more NFL-like parity in recent CBA agreements. The Warriors would have won three or four in a row had it not been for their injuries when they got to Finals against the Raptors. In terms of getting there continuously Cleveland and Golden State are the most recent dynasties. But is it about parity or money? You sacrifice losing the big markets annually but it does create more fairness for all markets. Dynasties from smaller markets away from the coasts are more impressive to me than anything. The league has to be amazed at New York. A combination of bad luck, management, and dysfunctional ownership for one of the league's biggest cash cows minus the Fakers. 

Everyone thinks OKC is the next dynasty they wont be able to keep then unless they accept Tom Brady style pay cuts (relatively speaking of course). Brady was still paid very well but during his Patriots tenure Brady agreed to moderate pay increases for the sake of the rest of the team roster. I don't see that happening but I like the CBA agreement where it gives the smaller franchises a better chance of retaining their effective roster pieces. 

@CrazyMilkMan

 Agree. Pacers were underdogs the past two series. Mavs 2011 overcome similar odds.

I think many of you are discounting this Pacer teams offensive talent/execution on offense/defense + the coaching of Carlisle.

OKC is not a better shooting team than Indiana. This will be a tightly contested series.

How many playoff home games has okc won by double digits? What team covered at home more than 71% ats this year? OKC had the greatest margin of victory this year in nba history.

Where do you think the books should set the line? I think they’re in a tough spot. I would try and inflate it where OKC wins but doesn’t cover, but OKC be crushing souls at home in the playoffs.

You lost credibility when you mentioned Pacers and defense. It will be their downfall. 

The line about right , I’m thinking Pacers win 1 game . 

@ActionMagnet

 That’s why u driving around looking to drive off a cliff

So you think fading the -500 favorite for the series in every game is gonna be profitable? Can I be your bookie please?

Have you like not watched the Thunder at all this year? They've killed teams by double digits very frequently. They're the top seed in the much better conference and more rested. The east was so weak this year.

No team who lost a game by 40+ points in the playoffs has ever won the NBA title.

Not betting Indy ML every game . 9-10 pts is too much. 

I'm sure no team ever won an NBA Finals when they lost by 34 points until the 1985 Lakers came along after getting crushed in game 1 of the 1985 Finals to the Celtics but the Lakers would win the series in 6 games.. That 42 point loss to the Wolves in game 3 only counts as one game 

Also historically speaking most teams that win 68+ wins go onto win the NBA Title but will see if the Thunder join that list..

I picked Pacers over Knicks and OKC SHOULD beat Pacers. Things happen though. As usual there will be nights Halliburton doesn’t show up and that will be one of the main problems. 

Those kind of stats only matter til someone breaks it and it's just a matter of time. The way the league is now there's lots of blowouts in the playoffs and the Thunder have blown out other teams way way more times than they've been blown out. That game was after they had won a 7 game series and faced a team way more rested, still beat them twice in a row, they were probably a bit gassed and took a breather, they only got a few days in between series and Minnesota had like a full week.

I'm not gonna bother looking it up but I'd bet the OKC avg margin of victory this year is actually higher than any 90s Bulls team. If I had to bet one team every game on the spread it wouldn't be the Pacers. Last team that had an avg margin of victory this high was the Warriors when they won the title. Pacers will win max 2 games

Looking forward to the series price.