It would have been understandable in Game 6 if Tyrese Haliburton was a bit hesitant early. He needed to see how his strained calf would react to game speed, undoubtedly stressed by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s defense. And yet, the Indiana Pacers superstar was aggressive early.
If he was that assertive then, he should be even more so in Game 7 tonight, perhaps right from the opening tip at 8 ET on Sunday, June 22. Read more in my NBA picks below.
Pacers vs Thunder first basket picks
Click on each name to jump to the full analysis
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Indiana Pacers
First basket pick: Tyrese Haliburton (+1400 at bet365)
Tyrese Haliburton missed his first four shots in Game 6, yet it stands out that he took five shots in the first frame. That worrying calf did not force him away from aggression. Recognizing that provides some value on Haliburton to score first tonight, his odds at a lofty +1400.
He should be more comfortable tonight. Game 6 did not require much stress on Haliburton’s calf, playing only 23 minutes and then getting three days of treatment before Game 7. By no means is he healthy now, but he should be slightly healthier.
Mostly, though, Haliburton should be more confident. He very much knows what his calf is capable of, and he has hit shots with it hurting. After starting 0-for-4 on Thursday, he finished 5-for-8, including 3-for-6 from deep.
Learning what worked and what didn’t work — specifically, that his drives are not explosive at the moment, but his shooting form holds up — should be a boon in Game 7.
Oklahoma City Thunder
First basket pick: Chet Holmgren (+550 at bet365)
It stands out that the first four players in this market are all Oklahoma City Thunder players. Chet Holmgren has done that well with the opening tip against Myles Turner, winning it five times in six games.
However, Holmgren has taken the first shot just once, missing a short-range look in Game 6. So perhaps Holmgren’s odds are shorter than one might like, but OKC should emphasize him early. His 2-for-9 shooting in Game 6 was costly, eventually finishing with four points and six rebounds in 24 minutes.
The Thunder need Holmgren to be dialed in to create space for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Pacers vs Thunder first basket odds
- Chet Holmgren (+550)
- Jalen Williams (+550)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+600)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (+650)
- Pascal Siakam (+650)
- Myles Turner (+850)
- Aaron Nesmith (+1,000)
- Lu Dort (+1,100)
- Tyrese Haliburton (+1,400)
- Andrew Nembhard (+1,400)
Odds courtesy of bet365.
