NBA Finals Game 2 Picks: Best Bets for Thunder vs. Pacers

The Indiana Pacers pulled off another incredible playoff comeback, stunning the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Guard Tyrese Haliburton drilled the go-ahead jumper with less than one second remaining, capping a 15-point rally on the road.

Game 2 is set for Sunday night in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder have yet to lose back-to-back games this postseason. Meanwhile, the Pacers have won seven of their last eight road contests and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead in each of their first three rounds.

Let’s take a look at some of the best bets for Game 2 of the NBA Finals:

Oklahoma City Thunder (-11 at DraftKings)

The Pacers just don’t give up. They’ve erased major deficits in all four playoff series and boast a stellar 12-5 record against the spread in the postseason.

But when Indiana loses? It’s rarely close. The Pacers haven’t covered in any of their four playoff losses, with three of those defeats coming by 16 points or more.

Indiana stole Game 1 despite committing 24 turnovers compared to Oklahoma City’s six. The Pacers outrebounded the Thunder 56-39, and all five Indiana starters scored in double figures.

OKC also lost Game 1 in the second round against Denver, only to come back and crush the Nuggets by 43 in Game 2 as 10.5-point home favorites.

League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 38 points in Game 1, but the Thunder need more from Chet Holmgren, who finished with just six points.

The public might keep backing the Pacers until the wheels fall off, but Indiana’s playoff losses have mostly been blowouts. Back the Thunder to bounce back and cover in Game 2.

Tyrese Haliburton OVER 16.5 Points (-115 at DraftKings)

Haliburton has played hero several times this postseason — including his game-tying three in the Eastern Conference Finals and his clutch game-winner Friday night.

But he scored just 14 points in Game 1, which might actually bode well for Sunday.

In the playoffs, Haliburton has scored 14 or fewer points seven times. In the following game, he’s scored 17 or more in five of those outings.

The key? Shot volume. In 10 playoff games where Haliburton has attempted at least 15 shots, he’s scored 20-plus nine times. In Game 1, he took only 13 shots and didn’t attempt a free throw.

Expect him to be more aggressive in Game 2.