Pacers vs. Thunder: Previewing Positional Advantages in the NBA Finals

The upcoming NBA finals matchup is going to be an intriguing, with two deep, small-market teams being the only squads standing. 

Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers have strengths that they bring to the series. Let's take a look at the breakdown of each position group.

Guards

Best individual player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Advantage: Pacers

It is hard to say that the Pacers would hold the advantage here, considering that the Thunder have the reigning Most Valuable Player on their team in Gilgeous-Alexander. 

Shai has proven his ability to score whenever and wherever he needs to. However, when you look at a consistent production from both of their starting guards, the Pacers have a slight advantage with Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton. 

Nembhard is averaging 12,8 points and 5.2 assists per game, and Haliburton is averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game this postseason. 

Nembhard has proven to be a solid defender, similar to Lu Dort of the Thunder, but shows a more consistent offensive approach.

Forwards

Best individual player: Pascal Siakam

Advantage: Oklahoma City Thunder

While the Pacers possess the Eastern Conference Finals MVP in Pascal Siakam and a defensive weapon in Aaron Nesmith, the Thunder forwards Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are performing at a much higher consistency this postseason. 

The pair of Williams and Holmgren are averaging approximately 36 points and 11 rebounds per game, while Siakam and Nesmith are averaging 35 points per game. 

It is a very close battle on paper, and both possess the potential to explode.

Centers

Best individual player: Myles Turner

Advantage: Neither

The center position is another position group that is an extremely close matchup between Myles Turner of the Pacers and Isaiah Hartenstein of the Thunder. 

While Turner is averaging 15.8 points per game this postseason, compared to Hartenstein's 9.8, Hartenstein has the advantage on the glass. T

urner has the ability to shoot from the outside and space the floor, shooting almost 40 percent from behind the arc. 

Hartenstein has almost put on a master clinic of shooting the paint floater that he converts at a very high clip. 

Key Matchup

The key matchup is going to be Aaron Nesmith and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Nesmith showed the ability to guard a high-profile guard in the previous series versus the New York Knicks and guard Jalen Brunson. 

Can Nesmith be physical enough with Shai, while avoiding foul trouble? This will be the matchup to watch. Nesmith will more than likely be the one tapped to make things rough on Gilgeous-Alexander.

Game 1 of the series kicks off on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.