Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl hugs former Auburn basketball player Charles Barkley as Auburn Tigers take on USC Trojans at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. Auburn Tigers defeated USC Trojans 91-75. Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Charles Barkley Predicts Winner Of Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Ben Stinar | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 2:33 PM ET

On Thursday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Indiana Pacers for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Thunder are seen by many as the clear favorite to win the title.

One of those people is Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.

Barkley (via The Dan Patrick Show): "I think they [Pacers] can make it competitive, but I've been saying for months, nobody can beat that team four times in a week. The Pacers got a good team... They [Thunder] might be the deepest team I've ever seen... It's gonna really negate the Pacers bench, which helped them beat the Knicks."

The Thunder finished the 2024-25 season as the first seed in the Western Conference with a 68-14 record.

They beat the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves in the first three rounds of the NBA playoffs.

Via The NBA: "Average age of OKC players: 25.6 years young

The Thunder are the 2nd youngest team in the last 70 years to make the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV , only behind Bill Walton and the 1976-77 Trail Blazers!

Game 1 vs. Indiana: Thursday, June 5 at 8:30pm/et on ABC"

Average age of OKC players: 25.6 years young

The Thunder are the 2nd youngest team in the last 70 years to make the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV, only behind Bill Walton and the 1976-77 Trail Blazers!

Game 1 vs. Indiana: Thursday, June 5 at 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/8Kuzb7hPgj
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2025

On the other hand, the Pacers were more of a surprise.

They finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 50-32 record.

Through the first three rounds, the Pacers have defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.

Via Front Office Sports: "The Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals will be the first to feature two teams under the luxury tax since it went into effect 22 years ago."

The Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals will be the first to feature two teams under the luxury tax since it went into effect 22 years ago. pic.twitter.com/2SDQ1iUQf7
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 1, 2025