Following a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback in Game 1, the Indiana Pacers aim to secure another victory on the Oklahoma City Thunder`s home court this Sunday. Tyrese Haliburton`s late jump shot with just 0.3 seconds remaining clinched a thrilling 111-110 win for Indiana, giving them an early 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
In the latest betting odds, the Thunder are listed as 11-point favorites for Game 2, with the over/under total points set at 226.5. Oklahoma City holds a moneyline favorite status at -500 (bet $500 to win $100), while Indiana is the underdog at +380 (bet $100 to win $380). To inform betting decisions for the Thunder vs. Pacers matchup, analysis and predictions are available from SportsLine expert Eric Cohen.
Eric Cohen is a recognized expert at SportsLine and a contributor to *Early Edge*. He has a proven track record, including successfully picking golf winners recently and ranking among the top college football experts on the site. Cohen has previously expressed confidence in the Thunder`s potential to win the series.
Here are Eric Cohen`s top picks for Game 2 of the Thunder vs. Pacers series:
- Thunder -11
- Over 226.5 Total Points
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30 Points (-275)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 12.5 Assists + Rebounds (-125)
- Tyrese Haliburton Under 16.5 Points
- Thunder vs. Pacers Predicted Score: Thunder 123, Pacers 106
Cohen`s Analysis: It`s surprising how Oklahoma City let Game 1 slip away on Thursday night. It was another improbable comeback performance from Indiana, similar to what they showed against Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New York earlier. However, Cohen anticipates the Thunder will respond strongly in Game 2 with renewed intensity. After experiencing a comparable Game 1 loss against the Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals, the Thunder dominated Game 2 with a 43-point victory, scoring 149 points. While this next game might not be as lopsided, expect OKC to establish an early lead and maintain control. This season, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 38.7 points and a combined 12.7 rebounds and assists in three games against Indiana. A stat line around 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists seems highly probable, even if he plays limited minutes in the fourth quarter on Sunday due to the score. Conversely, Haliburton has been consistently guarded by strong defender Luguentz Dort, resulting in an average of only 12 points per game in his three previous meetings with the Thunder this season. Cohen suggests that anything short of a comfortable win for Oklahoma City in Game 2 would be unexpected. He maintains his overall series prediction favoring OKC.
Jasper Hawthorne