The Pacers have shown tremendous heart, playing as big underdogs in almost every game of the series. Still, with their backs against the wall and facing a 3-2 deficit, they defended their home court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a dominant 108-91 victory.

Now, the big question in the NBA is whether the performance of Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton will shift the odds for that final battle. The odds have already been released and, once again, there’s a major surprise.

What are the odds for Pacers vs Thunder in Game 7 of NBA Finals?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 7.5-point favorites over the Indiana Pacers heading into Game 7, which will take place this Sunday at Paycom Center. Once again, Indiana enters as one of the biggest underdogs in NBA Finals history for a winner-take-all showdown.

The moneyline has the Thunder at -300, showing full confidence in their home-court advantage, while the Pacers are currently listed at +250. Again, that would be a massive upset.

What is the over/under for Game 7 of NBA Finals 2025?

The over/under for Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder is set at 215.5 points, making it the highest projected total for a Game 7 in NBA Finals recent history.

The 2025 NBA Playoffs have delivered on all the drama and intensity fans hoped for, with buzzer-beaters and unexpected upsets reshaping the road to the championship. Now, the Western Conference Finals are just around the corner.

Out West, the race has been nothing short of a spectacle—highlight-reel performances, fierce rivalries reignited, and coaching masterclasses defining each round. The stage is nearly set for what promises to be another epic showdown.

As anticipation builds, questions linger: when will the next chapter unfold, and which team will seize momentum first? The official tip-off date for the Western Conference Finals is finally here and it might be sooner than some expected.

What’s the start date for the Western Conference Finals?

The Western Conference Finals are scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 18, if the Oklahoma City Thunder close out their series in Game 6. However, if the Denver Nuggets force a Game 7, the opening game will shift to Tuesday, May 20, according to the NBA’s provisional calendar.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have already secured their place in the West Finals after taking down the Golden State Warriors 121–110 in Game 5 of the semifinals. It’s the second year in a row that Minnesota has reached this stage.

The NBA has mapped out both potential schedules, with the series following the traditional 2–2–1–1–1 format. That means fans could be watching Game 1 tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET either this Sunday or the following Tuesday.

Which teams are battling for a spot in the Finals?

The Minnesota Timberwolves have already punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals, showcasing stellar performances from Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Edwards has been a standout, averaging 26.5 points per game.

Their opponent will be determined by the outcome of the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder currently lead the series 3–2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday, May 15.

The Thunder have had a remarkable season, finishing with a league-best 68–14 record. The Nuggets, on the other hand, are the defending NBA champions and are looking to make a return to the Finals.

The Heat entered this final game of the NBA playoffs’ first round with an understanding of the uphill battle they faced. Cleveland delivered an early knockout blow, winning the first quarter by a staggering 43-17. The home team was unable to secure a win in any of the subsequent three quarters.

This game evokes memories of one of the two biggest blowouts in NBA playoffs history, the most recent being in 2009 when the Denver Nuggets routed the New Orleans Hornets 121-63, a decisive 58-point victory in Game 4 of the first round. Denver established early dominance, surging to a 21-point lead in the opening quarter and maintaining control throughout the contest.

The Cavaliers came within a hair’s breadth of setting a new record for the biggest playoff blowout, falling just three points shy of tying it and four away from making history. However, a decision to give their bench players significant minutes saw the intensity wane in the fourth quarter, which they won by a mere seven points – their narrowest margin of victory in the game.

Top 7 blowout wins in NBA playoffs history

The NBA‘s most recent playoff blowout occurred just over 15 years ago. While other historically large margins of victory date back more than 30 years, the 2025 playoffs saw two more games enter the top seven of all-time blowouts. This occurrence within the same season suggests a trend that could lead to frequent updates to this list in the coming years.

1. DEN at NOH, 2009 1st Round Game 4 (58 points)
2. MNL vs. STL, 1956 Div. Semis Game 2 (58 points)
3. LAL at GSW, 1973 Conf. Semis Game 3 (56 points)
4. CLE at MIA, 2025 1st Round Game 4 (55 points)
5. CHI at MIL, 2015 1st Round Game 6 (54 points)
6. OKC at MEM, 2025 1st Round Game 1 (51 points)
7. MIL vs. SFW, 1971 Conf. Semis Game 5 (50 points)

Next stage for the Cavaliers

The Cavaliers now advance to the conference semifinals, where they will await the winner of the first-round matchup between the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Pacers currently holding a commanding 3-1 series lead at the time of this writing, they appear to be the likely opponent for Cleveland in the next stage.

Outside of the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks squaring off, nothing is set in stone, with as many as five Eastern Conference teams still fighting for postseason seeding.

The Western Conference picture isn’t much clearer, as multiple teams could still either avoid the Play-In Tournament or get better positioning, and three teams could still get the No. 1 seed. With that in mind, we’ll share all tiebreakers for postseason seeding.

NBA Playoff Tiebreakers For A Two-Way Tie

1. Better winning percentage in head-to-head matchups.
2. Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division).
3. Better winning percentage against teams in their own division (only if tied teams are in the same division).
4. Better winning percentage against teams in their own conference.
5. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs or the Play-In Iournament in their own conference (including tied teams).
6. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs or the Play-In Iournament in their own conference (including tied teams).
7. Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (point differential).

NBA Playoff Tiebreakers For A Thre-Way Tie

1. Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division).
2. The two better winning percentage in head-to-head matchups.
3. Better winning percentage against teams in their own division (only if tied teams are in the same division).
4. Better winning percentage against teams in their own conference.
5. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs or the Play-In Tournament in their own conference (including tied teams).
6. Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (point differential).

It had been years since we last had such an exciting regular-season finale, and most teams playing will still have a lot at stake in the 82nd game of the campaign. What else could we ask for?

Back in 2015, the Nuggets selected Nikola Jokic with the 41st-overall pick. The Serbian previously played at his country with Mega Basket. He struggled to adapt to the NBA, but a few years later he became one of the best foreign players the league has seen recently.

Jokic won the NBA Most Valuable Player award in back-to-back seasons (2021 and 2022). In Game 3 of the 2023 Finals, he managed to set an amazing milestone, and now the center did it again in Game 5.

Nikola Jokic sets two unbelievable records during Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals

Nikola Jokic is currently recognized as the Denver Nuggets’ top player. Right from his first season in the NBA, he earned a spot in the All-Rookie First Team, and since then, his trajectory has only gone upwards.

Nine years after being selected, Nikola Jokic won his first NBA Championship by defeating the Miami Heat. In Game 5, the Serbian player managed to break not one, but two records that neither LeBron James nor Michael Jordan were able to reach in Playoffs.

In a remarkable feat, Jokic became the first player in history to achieve over 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a postseason. Additionally, he recorded an impressive 10 triple-doubles during the Playoffs, setting a new record for the most by any player in a single postseason.

There are many storylines heading into this series, which start Thursday in Denver. The biggest one revolves around each team’s strength, with many claiming the Nuggets are favorites after comparing their paths to the Finals.

Miami made the postseason as the 8 seed in the East, having made its way from the Play-In. Nikola Jokic and company, on the other hand, finished 1st in the West and swept the Lakers to make it to this round. Even so, head coach Michael Malone believes his team will still need to bring its A-game to succeed.

Michael Malone shows utmost respect for the Heat ahead of the Finals

“Well, as I told our team, forget the eight seed stuff,” Malone said, via AP. “They beat Milwaukee 4-1. That team had the most wins in the NBA this year. They beat Boston 4-3 and they were up 3-0, the team with I think the second most wins in the NBA this year.

“So, you get to the NBA Finals, it’s not about seeding anymore, and for those who are thinking that this is going to be an easy series, I don’t even know what to say to you people.

“This is going to be the biggest challenge of our live. This is the NBA Finals. We’re trying to win the first NBA championship in franchise history, and it’s going to be the hardest thing that we’ve ever done, which is the way it should be.”

The Heat have certainly proven a lot of people wrong this year, so to continue underestimating them could be a huge mistake. But Malone is not doing that, so the Nuggets might be entering this series with the right mindset.

The sixth game was supposed to be the last one and the victory for the Miami Heat but things got more complicated than they thought.

Most of the tickets are already sold, it is unlikely that anyone will get tickets for Game 7 knowing that the series is the most exciting of the Conference Finals.

How much do courtside seats cost for Heat vs Celtics Game 7?

According to TickPick, courtside seats for the final game of the Heat vs. Celtics series are surpassing $35,000 which means the TD Garden could generate $500,000+ just from those types of seats.

Game 7 will be hosted at the TD Garden, in this series against Miami for the Eastern Conference Finals the Boston Celtics lost two games at home and won only one (sixth game).

The NBA Finals are going to have a team much better rested than the other. The Denver Nuggets are already waiting there after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers with four consecutive wins. That appeared to be the end in the Eastern Conference as well, but everything changed.

Miami Heat started winning the first three games. This advantage has never been wasted in the history of the NBA, so they seemed poised to face the Nuggets in the last series of the year. However, that may not be the case.

Boston Celtics emerged to avoid elimination two times. The finals in the East promise a lot of drama still left with things 3-2 in favor of Miami. It could be an historic comeback, and a four-time champion with the Golden State Warriors like Draymond Green said who he wants to win the matchup.

Draymond Green gets real on Boston coming back vs Miami

Green has always shared his opinion on numerous topics. However, he has been doing it more often since he started his own podcast. This time the multiple champion with the Warriors picked his favorite to win the series citing a personal reason.

“Can they close the deal? I don’t know, man. That’s an interesting one. The first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit. We would love to see it, wouldn’t we? Maybe I won’t have to hear about 3-1 anymore if this team comes back from 3-0. Like, you can throw the 3-1 in the dirt. I’m sick of it. Would be a much better story. For me personally, it would be a much better story”, the player said on “The Draymond Green Show”.

This is a reference of course to what happened in the 2015-2016 NBA Finals. Golden State had a 3-1 lead over the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers that put them near their second consecutive title. However, the Cavaliers returned to win the series 4-3. Although it wouldn’t erase that dramatic ending, Green could catch a break for a bit if the Celtics were to come back.

[Watch Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics online free in the US on Fubo]

This will be their 35th playoff game. The Miami Heat are the favorites in head-to-head clashes, claiming a win in 19 direct duels to this day, while the Boston Celtics have celebrated a triumph in 15 matches so far.

Their last meeting took place on May 23, 2023, and it ended in a 116-99 win for the Celtics away in Game 4 as they lowered Miami’s lead to 3-1. It promises to be an even more exciting clash as they meet again for Game 5.

When will Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics be played?

The 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 between Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will be played today, May 25, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics: Time by State in the US

ET: 8:30 PM
CT: 7:30 PM
MT: 6:30 PM
PT: 5:30 PM

How to watch Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics

The fifth match to be played between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA 2023 Playoffs, will be broadcast on Fubo (Free 7-day Trial) and DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial) in the United States. Other options include TNT, TNT Web.

The Eastern Conference finals took an unexpected turn in the first three games. Despite the N°2 seeded Boston Celtics were favored in all three matchups, the N°8 Miami Heat ended up getting three wins.

They still need one more to finish the job, but history favors them since a 3-0 lead has never been lost in the NBA. Jimmy Butler needs one more unforgettable performance to take the team to the NBA Finals, where the Denver Nuggets await after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers.

Miami are a relatively new franchise compared to their opponents in this round. However, they have enjoyed a lot of success. They were near another title in the bubble a few years ago, although they couldn’t get it done against the Lakers that time.

When was the last time Miami Heat won a title?

Their first season in the league was the 1988-1989, so they had great achievements so far. That’s particularly clear when contrasting their past with the history of the Nuggets, their rival if they leave the Celtics behind. They are already tied in the sixth spot with three titles in spite of their youth as a franchise. The Heat even surpassed a traditional team like the New York Knicks in the list.

The last time the Miami Heat won a championship was in the 2012-2013 season. That era was marked by the biggest move ever in the NBA when they signed LeBron James in 2011. They also added Chris Bosh in free agency to a team that already had Dwayne Wade. This “Big 3” went to four consecutive NBA Finals, winning two titles in that run.

When was the last time Miami Heat made it to the NBA Finals?

The last time Miami Heat got to the NBA Finals was in the 2019-2020 season. That was the year that the coronavirus forced the league to have a backup plan. Their decision was to play the last part of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs in a neutral site.

Butler had an impressive stretch that carried the team to the last series of the season. They had just the fifth seed, but with no home games at all that didn’t have any impact on their opportunities. Miami won the Eastern Conference defeating the Orlando Magic, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Boston Celtics. Their dream ended with a 4-2 defeat against the Lakers.

The NBA history can’t be told without assigning the Boston Celtics a chapter exclusively for them. They are at the top of the league as the franchise with the most titles, tied with archrivals Los Angeles Lakers both with 17 championships.

Their past includes all-time greats with an impact on the game that goes beyond just Boston. However, teams must continue to perform in the present to not get stuck only in past achievements. That’s what this roster of the Celtics did the last two years.

In the 2021-2022 season they were very close to adding another ring, although they were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Now they reached the Eastern Conference Finals again, but the Miami Heat are 3-0 ahead. Unless they make a miraculous return, their drought might extend a bit more.

When was the last time the Boston Celtics won a title?

Their history is mostly dominated why their accomplishments in the beginnings of the league. They won eight championships in a row starting in the 1958-1959 season. A total of eight rings went to Boston in the 1960s decade that saw them as an unbeatable team. However, it’s been a while since a celebration took place in that city.

The last time the Boston Celtics won a championship was in the 2007-2008 season. That team led by a great trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen was the last Celtics’ roster that was able to earn a ring. Those players were near another title two seasons later, but they lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals. In case they beat Miami in an epic fashion, the Denver Nuggets will be their next opponents.

When was the last time the Boston Celtics made it to the NBA Finals?

The last time Boston Celtics got to the NBA Finals was in the 2021-2022 season. Last year Boston had a great run that included sweeping Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, before winning the Game 7 in two consecutive series. They eliminated then-defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and Miami to reach the NBA Finals.

Their 2-1 start was an interesting advantage mainly because they had to play the fourth game at home. They were having a good performance until Steph Curry put the Warriors on his back. Golden State went on to win the last three matchups to secure the title with a 4-2 score.