The Thunder and Pacers face off in Indiana in Game 6 of the NBA Finals as Oklahoma City looks to clinch the title. This is a breakdown of the public betting splits and the most popular player prop bets for the highly anticipated matchup.
Oklahoma City is a 6-point favorite over Indiana at DraftKings Sportsbook, with a total of 222 points.
Betting Splits
The Thunder are looking to win the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Indiana. After a back-and-forth series, the Thunder have taken firm control, winning both of the past two games to take a 3-2 series lead. Now, they will look to close it out on the road to avoid a Game 7 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder are 6-point favorites on the road. Other than the Pacers’ epic Game 1 comeback win at the buzzer, each game has been decided by at least seven points. So, has been profitable to lay the points with the Thunder if you expect them to win the game. The public agrees with that sentiment, as 58% of bets and 67% of the handle are on Oklahoma City to cover. That indicates a mild lean to the Thunder from the public, but a heavier belief in Oklahoma City from bigger bettors.
When it comes to the moneyline, there is a slight lean to the Pacers. This checks out with how each game has been decided in this series. Either the Pacers win outright, or the Thunder win by more than six points. So, if you like Indiana, it is worth taking the moneyline. If you like Oklahoma City, just lay the points, rather than pay the juice for the moneyline. When it comes to the total, both the public and bigger bettors expect it to be a shootout in Game 6. Currently, 79% of tickets and 90% of the handle are on over 222. Three out of five games in the series have gone over this total.
Most Popular Player Props
Here are five of the most popular player prop bets at DraftKings Sportsbook for this matchup:
- T.J. McConnell 12+ Points (+115)
- Pascal Siakam o21.5 Points (-110)
- Andrew Nembhard u4.5 Assists (+114)
- Tyrese Haliburton 30+ Points (+2800)
- Lu Dort o12.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-130)
Many different types of player props can be bet on for this massive NBA Finals game. Currently, the public is betting on Pacers player props more than Thunder players. The potential absence of Tyrese Haliburton could be playing a big role in that. After Game 5, it was revealed that Haliburton has been struggling with a calf strain and there is a chance that he will miss Game 6. There is no official word as of now, but if Haliburton is out or playing limited minutes, that will greatly impact the counting stats for other players on Indiana, as they will be playing increased minutes and handling the ball more.
One person who could be a major beneficiary if Haliburton is out is T.J. McConnell. McConnell had 18 points in 22 minutes in Game 5, tied for the most points scored and minutes played in a game for McConnell this postseason. With Haliburton hurt and McConnell making a positive impact in Game 5, he should play increased minutes, whether Haliburton is active or not. That is why the public is backing him to score at least 12 points in this game. If Haliburton is out, Pascal Siakam will be looked at to provide most of the offense for Indiana. Siakam has been their leading scorer this postseason, averaging 21 points per game. The public is backing Siakam to score at least 22 points in this game as he should get even more looks if Haliburton can’t play.
The third most popular player prop on this game is Andrew Nembhard to have under 4.5 assists. Nembhard is averaging just 3.2 assists per game in this series and has gone under 4.5 assists in four straight games. Nembhard does great defensive work for Indiana, but hasn’t been much of an offensive threat in this series. Bettors are expecting him to go under this number for the fifth straight game, with a plus-money payout. The next most popular player prop bet is for Tyrese Haliburton to score 30 or more points. Bettors are believing in the fairytale of Haliburton having a “Jordan Flu Game” or “Willis Reed Game” in Game 6. After being questionable to even play the game, if Haliburton could come out and score 30 points in front of his home crowd, potentially forcing a Game 7, it would be a storybook moment. However, that is why the odds on that bet are +2800. If Haliburton ends up being inactive, any player props on him will be voided.
The fifth bet on the list is the only Thunder player inside the top five in most popular player prop bets. Bettors are backing Lu Dort to have over 12.5 points + rebounds + assists. Dort is a machine on the defensive end, and with Haliburton potentially out, bettors are more confident in his offensive ability. Without having to guard Haliburton, Dort’s life gets much easier on the defensive end, which could allow him more freedom offensively. Dort is averaging nine points, 4.2 rebounds and one assist in this series. He has gone over this combined number in three out of five Finals games so far.
