The stage is officially set for the NBA Finals as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers square off to be crowned the champion. Despite attempts to flush cold water on the series for being a small market matchup, fans should buckle up for what should be some great hoops between two teams with some of the most fun styles of play in the NBA.
While the Thunder enter as notable -700 favorites in the series winner market on DraftKings Sportsbook, there are plenty of other ways to get involved in the action. One fun angle is the series leader market for each statistical category.
This article will take a look at the top options and the best bet to lead this NBA Finals matchup in rebounding.
NBA Finals Rebounding Leader Best Bet:
This is one of the more even markets in the player prop department with Chet Holmgren entering as the favorite with -185 odds. Holmgren was second on the Thunder in rebounding across the regular season with 8.0 rebounds per game, but has led the team in the playoffs with 8.6 per game.
Isaiah Hartenstein headlined the rebounding effort across the regular season, pulling in 10.7 per game. Oklahoma City’s struggles on the interior were a key reason he was brought in this past offseason, and his impact has paid dividends, especially in the matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. However, Hartenstein’s rebounding output has dropped to 7.9 per game in the postseason, with his minutes slipping from 27.9 to 23.9.
If Hartenstein sees an increase in minutes, he will have a clear path to leading this series in rebounding. He is the most talented rebounder in the series, but the lack of guaranteed opportunity for minutes is a legitimate concern. Myles Turner’s ability to stretch the floor and shoot from the perimeter makes it likely Hartenstein will see his minutes limited once again, and he could be closer to the 19.8 minutes per game he averaged against the Timberwolves last round. This level of roster flexibility is a key factor in what makes the Thunder so dangerous, but it creates some hurdles from the betting perspective.
Indiana has a team-oriented approach to attacking the glass. Pascal Siakam was the team’s leading rebounder across the regular season at just 6.9 per game. For reference, this ranked 32nd in the NBA overall. Myles Turner pulled in the next-most among Indiana’s roster with 6.5 rebounds per game.
This widespread rebounding attack has continued in the postseason, with Siakam leading the team with just 5.8 rebounds per game. Tyrese Haliburton has seen his rebounding output leap from 3.5 rebounds per game in the regular season to 5.7 per game in the postseason, which ranks second on the Pacers. He averaged 6.0 rebounds per game in the series against the Knicks.
BEST BET: Pascal Siakam +550
The pair of Thunder big men have the inside track, but I think this is a spot where it is worth taking a swing on Pascal Siakam to lead this series in rebounding. Oklahoma City has a deep roster and will surely experiment with plenty of lineup combinations. My thought process is that Holmgren and Hartenstein will compete with each other in the rebounding category, while Siakam has a clear path to being the top rebounder for Indiana if he plays to his peak.
The Pacers took a big swing by trading for Siakam midway through last season and have been rewarded with two consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, as well as Indiana’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP and has flashed as a better rebounder throughout his career than he has shown in a Pacers uniform.
Looking at his career stats, Siakam averaged as many as 8.5 rebounds per game over a season during his time in Toronto. He also had two of his best rebounding performances against the Thunder in the regular season, pulling in nine and 10 rebounds in these pair of matchups. The three-time All-Star has an NBA Championship ring on his finger already and has produced some of his best moments when the lights are the brightest. With the rebounding discrepancy a clear point of concern in this matchup, count on Siakam to take it upon himself to fill the stat sheet in this area.
