NBA Finals 2025 Preview & Top Crypto Betting Tips

2025-06-04

It’s here: the 2024/25 NBA Finals, and if you’ve followed the ride so far, you know this one’s different.

Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers aren’t your usual heavyweights, but make no mistake, they’re here on merit, style, and substance. And for us at tether.bet, where the thrill of the game meets the thrill of crypto betting, this series is more than just basketball.

It’s a golden opportunity. For the players, for the fans, and yes, for the smart punters.

Two teams, one identity

Both teams share a remarkable sense of cohesion. They know who they are, stick to the plan, and play to their strengths. There’s a kind of harmony here that most franchises only dream of.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC with MVP-calibre poise, while Tyrese Haliburton’s creative genius has driven Indiana’s improbable run to the Finals. Add in names like Pascal Siakam, Jalen Williams, and Alex Caruso, and you’ve got a cast that’s not only talented but tactically tuned.

But let’s not sugarcoat it: the Thunder are the better team. Statistically and stylistically, they’ve dominated all season. The best net rating in the league. The most efficient transition team in the playoffs. A defence that smothers and steals - and when they do get the ball, they fly.

Still, Indiana’s shooting efficiency is elite. Their playoff true shooting percentage of 61.7% is better than anything we saw during the regular season from any team. They might not be the favourites, but there’s always value in the underdog.

At tether.bet, that kind of edge is exactly what savvy bettors look for. The Pacers are a long shot, but long shots pay the best.

A match-up made for speed and chaos

Pace will be everything in this Finals. Indiana wants a track meet. OKC doesn’t mind one. In fact, they’re built for it. They don’t just run after missed shots. They run after everything. Made baskets, free throws, dead balls, if the Thunder had wings, they’d use them.

But here’s the kicker: Indiana is the only team faster than OKC in transition frequency. It’s going to be relentless. The question is, who wears down first?

That’s where depth matters. OKC is young, deep, and freakishly athletic. They can throw out a ten-man rotation without a drop in quality. The Pacers? They’ve got fewer cards to play. If this goes six or seven games, that could make all the difference.

And that’s where live betting at tether.bet comes into its own. A long series? Depth becomes decisive. Watch it unfold and back the team with legs to last.

Turnovers: the hidden battleground

Don’t underestimate the power of possession. OKC led the league in turnover differential - committing fewer and punishing more. In fact, no team in modern NBA history has done that better than this year’s Thunder outside of the '88 Nuggets.

Their defence lives in the gaps, with Caruso, Wallace, and Dort turning pickpockets into an art form. They convert mistakes into points like clockwork, and those extra possessions? That’s where value is found - not just in strategy, but in betting margins too.

Indiana, though, is no slouch. Best assist-to-turnover ratio in the playoffs. Haliburton barely gives the ball away. But any slip-up against this OKC defence is a fast break the other way. Expect momentum swings - and the smart bettor knows when to pounce.

Shot selection: the fine margins that make champions

Most teams don’t live off the midrange. Indiana does. Haliburton, Siakam, McConnell - they all feast on those shots just outside the paint. It’s risky, but it’s also why they’re here. And it’s why this series is intriguing: can those shots keep falling against a defence built to deny easy looks?

Meanwhile, OKC’s spacing, ball movement, and pace stretch opponents until they break. They’re monsters in transition, but dangerous in the half-court too. Jalen Williams, SGA, and Chet Holmgren don’t just make buckets - they make winning plays.

This Finals will be won not only on talent, but on efficiency - every made midrange jumper, every well-timed corner 3, every forced turnover could be the difference.

And for you? That means live betting opportunities, prop markets, and player performance bets that go beyond just picking a winner. At tether.bet, we make those moments matter.

Prediction: All signs point to Thunder

Indiana’s story has been sensational. They’ve upset expectations, played some of the most watchable basketball in years, and proved the doubters wrong at every turn. But this Oklahoma City team looks destined.

They’re deeper. They’re faster. They’re smarter. They force you to make mistakes and punish every one. This doesn’t feel like a coin toss - it feels like a passing of the torch.

Prediction: Thunder in five. But don’t just sit back and watch - bet smart, bet crypto, bet tether.bet.