2025 NBA Finals Preview: 7 Questions That Could Decide It All

As the 2025 NBA Finals tip off, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are set to write the next chapter in their Cinderella seasons. With two young, exciting, and well-coached teams colliding on the league’s biggest stage, the series promises intrigue, drama, and tactical battles from start to finish. And just like any good final exam, the questions are already on the board. The team with the best answers? They’ll walk away with the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Here are the 7 biggest questions that will shape this year’s championship series:

1. Can Indiana Slow Down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
The MVP is in full stride, and Indiana knows it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander torched them for 39 points per game in two regular-season matchups, shooting nearly 56% from the floor. He’s relentless in the paint, surgical in the mid-range, and lethal at the line. The Pacers will need to build a wall, crowd the driving lanes, and maybe even throw multiple bodies at him in Giannis-like fashion. Still, there’s no shutting him down—only making him work harder.

2. Will Tyrese Haliburton Rise to the Moment?
Haliburton is Indiana’s engine, but his fuel gauge has wobbled in pressure moments. The Knicks threw him off rhythm with aggressive early traps in the East Semis. OKC’s defense, longer and faster, might do worse. Haliburton must stay decisive, push tempo, and spray the ball to Indiana’s perimeter weapons. If he gets bogged down, so do the Pacers.

3. Is Size a Real Advantage—Or a Wash?
OKC trots out 7-foot Chet Holmgren and the bruising Isaiah Hartenstein. Indiana counters with Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam, but lacks bulk off the bench. Rick Carlisle may need to dust off Thomas Bryant or Tony Bradley when things get physical inside. Still, Holmgren’s versatility is a wrinkle—he spaces the floor on one end and swats shots on the other. The Thunder’s edge here could prove more functional than flashy.

4. Who Are the X-Factors?
For Indiana, Andrew Nembhard is a name to circle. He’s likely to guard SGA and will need to hold his own defensively while knocking down open looks. For OKC, Alex Caruso brings championship experience and chaos—the kind that swings quarters. His defensive IQ and timely buckets could be a difference-maker in tight games.

5. Will Depth Matter This Late?
Absolutely. Both teams trust their benches, and both have avoided playoff-shortened rotations. Indiana uses nine guys consistently; so does OKC. Players like Aaron Wiggins, Obi Toppin, Cason Wallace, and Ben Sheppard aren’t just stopgaps—they’re role specialists. With no back-to-backs, the deeper squad might not win the minutes war, but it will survive foul trouble and tactical tweaks better.

6. Who Has the Coaching Edge?
Rick Carlisle is the proven vet, with a ring from 2011 and nearly 1,000 wins. Mark Daigneault is the rising star, crowned Coach of the Year this season and a playoff record that currently ranks second all-time by winning percentage. Carlisle has the résumé. Daigneault has the momentum—and the intimate knowledge of a roster he helped shape. This could be a chess match all series long.

7. What Wins: Elite Offense or Elite Defense?
The Pacers want to fly. The Thunder want to grind. It’s the classic stylistic clash: speed and shooting versus disruption and discipline. In past years, Indiana’s run-and-gun might’ve ruled. But in today’s more physical postseason game, OKC’s defense—which led the league in fouls and still rattled everyone—may have the final say.

This Finals matchup is not just exciting—it’s refreshing. No dynasties. No superteams. Just two squads on the rise, playing smart, team-oriented basketball. Game on.