After a grueling regular season with historic moments, shocking trades, and intense action, we’re finally in the final act. Yes, it’s time for the 2025 NBA Finals. This time, two teams that have never won a chip in franchise history will go at it. But as the Oklahoma City Thunder try to do what they couldn’t back in 2012, they will need everyone in the form of their lives. That holds true for 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as Chet Holmgren, who’s only in his sophomore season in the league.

Even so, he’ll need to step up like this league has been his home for the last 10 years. After all, the Indiana Pacers will not concede an inch in this series. So, the onus is on the Thunder players to show up. But one thing can throw a spanner into even their most foolproof game plans — injuries. So let’s check OKC’s injury report to see if there are any last-minute absentees heading into Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report  – Is Chet Holmgren Playing Tonight?

Chet Holmgren had a run-in with a nasty injury earlier in the season. In November 2024, he suffered a hip fracture that ruled him out of active play till February 2025. Owing to that injury, Chet’s appearances in the regular season were limited to only 32 games. But now, he is fully healthy, and ready to go.

And that is precisely why Chet Holgren is not on the Thunder’s injury report for this game. So, Chet Holmgren is available to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Despite him being fit, the Thunder remain one player away from turning in a clean injury report.

That’s because rookie Nikola Topic is still OUT for them. The Serbian youngster is still recuperating from a gruesome knee injury he suffered before he was drafted. So, he will not appear in the upcoming game against the Pacers.

All in all, Mark Daigneault will be thanking his lucky stars that all of his key players are healthy. But what can his men do to set the tone early against the Pacers tonight?

How can the Thunder gain the upper hand over the Pacers in Game 1?

The Oklahoma City Thunder needs to set the tone from the first possession. Their transition game starts with steals. They average 10.6 steals per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. So, turning those into quick buckets is key for them. That pressure could strain Indiana’s defense. The Pacers may allow just 0.96 points per transition possession, but back-to-back fast breaks might rattle them.

The half-court battle starts with Shai. He’s at 19.1 isolations per 100 possessions, most in five years. Indiana switches only 12% of ball screens, so Shai’s pullups will be come in handy. That forces the Pacers to decide: hedge hard or risk a switch.

And now, the defense. We saw how the Thunder’s defense suffocated Anthony Edwards, not even letting him cross the logo at some points in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. And that’s exactly the treatment they need to dish out to Tyrese Haliburton. Pascal Siakam might have won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, but make no mistake about it, Hali is the lifeline of the Pacers offense.  If the Thunder’s defense can stop the 25-year-old from getting the 9+ dimes that he tends to get in this postseason, well, this series may be really difficult to navigate for the Thunder.

See, there’s a reason why OKC is the betting favorite heading into this game. They were the best team in the NBA during the regular season. And they’ve got the 2025 NBA MVP among their ranks alongside breakout stars like Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, and co. So, the odds are in the Thunder’s favour — now can they go out and prove the bookmakers right?