Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers Preview
Tonight, the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to clash with the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling repeat of last season’s NBA Finals, with the game taking place at the Paycom Center. A key player to watch is Pascal Siakam, who has been on fire recently. My predictions for this matchup focus on him putting up another remarkable performance.
Impact of Player Absences
With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, the Indiana Pacers have felt the impact of his absence on their current struggles. Nonetheless, Siakam has embraced a leadership role and is having a stellar season, averaging a career-high of 23.8 points per game (PPG). Siakam is also making a strong case for an All-Star selection this season as he continues to shine throughout January, boasting an average of 25 points per game and surpassing his points prop in his last four games, which includes a 32-point outing against the Celtics.
Player Performance Insights
Notably, Siakam performs better in away games, scoring 25.2 PPG on the road compared to 22.8 PPG in home games. Earlier this season, he demonstrated his capabilities against the Thunder, racking up 32 points. Thus, I expect him to maintain his scoring dominance in this matchup.
In contrast, Chet Holmgren, despite averaging 17.8 PPG for the season, has been underwhelming in January with just 16.5 PPG. Recently, he has only managed to hit the Over on his points total in one of his last six games. In his previous encounter with the Pacers, he played 39 minutes but only managed 15 points.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues his impressive run this season, averaging a remarkable 32 PPG and shooting 39% from beyond the arc; however, he struggled from three-point range against the Pacers earlier this season, hitting only 2 of 7 attempts.
Betting Recommendations
For tonight’s same-game parlay options, I would recommend wagering on:
- Pascal Siakam to score Over 22.5 points
- Chet Holmgren to stay Under 18.5 points
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to net more than 1.5 three-pointers
- Additionally, I suggest including Lu Dort, who has recently scored 13 and 18 points in consecutive games, over 9.5 points.
Betting Odds and Historical Trends
Looking at the betting odds, the Thunder are favored significantly over the Pacers with a -16 line for Oklahoma City, while the moneyline sits at +750 for the Pacers and -1200 for the Thunder, with a total set at O/U 226.5 points. Historical trends show that the Thunder have covered the spread in 29 of their last 45 home games, showcasing a return on investment of 23%.
Game Details
The matchup will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center. Be sure to catch all the action on TV, as it promises to be an exciting game between two competitive teams.
