The 2025 NBA Finals are locked in, with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers set to face off in a best-of-seven series broadcast live on ESPN in Australia.
The Thunder enter as the Western Conference’s top seed and title favourites, while the Pacers ride in as underdog challengers after a blistering post-season run.
With MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton leading the charge, ESPN’s full-court coverage includes every game, live shows from courtside, and expert analysis across the Finals series.
From ESPN:
Every game of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Series Live on ESPN
The 2025 NBA Finals series sees the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers clash in a historic series, where superstars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton ignite a rivalry that may be with us for years to come, and every game of the NBA Finals is live on ESPN.
Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will clash for the 2025 NBA Championship in a potential seven-game series, with Game One tipping off at 10.30am AEST on Friday June 6.
The 2025 NBA Finals sets an intriguing narrative, as the Oklahoma City Thunder go in as many experts’ champions elect and the Pacers enter the NBA Finals as one of the biggest pre-season longshots in over 40 years.
Indiana have never won an NBA Championship, while OKC hold one title – when previously known as the Seattle SuperSonics – but they have never claimed the NBA Crown since becoming the Thunder.
Oklahoma City Thunder comfortably claimed the Western Conference Finals in five games, comprehensively defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game Five by 30 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was again the star for the Thunder, leading with 34 points in the game five clincher, as Chet Holmgren provided 22 points also.
Crowned the NBA MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander has enjoyed a breakout season, that has seen him enter NBA superstardom.
2025 is Oklahoma City’s first appearance in the finals since Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden led the franchise there in 2012.
As the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Thunder have long been penciled in as the team to beat and the NBA Playoff form of the Thunder has only firmed their NBA championship favoritism.
The Indiana Pacers are back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years – still chasing their first ever championship.
Indiana needed six games to see off the gallant New York Knicks, setting up a first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000.
The Pacers have found another gear in the post-season, rising from up-and-coming to underdogs to win it all.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton remains the star man for Indiana, supported by Pascal Siakam.
Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP and will need to recapture that form in the finals to combat the all-round might of the Thunder.
Having entered the NBA Playoffs as the number four seed in the East, the Pacers have gone on an amazing playoff run, dispatching the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, before upsetting the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers – bouncing them out in five as well.
Indiana showed poise to withstand the challenge of fierce rivals, New York, defeating the Knicks for the fourth straight playoff series.
ESPN will ensure hoops fans are covered throughout the NBA Finals.
The network will provide extensive coverage of all the seven-game series, bringing unprecedented access to news both on-court and off.
Mike Breen will call his record-extending 20th NBA Finals and will be joined by Doris Burke and former NBA Champion Richard Jefferson to call their first NBA Finals together. Lisa Salters will serve as sideline reporter for the fifth time in her career.
Nothing But Net is the dedicated NBA Finals hub for the Australian and New Zealand ESPN audience. ESPN reporters Kane Pitman and former NBA star Ryan Broekhoff will be courtside across the finals with Phil Murphy providing insight from in-studio.
Nothing But Net Preview will include all the news and interviews from media days before every game, and interviews with ESPN reporters as well as the stars of the NBA Finals.
Nothing But Net Finals will air live from courtside at every NBA Finals game, hosted by Kane Pitman and featuring the biggest ESPN names, reacting to all the biggest moments throughout the seven-game series.
NBA Countdown will also precede each NBA Finals game. NBA Countdown is hosted by Malika Andrews and features analysts Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Bob Myers and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.
NBA Finals on ESPN:
Friday June 6
9am AEST, Nothing But Net, ESPN
10.30am AEST, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
Monday June 9
10am AEST, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
Thursday June 12
10.30am AEST, Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN
Saturday June 14
10.30am AEST, Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN
Tuesday June 17
10.30am AEST, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
Friday June 20
10.30am AEST, Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN
Monday June 23
10am AEST, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
My 18 year old son has flown over for the finals and we can’t wait !