3 Best NBA Finals Player Prop Bets for Pacers vs. Thunder in Game 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder quickly seized control of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, playing stifling defense, which led to them forcing 24 turnovers in the contest. However, for what seems like the millionth time this postseason, the Indiana Pacers conjured up some of their come-from-behind magic in the second half, with Tyrese Haliburton capping off the improbable victory with a game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals will take place on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

Which props stand out for Game 2? Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds and NBA player props, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Player Prop Picks for Pacers vs. Thunder in Game 2 of the NBA Finals

Pascal Siakam Over 25.5 Pts + Reb (-110)

It's certainly going to be tougher for Pascal Siakam to generate baskets in transition against the Thunder like he did in the Eastern Conference Finals versus the New York Knicks, but he still had a team-high 15 shot attempts and 19 points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Across his 17 starts this postseason, Siakam is now averaging 20.9 PPG and 6.0 RPG on an efficient 58.3% effective field goal percentage and 46.4% three-point percentage.

Siakam is also posting a 24.5% usage rate in the playoffs, and he figures to continue handling a large role given the defensive attention that Haliburton will receive. If OKC elects to start Cason Wallace over Isaiah Hartenstein again in Game 2, there should be some possessions where Indiana can get Siakam the ball in the post with a size advantage.

While I do like Siakam's points prop at 18.5, he could get more opportunities to snag rebounds in this series, evidenced by his 15 rebound chances (tied for second-most on the Pacers) and 10.0 rebounds in Game 1. During the two regular-season meetings against the Thunder, Siakam tallied 9.5 RPG, and the fast-paced nature of this series should result in Siakam being active on the glass.

Lu Dort to Record 2+ Steals (+182)

Although I have some interest in Luguentz Dort's three-pointers market, his steals prop stand out given how active he's been at creating turnovers recently. After averaging only 1.1 SPG during the regular season, Dort has tallied 2.2 SPG since the start of the Western Conference Finals, and he's accrued two-plus steals in six of his last seven starts in the postseason.

Assuming he can remain out of foul trouble as the primary defender on Haliburton, Dort figures to play a decent amount of minutes, which resulted in him logging four steals in 36 minutes in Game 1. Oklahoma City is an opportunistic defense that thrives at forcing their opponents to make mistakes, as they have notched the most turnovers forced per game (18.4) and most steals per game (10.9) among playoff teams.

Despite Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard being guards who don't turn the ball over often, the trio of Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin combined for a whopping 14 turnovers in the series opener. With Dort looking to be aggressive in the passing lanes against the Pacers in this series, I like his chances of nabbing multiple steals in a pivotal Game 2.

Aaron Nesmith 3+ Made Threes (+162)

Similar to Dort, Nesmith is expected to contribute on the defensive end of the court and provide shooting from beyond the arc when the Pacers are on offense. Throughout these playoffs, Nesmith has been a three-point marksman, knocking down 2.7 threes per game on 49.5% shooting from deep, and he went 3-for-7 from three-point range in Game 1.

While the Pacers are permitting the third-most catch-and-shoot threes per game (9.7) among postseason teams, the Thunder aren't too far behind, allowing the fifth-most catch-and-shoot threes per game (9.6). In the opening game of the NBA Finals, Nesmith saw the second-most catch-and-shoot threes (6.0) on Indiana's roster.

Over his 17 playoff starts so far, Nesmith has made three-plus threes in 41.2% of those contests, which carries +143 implied odds. An ankle injury helped lead to Nesmith falling short of making a trio of shots from behind the three-point line in the latter games of the Eastern Conference Finals, but he looked a bit healthier in Game 1.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.