Check out our Pacers vs Thunder prediction and NBA expert picks for Thursday, October 23! Our hoops analyst Justin Carlucci brings you his favorite Indiana vs OKC props and betting angles to consider.
Editor’s Note: Check out our NBA hub for all of our free predictions!
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Pacers vs Thunder Prediction – Thursday, October 23
The defending champs have already survived a double-overtime scare. The Pacers haven’t played a regular-season minute yet.
And now, the two meet in Indianapolis with very different vibes — Oklahoma City is seasoned, sharp, and confident, while Indiana is youthful, re-tooled, and already behind the injury curve.
The Thunder come in off a 125-124 thriller against Houston. The Pacers? They’ll be trying to find rhythm on the fly in their first official game of 2025-26. Let’s break it down.
Pacers vs Thunder Odds
Looking for betting odds for Thursday’s NBA slate of games?
- Spread: OKC -8.5
- Moneyline: IND +275 (available at time of publishing)
- Game Total: 228.5 (subject to change)
How To Watch Thunder vs Pacers Thursday
- When: Thursday, October 23, 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- Watch: Bally Sports Indiana / Bally Sports Oklahoma / NBA League Pass
Thunder Prediction and Preview
If you wanted proof that OKC’s championship focus carried over, Monday’s win said plenty.
The Thunder grinded through two overtimes and still got superstar output from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35 points, 5 boards, 5 assists) after a very sluggish start. Chet Holmgren added 28 and 7, proving he’s on the verge of leveling up.
This group looks settled. Isaiah Hartenstein logged 37 minutes and grabbed 8 boards against Houston. Cason Wallace stepped up with 14 points and defensive energy. That’s the hallmark of this team: depth, pace, and poise.
The minor blip? Jalen Williams likely remains out with a wrist issue, so coach Mark Daigneault leaned heavily on wings like Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins to soak up those minutes.
Expect that again on Thursday. Offensively, OKC will keep the floor wide for SGA’s drives, then use Holmgren as both a pick-and-pop threat and rim-protector anchor.
The Thunder aren’t easing into the schedule. They want statement wins early, and their discipline makes them one of the league’s safest early-season bets against shorthanded or untested teams.
Pacers Prediction and Preview
It’s hard to open a season with optimism when your franchise player isn’t on the floor. Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles robs Indiana of its pace-setting genius, and that absence can’t be faked.
Coach Rick Carlisle has turned to Andrew Nembhard to run the point, flanked by Bennedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith on the wings.
There’s talent here — Pascal Siakam is still a nightmare matchup, and Isaiah Jackson brings energy and verticality at the five — but this is a patchwork starting group that hasn’t shared much court time together.
Jackson has massive shoes to fill after Myles Turner departed, and Jackson has a history of getting into early foul trouble. He’ll have to rectify that if he wants to be a key cog of the Indy starting five.
Preseason lineups looked choppy, especially without Haliburton orchestrating. Ball movement stalled, spacing vanished, and turnovers piled up in scrimmages.
The Pacers’ bench offers intrigue: Obi Toppin and Ben Sheppard can inject tempo and shooting, while rookie Johnny Furphy will see spot minutes once fully cleared.
Still, this team will rely heavily on Mathurin’s shot creation and Siakam’s mid-post work to generate offense. That’s a tall task against an OKC defense that finished top-three in efficiency last year.
Now, let’s dive into the Pacers vs Thunder player props for today.
Pacers vs Thunder Props and Picks Today
There are plenty of Indiana vs OKC player props to choose from on Underdog for Thursday night’s slate of games. Let’s dive into the Pacers vs Thunder prediction!
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Props – Less Than 32.5 Points
SGA was bailed out on this player prop during the opener thanks to the pair of extra sessions. Indy plays much faster than Houston, but the risk of a possible blowout is also in play, which works well for less than 32.5
There wasn’t a huge difference in SGA’s underlying data with/without Jalen Williams last season, so I have no issue going right back to this number.
Andrew Nembhard Props – More Than 23.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Nembhard will be in a totally different role this season without All-Star Tyrese Haliburton. He’ll have the ball in his hands so much more, which will cause his usage and assist rates to both spike. The blowout is a real possibility, but I’m attacking this number early in the year.
