The 2025 NBA Finals tip off Thursday night with Game 1 between the Pacers and Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Here's what the USA Today Sports Network's two beat writers who cover their respective teams the most — IndyStar's Dustin Dopirak and Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman — view as the biggest matchup to watch in the NBA Finals : Pre-order commemorative book on Thunder's run to NBA Finals

NBA Finals matchup to watch: Jalen Williams vs Pascal Siakam

So far, Pascal Siakam has been capable of swinging a series to his versatile whims. His crossmatching and lengthy ways proved consistent versus the Knicks, in large part what stuck with the voters who deemed him worthy of East finals MVP. He’s a positional problem, able to create off the dribble versus traditional big men an

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