2025 NBA Finals: Who Has the Better Offensive Ratings Between Indiana Pacers & OKC Thunder?

It’s the matchup nobody predicted, but the one basketball junkies can’t stop talking about. The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder are crashing the 2025 NBA Finals like two underdog rom-com leads who somehow made it work. While most of the headlines this postseason have been about grit, clutch defense, and late-game heroics, what’s been hiding in plain sight? Buckets. Just two young, hungry squads lighting up the box score and refusing to stick to anyone’s script.

These two teams sprinted their way into the Finals with a neon-green offensive engine strapped to their backs. So, who’s got the hotter hand heading into the 2025 NBA Finals? And who’s got the numbers to back the flash?

Best offensive team of the NBA 2025 Finals revealed

At first glance, the Oklahoma City Thunder holds the crown in the offensive rating department. With a blistering 120.3 offensive rating, they’re not just efficient—they’re downright surgical. This squad averaged 120.5 points per game across 82 matchups, which, for reference, is the basketball version of a cheat code.

But it’s not just about the points. OKC shoots 48.2% from the field and drops a jaw-dropping 14.5 threes per game on 37.4% accuracy. That’s spacing nightmares for opponents. Toss in 81.9% free-throw shooting and a 59.3% true shooting percentage, and it’s easy to see why their offense hums like a Tesla on autopilot. And while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander orchestrates the madness, he’s not doing it alone.

Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and a rotation of snipers and slashers make this team impossible to key in on. They’re dishing out 26.9 assists a night, proving that this offense thrives on ball movement, not just isolation highlights.

Dec 12, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talks with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) between plays against the Dallas Mavericks in the second half at Paycom Center. Dallas won 103-84. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Now, let’s talk Pacers. They’re not far behind, and stylistically, they’re bringing a whole different flavor. Indiana’s offensive rating of 116.5 may trail OKC slightly, but don’t let that fool you. This team thrives on tempo and creativity. They average 117.4 points per game, shoot an even better 48.8% from the field, and boast a 59.4% true shooting percentage that actually edges out the Thunder. What’s their secret sauce? Playmaking. Indiana leads the Finals matchup in assists per game with a dazzling 29.2. That ball’s zipping around like it’s allergic to stagnation. Tyrese Haliburton runs the show with surgical precision, but the Pacers’ attack feels more like a jazz ensemble—everyone contributes, everyone improvises.

While OKC launches more threes and hits them at a better clip, the Pacers score with surgical two-point efficiency and a paint presence that constantly draws fouls. They get to the line more often than the Thunder (21.6 attempts per game), and while they don’t convert quite as well (78.9%), they’re forcing defenses into tough decisions.

The Pacers are also the better rebounding team, averaging 41.8 boards per game to OKC’s 44.8 might look like a loss, but they’re grabbing more offensive rebounds per game (9.2 to OKC’s 10.6), giving them more second-chance opportunities. It’s gritty, it’s gutsy, and it’s working. Turnovers? The Pacers are a bit more loose with the rock, coughing it up 13.2 times per game compared to OKC’s 11.7, which could be a key swing factor if this series gets tight. Still, they more than make up for it with that elite assist-to-turnover flow.

So, who’s the best offensive team in the 2025 NBA Finals? You have the stats, decide for yourself.

Putting the Pacers’ offense against the Thunder’s defense

With Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals tipping off on 8th June, there’s a storm coming. And we’re not talking about Indiana’s weather. The 2025 NBA Finals pit the Pacers’ revved-up, full-throttle offense against a Thunder defense that’s been locking teams in the proverbial basement. One side wants to turn every rebound into a runway. The other? They just want to shut the airport down.

Sure, Pacers’ regular season offense dipped from last year, down to a 116.5 offensive rating, with only Philly and New Orleans taking bigger steps back. But don’t be fooled. Come playoff time, the Pacers flipped the switch. They’re scoring 5.0 more points per 100 possessions than their opponents typically allow. That spike? It’s why they’re in their first Finals in 25 years. .

Image Source: Imagn

Efficiency has been their calling card. The Pacers are shooting a scorching 57.6% effective field goal percentage, second-best for any Finals team through the conference rounds in league history. In the paint? 58.7%. From mid-range? 48.7%. And from deep? A league-best 40.1% in the playoffs. They’re the basketball equivalent of a Swiss Army knife — there’s a tool for every angle, and all of them are sharp.

But here’s the roadblock: OKC doesn’t play defense. They weaponize it. The Thunder have smothered playoff offenses, holding them to 12.8 fewer points per 100 possessions than their regular-season average. They’re not just second in opponent effective FG% (49.9%) — they’re first in opponent turnover rate, forcing 17.7 per 100 possessions. And they do it without gambling. It’s discipline wrapped in chaos, coordinated like a heist scene.

And if Indiana wants to run? Good luck. The Thunder allowed the fewest transition possessions in the playoffs — just 13.6%. That means fewer fast-breaks for Haliburton, fewer coast-to-coast finishes for Siakam. Even when opponents do get out in transition, OKC’s length and mobility can recover in a blink. It’s like trying to run a 40-yard dash through a maze of moving doors.

Well, both teams have leaned on these identities to reach the Finals. One side is trying to outrun gravity. The other is trying to make you feel it on every possession. And hey, if Game 1 was any indication, Indiana took the win, so maybe that slightly lower offensive rating doesn’t matter so much after all. Perhaps, it is true what they say; a good offense is the best defense.

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