The NBA Finals are here! And by the end of this best-of-seven series, we’ll have a first-time winner. The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night as both teams hope to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both have taken quite different roads to the finals, with OKC dominating their way through the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Pacers have defied all odds to make their first NBA Finals appearance in over two and a half decades. By looking at how the stage is set, it’s going to be a battle for the ages as everyone awaits Game 1. However, who’s the favorite to go all the way this season?

Many fans and media experts alike view Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. as the clear favorites, and rightly so. That’s because the Thunder have been unstoppable this season. They had a 68-win season and have steamrolled past teams in the playoffs, except for the Nuggets. This has made the Thunder heavy favorites to defeat the Pacers in the NBA Finals, and former OKC player Kendrick Perkins thinks likewise. The former Thunder guard was on Stephen A. Smith’s show when he issued a stern warning to Tyrese Haliburton and Co. “Game one is the most important game of the series for the Pacers. If they don’t get game one, they’re going to lose this series in five.” Perkins said.

But why? Well, he also had an answer for that. “Because by game two, the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to figure you out, and once they figure you out, it’s a problem defensively. So, you’re going into game one in the fill-out game, you really got to have to really stretch that. Going into the second half of game one, you need to be up by like 15 to 16 points on the score; other than that, your a– is grass.” He added.

Kendrick Perkins pointed out that winning the first game of the series is crucial for the Pacers. That’s because by Game 2, the OKC’s hard coach, Mark Diagneault, will find a way to stop Indiana’s fast-paced playing style.

More so, given Thunder’s defensive prowess. Minnesota star Anthony Edwards described first-seeded OKC’s defense as “15 puppets on one string.” So, by the second game, they will figure out Tyrese Haliburton and Co.’s style of play and try to disrupt their flow. Perkins also emphasized what the Pacers’ strategy should look like, number-wise, for the series opener.

He stated that to even get the win in the first game, Indiana would have to come out of the gates swinging and build a 15-16 point advantage over the Thunder within the first half. Only then will they have a chance at the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Meanwhile, more serious issues have constantly been raised against the Indiana Pacers, especially against their superstar, Tyrese Haliburton.

Stephen A. Smith is not sure about Tyrese Haliburton’s abilities

The Indiana Pacers are in their first NBA Finals since 2000, and one player who has played a huge role in their epic run is Tyrese Haliburton. While he’s changed the narrative around him through his incredible postseason performances, it’s hard to forget that he had been labeled as the most overrated player in the league. The Pacers’ point guard had an unforgettable Game 4 against the Knicks in the Conference Finals, where he recorded a 32/12/15 triple-double stat line without a single turnover. However, it seems his recent resurgence isn’t enough to impress ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

Just a few days back, Smith did not acknowledge the Pacers guard as a bona fide superstar. Now, he’s not sure if he’s capable of leading the Pacers as they hope to take down the Thunder. “‘I’m thinking about Haliburton and all of this noise about Haliburton. The brother can play. He’s not overrated. I don’t know who these players were that labeled him overrated. He’s not overrated. The brother can play, make no mistake about it.” Smith said on The Stephen A. Smith Show.

The ESPN analyst may have started to express his views by giving Tyrese Haliburton his flowers. However, he soon went another way. “But this is a different beast. This is a different animal. This is a different challenge that’s coming his way, and I ain’t going to lie to you, I don’t know how equipped Haliburton is to handle this. To be quite honest with you, it’s going to be interesting to see.”

He then questioned the 25-year-old’s ability to handle this kind of pressure. Stephen A. Smith pointed out that although Haliburton can ball, going up against a team of Thunder’s caliber is a different story. Moreover, he stated that he’s not sure how Haliburton will handle the spotlight. Indeed, being in his first-ever finals, that too, against a team like the Thunder, adds that extra layer of pressure on the Pacers guard.

Will he be able to overcome that and lead his team to glory? Only time will tell.