The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will face off in the NBA Finals, which start Thursday night.For both teams, a championship would be historic.If the Pacers win the best-of-seven series, it would be the franchise’s first championship. The last time the Pacers were in the finals was in 2000.The Thunder franchise won an NBA championship in 1979 when they were the Seattle SuperSonics, but the team has not won a title since it moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the team made a finals appearance was in 2012. How do the Thunder and Pacers compare? During the regular season, both teams' stats are pretty close. The Thunder, however, averaged more points, rebounds, three-pointers, steals and blocks than the Pacers.The Pacers had a higher field goal percentage, assists and turnovers in the regular season. In the playoffs, the Thunder performed better at home games. The Thunder scored 12.3% more points at home playoff games than on the road. More notably, they won eight games at home, twice what they did at away games, and only lost one game at home.For the Pacers, at home or away games don’t make much of a difference. The team had an even split of wins and losses at home and away.The Pacers scored about 1.7% more in home playoff games than away. Past NBA Finals championsOf all the 78 NBA Finals, about 40% of champions clinch their win in Game 6. Less than 12% of NBA Finals were ever won in Game 4.See all NBA Finals champions and the game in which each series was won, starting from 1947, in the graphic below.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
WASHINGTON — The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will face off in the NBA Finals, which start Thursday night.
For both teams, a championship would be historic.
If the Pacers win the best-of-seven series, it would be the franchise’s first championship. The last time the Pacers were in the finals was in 2000.
The Thunder franchise won an NBA championship in 1979 when they were the Seattle SuperSonics, but the team has not won a title since it moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the team made a finals appearance was in 2012.
How do the Thunder and Pacers compare?
During the regular season, both teams' stats are pretty close. The Thunder, however, averaged more points, rebounds, three-pointers, steals and blocks than the Pacers.
The Pacers had a higher field goal percentage, assists and turnovers in the regular season.
In the playoffs, the Thunder performed better at home games. The Thunder scored 12.3% more points at home playoff games than on the road.
More notably, they won eight games at home, twice what they did at away games, and only lost one game at home.
For the Pacers, at home or away games don’t make much of a difference. The team had an even split of wins and losses at home and away.
The Pacers scored about 1.7% more in home playoff games than away.
Past NBA Finals champions
Of all the 78 NBA Finals, about 40% of champions clinch their win in Game 6. Less than 12% of NBA Finals were ever won in Game 4.
See all NBA Finals champions and the game in which each series was won, starting from 1947, in the graphic below.
