Pacers NBA Championship Odds: Indiana Undervalued Entering 2024-25 Season?

Taking a look at the latest odds to win the NBA Finals where the Indiana Pacers could be a valuable bet.

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrates with guard Tyrese Haliburton. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

It's early, but the Indiana Pacers may have the best value on the board in NBA Finals odds for the 2024-25 season.

Indiana currently clocks in at +5000 to win it all at DraftKings Sportsbook, a shocking number for a team that made the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

Yes, the Pacers had a lot of things go their way injury wise against the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, but let's not forget that they won their regular season series with Milwaukee and didn't even have the full season with Pascal Siakam on the roster.

While some teams are looking to upgrade their rosters this offseason or have key free agents that may not be back, the Pacers were the first team to lock in their biggest free agent, signing Siakam to four-year max deal to keep him in Indiana.

ESPN Sources: All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam intends to sign a new four-year, $189.5 million maximum contract to return to the Indiana Pacers. Siakam plans to sign deal once league’s free agency moratorium ends on July 6. pic.twitter.com/Klz10dQv9a

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 19, 2024

The Eastern Conference is still going to be tough for the Pacers with Boston, New York, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Miami and Philly all also looking to go all in for a title, but the Pacers being behind all of those teams -- and some Western Conference teams -- is quite shocking.

Indiana has the 16th best odds at DraftKings to win it all in the 2024-25 season.

NBA Finals Odds for 2024-25 Season

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Boston Celtics: +290
• Denver Nuggets: +800
• Oklahoma City Thunder: +850
• New York Knicks: +850
• Minnesota Timberwolves: +1000
• Milwaukee Bucks: +1000
• Dallas Mavericks: +1100
• Philadelphia 76ers: +1300
• Los Angeles Lakers: +3000
• Golden State Warriors: +3000
• Phoenix Suns: +3000
• Los Angeles Clippers: +3500
• Miami Heat: +4000
• Cleveland Cavaliers: +4000
• Memphis Grizzlies: +4500
• Indiana Pacers: +5000

Why the Pacers are Undervalued to Win the Finals

Looking back at the 2023-24 season, Indiana's offense -- and the fast pace in which it played at -- stands out.

The Pacers ball movement -- especially in the playoffs -- was tough for teams to defend, and even though it was swept, Indiana played several close games with Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals even though All-Star Tyrese Haliburton missed two games in the series.

There are several key returning players from Indiana's team last season, and if it loses free agent Obi Toppin, 2023 first-round pick Jarace Walker may be able to step right into that role.

Given some of the injury issues on other teams in the East, the Pacers should at least be in the mix for a top-six seed next season, and it's wild to see them behind so many teams that either didn't make the playoffs in the 2023-24 campaign or lost in the first round.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Heat, Phoenix Suns, Sixers and Los Angeles Clippers all have better odds than Indiana, yet none of those teams won a playoff series last season.

Things could obviously change year over year, but the Pacers have a core intact that was amongst the final four teams standing. That should matter for something, especially when some of the teams mentioned above have their own issues and uncertainties entering the offseason.

Indiana could be worth a sprinkle at +5000 as a team that takes another leap in the 2024-25 season.

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.