How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers 2025 NBA Finals Game 1
The Thunder are heavy favorites, but could the scrappy Pacers give OKC a run for its money?
No matter what happens in the 2025 NBA Finals, history will be made. Either the Oklahoma City Thunder will win their first title since moving to OKC, or the Indiana Pacers will hoist their first Larry O’Brien Trophy in franchise history. The hoops action gets underway on Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET as Game 1 is set to tip off on ABC. If you are looking for a live TV streaming service to check out the game (or the entire series), I recommend starting with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV.
How to watch the Thunder vs. Pacers Game 1
- When: Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC
Stream: Watch with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV. - From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know to stream Thunder vs. Pacers:
Thunder vs. Pacers 2025 NBA Finals broadcast schedule
Every game of this series will air on ABC, meaning that DIRECTV is the best way to stream it all. The live TV streaming service not only has the longest guaranteed free trial in the industry, but it also carries every one of the channels you will need to watch every game of the Thunder vs. Pacers series, so it remains our top recommendation.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Platforms | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Sunday, June 8 | 8 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Wednesday, June 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Friday, June 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Monday, June 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder* | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Thursday, June 19 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers* | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
| Sunday, June 22 | 8 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder* | ABC, ESPN Deportes | TBD |
*=if necessary
Why we recommend DIRECTV to watch Thunder vs. Pacers
Over the next few weeks, basketball fans will be in heaven as the best that the NBA has to offer battles for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. If you are a die-hard hoops-head who can’t miss a single minute of the postseason action, then DIRECTV is the best streaming option for you. The streamer comes with a five-day free trial and has the most complete channel offerings available, including all of the major national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks in practically every market.
DIRECTV is a great option for all sports seasons, and it will be again when hoops season rolls around again. The streamer will carry every nationally broadcast NBA game in the regular and postseason starting the fall on ESPN, ABC, and NBC. So that means that there is no better option to watch all of the hoops action than DIRECTV.
If you are also into hockey, DIRECTV carries both TNT and truTV, so you won’t miss a single second of the Stanley Cup Finals either.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Can you watch Thunder vs. Pacers for free?
If you are just looking for a streaming service to watch one specific game and nothing else, there are options available for you. DIRECTV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all offer free trials, but they vary in length, so be wary. DIRECTV’s industry-leading trial runs for five days, while Hulu + Live TV’s is a solid three days.
Those are pretty straightforward, but when it comes to the sports-minded streamer Fubo, things can get a little complicated. As The Streamable’s expert David Satin discovered when signing up for the services, figuring out how long Fubo’s trial is — even as you are signing up — can be a bit difficult. Nonetheless, it will be at least one day, with the potential to be as many as seven, depending on a wide range of factors that Fubo does not share publicly.
The YouTube TV trial is said to be “up to two weeks,” but can be as short as two days. So it is difficult to ascertain what you are actually getting before you go through the signup process.
If you are looking to watch the game for free, I would recommend DIRECTV, because that streamer has the longest guaranteed free trial.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
Watch a preview of the Thunder vs. Pacers
How to watch Thunder vs. Pacers from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the game as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming like DIRECTV in order to stream the Thunder vs. Pacers game with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available