These are the favorites for NBA Finals MVP 2025: check out who’s on the list
Ahead of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, we take a look at the frontrunners for series MVP.
Having already scooped the NBA MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP awards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the overwhelming favorite to be named the outstanding player in this month’s NBA Finals.
What are Shai’s Finals MVP odds?
The Oklahoma City Thunder star has moneyline odds of -550 to win the Finals MVP trophy, according to the betting website Oddschecker.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds in the Conference Finals, as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 to return to the championship series for the first time since 2012.
Who else is being tipped for Finals MVP?
Oklahoma City will now contest the Larry O’Brien Trophy against the Indiana Pacers, whose point guard Tyrese Haliburton is the second favorite for Finals MVP.
Haliburton has significantly shorter MVP odds than Pacers team-mate Pascal Siakam, despite being pipped to the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award by the Cameroonian.
Siakam received five votes to Haliburton’s four, after the power forward scored 31 points in Game 6’s series-clinching win over the New York Knicks on Friday.
The 31-year-old averaged 24.8 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists against the Knicks, while Haliburton averaged 21 points, six rebounds and 10.5 assists.
Pascal Siakam received five of the nine votes for Eastern Conference Finals MVP from a media panel covering the series. Tyrese Haliburton received the other four votes. pic.twitter.com/ZdpvJsRaTf
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 1, 2025
NBA Finals MVP 2025 - the favorites:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder): -550
- Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers): +650
- Pascal Siakam (Pacers): +2300
- Jalen Williams (Thunder): +3300
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder): +7500
- Myles Turner (Pacers): +36000
Can Shai banish NBA MVP curse?
After winning NBA MVP for the first time in his career, Gilgeous-Alexander would be only the 11th player in league history - and the first since LeBron James in 2013 - to be named Finals MVP in the same season.
And if he can lead the Thunder to their first championship since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008, Gilgeous-Alexander will also end a decade-long title hoodoo for NBA MVP winners.
Not since Stephen Curry in 2015, when the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, has a player won league MVP and a championship ring in a single season.
When are the 2025 NBA Finals?
- Game 1: Pacers vs Thunder - June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 2: Pacers vs Thunder - June 8, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Game 3: Thunder vs Pacers - June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 4: Thunder vs Pacers - June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Game 5: Pacers vs Thunder - June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET*
- Game 6: Thunder vs Pacers - June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET*
- Game 7: Pacers vs Thunder - June 22, 8:00 p.m. ET*
*If needed
How can I watch the 2025 NBA Finals?
Viewers in the U.S. can watch the 2025 NBA Finals on ABC. You can stream ABC’s coverage on fubo, which offers new users a free trial. You can also follow live-text coverage of the Finals right here at AS USA.
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