The Indiana Pacers are the largest betting underdogs heading into the NBA Finals in seven seasons. Almost no one is giving the Pacers a chance to win their first NBA championship. And that includes nearly all of the IndyStar and The Oklahoman sports staffs.

NBA Finals begins Thursday when the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1. The Thunder are making their first finals appearance since 2012 -- when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were on the roster.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are among the youngest teams in NBA history, led by almost entirely Gen Z players born between the late 1990s and early 2010s.