New data shows which NBA team fans want to see win the coveted Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
The NBA Finals are here, and basketball fans across America are ready to tune in with excitement. Back in October, few would’ve predicted a finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers however the underdog nature of both teams’ runs has captivated NBA fans.
With this in mind, Betway decided to analyse social media data over the last 30 days to identify which team each state is rooting for in this year’s finals.
When looking at the split between states, 29 states seem to be backing the Thunder to win their first title since 1979 when they were the Seattle SuperSonics. Meanwhile, 21 states are backing the Pacers who boast three ABA titles in the 1970s but zero NBA Championships.
Here is a look at which team each state is rooting for:
State | Thunder Fan Score | Pacers Fan Score |
Alabama | 56% | 41% |
Alaska | 50% | 39% |
Arizona | 69% | 44% |
Arkansas | 41% | 52% |
California | 57% | 40% |
Colorado | 59% | 53% |
Connecticut | 60% | 53% |
Delaware | 33% | 36% |
Florida | 57% | 41% |
Georgia | 59% | 60% |
Hawaii | 85% | 43% |
Idaho | 38% | 50% |
Illinois | 55% | 42% |
Indiana | 47% | 69% |
Iowa | 40% | 72% |
Kansas | 54% | 61% |
Kentucky | 75% | 76% |
Louisiana | 65% | 39% |
Maine | 20% | 32% |
Maryland | 51% | 37% |
Massachusetts | 70% | 64% |
Michigan | 66% | 56% |
Minnesota | 74% | 82% |
Mississippi | 69% | 41% |
Missouri | 55% | 67% |
Montana | 43% | 40% |
Nebraska | 50% | 73% |
Nevada | 50% | 58% |
New Hampshire | 48% | 70% |
New Jersey | 69% | 33% |
New Mexico | 20% | 75% |
New York | 73% | 29% |
North Carolina | 66% | 65% |
North Dakota | 33% | 50% |
Ohio | 64% | 51% |
Oklahoma | 55% | 54% |
Oregon | 47% | 68% |
Pennsylvania | 59% | 56% |
Rhode Island | 40% | 44% |
South Carolina | 40% | 53% |
South Dakota | 40% | 35% |
Tennessee | 70% | 64% |
Texas | 54% | 41% |
Utah | 52% | 46% |
Vermont | 46% | 31% |
Virginia | 67% | 58% |
Washington | 52% | 64% |
West Virginia | 52% | 46% |
Wisconsin | 52% | 45% |
Wyoming | 45% | 53% |
Unsurprisingly, both teams rule their home state. Positive sentiment towards the Pacers in Indiana was 69% whereas for the Thunder it was 47%.
In Oklahoma, the Thunder had a positive sentiment score of 55% but Oklahomans also seem to have respect for their finals rivals as positive sentiment for the Pacers in the state was at 54%.
In New York, the Thunder had a whopping positive sentiment score of 73% compared to the Pacers’ 29%. The fact that the Pacers eliminated the New York Knicks and ended their chances of a first championship win since 1973 may have something to do with this.
Other large states such as California, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas all leaned towards the Thunder too. However, in Washington, fans are rooting for the Pacers which suggests basketball fans in the state are understandably not over the relocation of the SuperSonics yet.
With Toronto also being home to an NBA franchise and with four Canadians featuring in this year’s finals, we decided to identify who fans from “The 6” were supporting.
According to the data, Torontonians are rooting for the Pacers, who had a positive sentiment score of 71% compared to the Thunder’s 58%. This suggests that Toronto Raptors fans could be keen on seeing their ex-star in Pascal Siakam win his second championship ring after helping bring a title to Toronto in 2019.
Regardless of loyalties, fans will be expecting a hard fought, close matchup and many neutrals will even be hoping the series goes all the way to a game seven! To get more insights like this and to monitor the latest NBA odds during and after this year’s NBA Finals, please head over to our NBA page.
Methodology
This analysis was conducted using social listening technology to track and measure fan sentiment across major social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit.
The “fan score” for each location represents the percentage of posts expressing positive sentiment toward either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Indiana Pacers in the lead-up to the NBA Finals.
Data correct as of June 3rd, 2025.
