Pacers Dominate Thunder 108–91 to Force Game 7 in NBA Finals
INDIANAPOLIS — With their season hanging in the balance, the Indiana Pacers once again did what they’ve made a habit of all year: defy expectations.
Indiana stormed past the Oklahoma City Thunder 108–91 in a decisive Game 6 on Thursday night, sending the NBA Finals to a dramatic Game 7 showdown. It’s the first Finals to reach a seventh game since 2016, and it all comes down to Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
“The ultimate game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said afterward.
Total Team Effort Fuels Indiana’s Win
The Pacers came out cold, missing their first eight shots and falling behind 10–2. But that didn’t last long. Once they found their rhythm, they absolutely took over.
- Obi Toppin led the way with 20 points
- Andrew Nembhard added 17
- Pascal Siakam chipped in 16 points and 13 rebounds
- Tyrese Haliburton, still nursing a strained calf, had 14 points
- And off the bench, TJ McConnell brought his usual spark with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists
“We just wanted to protect home court,” Haliburton said. “We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our floor. Backs against the wall — we responded. Total team effort.”
Turning Point: A 68–32 Run
After a sluggish start, the Pacers went on an incredible 68–32 run over the next 24 minutes, flipping the game from a nail-biter to a runaway. A team that hadn’t led by double digits in the first five games of the series suddenly found itself up by 31 points — the Thunder’s second-largest deficit of the season.
And this wasn’t the first time Indiana clawed its way back from adversity. The Pacers started the season 10–15, battled through multiple double-digit playoff comebacks, and now find themselves just one win from an NBA title.
Thunder Stumble, Look to Regroup
For Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and Jalen Williams added 16, but the Thunder struggled mightily. By the end of the third quarter, they pulled their starters, trailing by 30.
“Credit Indiana,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault admitted. “They earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes.”
The Thunder tried to mix things up after halftime, inserting Alex Caruso into the starting five in place of Isaiah Hartenstein — but it didn’t spark anything. Neither team scored in the first 3:53 of the third quarter, missing a combined 13 straight shots to start the second half.
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Game 7 History: Can OKC Bounce Back?
Historically, home teams are 15–4 in Game 7s of the NBA Finals. That stat might favor the Thunder, who will host the finale. But history cuts both ways — the last Finals Game 7 saw Cleveland win on the road against Golden State in 2016. And back in 1978, Seattle (which later became the Thunder) lost a Finals Game 7 at home.
This Thunder team has already pulled off big comebacks this postseason — most notably, rallying from a 45-point hole against Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals. They’ll need that same resilience one more time.
“Obviously, it was a very poor performance by us,” Daigneault said. “But we’ll be ready.”
Game 7 is Set: Sunday Night in OKC
Everything now comes down to one final game. The title, the legacy, the glory — it’s all up for grabs. Whether the Pacers complete their incredible underdog run or the Thunder seize the moment on their home floor, one thing is certain:
Game 7 is going to be electric.
Source: AP News – Pacers roll past Thunder 108-91 to send the NBA Finals to a deciding Game 7
