With their season hanging by a thread, the Indiana Pacers delivered a fearless, all-hands-on-deck performance to stun the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91, forcing a blockbuster Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
Led by Obi Toppin’s 20-point burst and a vintage team display, the Pacers refused to bow out on their home court. It was Indiana’s sixth straight win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in these playoffs and perhaps their grittiest yet.
Game 6 was less about perfection and more about persistence. The Pacers missed their first eight shots and fell behind 10-2, but as they’ve done all season, they regrouped and roared back.
Andrew Nembhard added 17 points, while Pascal Siakam chipped in with 16 points and 13 boards. Tyrese Haliburton, playing through a calf strain, had 14 points and an unwavering presence that calmed the chaos.
“We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our floor,” Haliburton said. “Backs against the wall, and we just responded. Total team effort.”
TJ McConnell continued to be the heartbeat off the bench with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, his energy sparking the second-quarter surge that flipped the game on its head.
Indiana went on a 68-32 run over a 24-minute stretch, turning a slow start into a third-quarter lead that ballooned to 31. It was the kind of playoff punch Oklahoma City hadn’t seen since their 45-point implosion against Minnesota.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but with the game slipping away, the starters were benched early in the fourth. “They earned the win,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes.”
The last time an NBA Finals went to a Game 7 was 2016. Sunday night in Oklahoma City will mark another chapter in history, one that could belong to either team.
