Indiana Pacers Rout OKC Thunder in Game 6, Focus Instantly Shifts to Winner-Take-All Game 7
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers delivered a resounding statement Thursday night, routing the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. This dominant home victory levels the series at 3-3 and forces a dramatic winner-take-all Game 7, set for Sunday in Oklahoma City.
Despite the decisive win, the atmosphere within the Pacers locker room was far from celebratory. The team’s focus immediately shifted to the daunting task ahead: winning one more game on the road to claim the franchise’s first NBA championship.
“We’ve got one game,” star guard Tyrese Haliburton stated plainly after the victory. “One game. Nothing that’s happened before matters. And nothing that’s going to happen after matters.”
Game 6 Highlights: A Statement Performance
The Pacers’ Game 6 performance was highlighted by electrifying moments that energized the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. None was more impactful than a fast break late in the first half. After stealing a pass from OKC’s Jalen Williams and miraculously staying inbounds along the sideline, Haliburton pushed the tempo before delivering a spectacular no-look pass to Pascal Siakam, who finished with a ferocious dunk.
“That’s a special moment,” Haliburton said of the play, adding a good-natured jab, “especially because we are always getting on Pascal for not dunking anymore.”
The dunk extended Indiana’s lead to 20 points, a margin from which the young Thunder squad never recovered. While a memorable play, Haliburton echoed the team’s unified mindset regarding its place in history. “Honestly, me and Pascal have not spoken about this play yet,” he noted. “I don’t know if we will until this is over. … If we are fortunate enough to go on and win this thing, I think that play will be remembered for a long time.”
Team Effort Fuels Dominant Display
Indiana overcame a slow start, missing their first eight shots to fall behind 10-2. However, they quickly found their rhythm, leaning on tenacious defense and a balanced offensive attack. The Pacers forced 21 Oklahoma City turnovers while committing just 11, a critical difference. They held the Thunder to just 91 points, OKC’s lowest scoring output since April 2022.
The scoring contributions came from across the roster:
Obi Toppin led the team off the bench with 20 points.
Andrew Nembhard added 17 points.
- Pascal Siakam notched a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
“We are just super resilient, and we’re hungry,” Toppin commented on the team’s effort. “We all work extremely hard every single day to allow the success that we had, and we’re not done.”
Haliburton Plays Through Injury
Adding to the magnitude of the Game 6 performance was Tyrese Haliburton playing despite being a game-time decision with a strained right calf. The All-Star guard underwent extensive treatment leading up to the game, including hyperbaric chambers, needles, massages, and electronic stimulation.
Haliburton expressed little doubt he would suit up. “I just look at it as I want to be out there to compete with my brothers,” he said. “These are guys that I’m willing to go to war with. We’ve had such a special year. We have a special bond as a group. I’d beat myself up if I didn’t give it a chance.”
He finished with 14 points and five assists in 23 minutes, proving vital to the win. Coach Rick Carlisle praised Haliburton’s determination and focus. “He’s super important to us,” Carlisle said. “The big thing was just there wasn’t a lot of drama. … He was straightforward. He didn’t want a lot of attention. He was doing everything possible to be able to play.”
Eyes Fixed on Game 7: Ignoring the “Poisonous” Narratives
Despite the emphatic Game 6 victory, Haliburton cautioned his teammates against getting caught up in external storylines surrounding the impending NBA Finals Game 7, the first since 2016.
“The narratives are going to be almost poison,” Haliburton warned. He specifically mentioned avoiding discussions about the historical significance for the city or organization, legacy talk, or the idea that pressure is now solely on the Thunder.
Instead, the team’s focus remains on controlling the controllable. “We’ve got to control what we can,” Haliburton emphasized. “So much of these games has come down to who is going to start the fight from a physicality standpoint, take care of the ball better and rebound the ball better. Those are the important things that we need to focus on.”
The Pacers understand their job of defending home court is done. Now, they turn their attention fully to the ultimate challenge: competing and winning Game 7 on the road to achieve NBA Finals glory.
