NBA Finals 2025: Pacers survive Thunder in the sixth game
Indiana Pacers beat Oklahoma City Thunder in the sixth NBA finals. Everything will be decided on Sunday at the Paycom Center.
Indiana Pacers They crushed this Thursday by 108-91 to Oklahoma City Thunder and tied 3-3 the NBA finals, which will be resolved this Sunday in the seventh and definitive meeting.
It will be the first occasion since 2016 when the NBA finals reach a seventh duel. That time Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James They surprised at home the Golden State Warriors by Stephen Curry, that wasted a 3-1 for the title.
The Thunder offered a terrible image on Thursday but will start with an advantage for the seventh match since it will be played at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
On the other hand, the Pacers of the impossible miracles signed a practically perfect party when they were between the sword and the wall and seemed to have everything lost, especially because of the problems in the right twin of Tyrese Haliburton.
Doubt until the last minute, the leader of Indiana finally played and was key with 14 points (5 of 12 in shots), a rebound, 5 assists and 2 robberies.
Known for never giving up, those of Rick Carlisle were already winning 22 points in the intermediate (their maximum advantage was +31 in the last quarter) and gave a recital in defense causing 21 losses of the Thunder (for only 11 own) and limiting Oklahoma to a lousy 26.7 % in triples (8 of 30). In attack everyone put on his part with six players in double scoring digits: the aforementioned Haliburton, Pascal Siakam (16 points and 13 rebounds), Obi Toppin (20 points and 6 rebounds with 4 of 7 in triples), TJ McConnell (12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 robberies), Andrew Nembhard (17 points) and Aaron Nesmith (10 points).
Instead, nothing went well to unrecognizable thunder and unable to settle his famous defense.
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander added 21 points (7 of 15), 4 rebounds and 2 assists but crashed with 8 losses. Jalen Williams contributed 16 points (6 of 13), 3 rebounds and an assistance with 3 losses.
But removing the 10 points of Isaiah Hartenstein No one else took a step forward in Oklahoma, with special mention for a missing Chet Holmgren (4 points with 2 of 9).
Haliburton plays and the Pacers fly
All looks in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse of Indianapolis were placed on Haliburton and his twin.
In the end Indiana gave its approval after making stress tests in warming, but it seemed far from its best condition and failed its first four shots in a lazy start of the premises (2-10).
However, these Pacers are able to set the court fire in a moment and their awakening was formidable with a partial of 22-7 thanks to Siakam, Toppin, Nembhard and a triple of Haliburton that crowned an overwhelming section (24-17 with 4.15 for playing).
Shai started distempering (7 points with 3 of 7) and the Thunder lost 5 balls (3 of Shai) but did not yield too much ground on the way to the second period (28-25).
Life insurance for Carlisle as a substitute base, McConnell again revolutionized the game with 8 points in four minutes and the Pacers reached a +12 that until then was their greatest advantage in all the finals.
It was just the tornado principle. Indiana overwhelmed Oklahoma in that room with a monumental 36-17 culminated by a basak horn for 64-42.
Previously, the Cameroonian allied with Haliburton in a wonderful play: the base stole the ball, ran at all speed and attended by turning Siakam on himself, who crushed the hoop taking Williams ahead.
The superiority of the Pacers was incontestable while Thunder, totally subjected by a huge defense of Indiana, wreck in all plots.
Oklahoma committed 12 ball losses in the first part that gave rise to 16 points while Indiana only lost 2 balls. In addition, visitors suffered with a ridicule 1 of 11 in triples (9.1 %) compared to 9 of 24 of the premises (37.5 %).
To finish an impressive half of Indiana, Haliburton improved a lot in the second quarter and was more agile, loose and dangerous. He reached the break with 12 points (4 of 9), 4 assists and 2 robberies.
Siakam (13 points), Nembhard (10), Nesmith (9), McConnell (8) and Toppin (8) rounded the Pacers recital while Shai (15 points with 5 losses) and Williams (16 points and 3 losses) remained alone in the Thunder.
Oklahoma’s comeback went through a volcanic reaction but the opposite happened: until 6.57 of the third quarter they did not score their first basket of the resumption.
Except for a mirage of Oklahoma, placing himself at 18, the game was resolved with an Indiana +30 to start the fourth period, so both teams reserved their figures – including a haliburton that happily for the Pacers only played 23 minutes – for the final battle of the seventh game.
