Indiana extends finals

Indiana extends finals
NO LIMP. Tyrese Haliburton (right) of the Indiana Pacers plucks the rebound ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals in Indianapolis. Even with a strained calf, Haliburton helped Indiana force a winner-take-all Game 7. / XINHUA
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WITH their season hanging in the balance, the Indiana Pacers once again defied expectations, pulling off a commanding 108-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday (Friday, June 20, 2025, PH time).

The win sets the stage for a dramatic winner-take-all Game 7, the first in the NBA Finals since 2016. The decisive game is scheduled for Sunday night (Monday in PH) in Oklahoma City.

“The ultimate game,” declared Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, perfectly encapsulating the high stakes of the upcoming matchup.

The Pacers showcased their resilient spirit, mirroring their season-long narrative of overcoming adversity. After a sluggish start to the regular season, dropping 15 of their first 25 games, they’ve also engineered five come-from-behind victories in these playoffs, battling back from deficits of 15 points or more. Now, they stand just one win away from an NBA championship.

Despite missing their first eight shots and falling behind 10-2, the Pacers quickly found their rhythm. The initial silence that had settled over the home crowd, along with the visible anxiety of Hall of Famer Reggie Miller courtside, quickly dissipated.

Indiana then embarked on a dominant run, outscoring the Thunder 68-32 over the next 24 minutes. A team that had rarely held a double-digit lead in the series suddenly found themselves up by 28 points early in the third quarter, eventually extending their lead to 31 -- Oklahoma City’s second-largest deficit of the season.

Obi Toppin led the charge for Indiana with 20 points, while Andrew Nembhard added 17. Pascal Siakam contributed a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Even with a strained calf, Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 14 points, emphasizing the team’s unified effort.

“We just wanted to protect home court,” Haliburton stated. “We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backs against the wall and we just responded. ... Total team effort.”

The ever-reliable TJ McConnell provided a spark off the bench, tallying 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led with 21 points and Jalen Williams added 16.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged Indiana’s superior performance, stating, “Credit Indiana. They earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes. They went out there and attacked the game.”

The Thunder, who even tried to shake things up by starting Alex Caruso in the second half, simply couldn’t find a spark.

“Obviously, it was a very poor performance by us,” Daigneault conceded, as the Thunder now face their biggest test of the season. / FROM THE WIRES

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