Facing elimination, the Pacers answered with a perfect first half capped by Pascal Siakam postering Jalen Williams, built a 30-point lead in the third quarter, and finished off OKC with a dominant 108-91 win in Game 6.
Tyrese Haliburton battled through the calf strain, played 23 minutes and set the tone with 14 points and five assists. Siakam scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Andrew Nembhard added 17 points, while TJ McConnell and Obi Toppin combined for 32 points off the bench.
The Thunder couldn’t overcome Rick Carlisle’s defensive schemes, committed 21 turnovers, and shot eight of 30 from the three-point line. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and Williams added 16, but Chet Holmgren had only four and Alex Caruso didn’t score.
Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Pacers’ victory:
🌟 SQUAD EFFORT FORCES GAME 7 🌟
Toppin: 20p, 6r, 2s, 4 3pm
Nembhard: 17p, 4a, 3s, 3 3pm
McConnell: 12p, 9r, 6a, 4sThe @Pacers STARS IN THEIR ROLES delivered in their biggest game yet! pic.twitter.com/9LQQwLBFlV
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2025
The Pacers have outscored the Thunder by 40 points in Jalen Williams’ minutes.
If Williams does not return to the game, it will be the worst plus-minus in an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era (since 1997).
— Law Murray 🚨 (@LawMurrayTheNU) June 20, 2025
TJ McConnell might be the swaggiest white boy we’ve seen in the league since Jason Williams
— cheeky (@cheemky) June 20, 2025
In a game Indiana made only 41.3 percent from the field (lower than the 41.9 percent the Thunder made), the Pacers were a +17 in the possession battle:
11-4 on offensive rebounds
21-11 on opponent turnovers— Law Murray 📘 (@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social) Jun 20, 2025 at 5:30
The Oklahoma City Thunder made 8 3s in Game 6 at Indiana.
Here was the margin after those made 3s:
Wiggins (IND up 6)
Joe (IND up 19)
Dort (IND up 24)
K. Williams (IND up 28)
Jay. Williams (IND up 26)
Jay. Williams (IND up 22)
Dieng (IND up 18)
Joe (IND up 17)— Law Murray 📘 (@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social) Jun 20, 2025 at 5:26
Rick Carlisle is that guy. This is a very good Pacers side. Is the East still way weaker? This has game seven written over it, as many predicted. The well deserved MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has been quiet. No Jalen Williams magic either. So glad for Tyrese Haliburton as well. pic.twitter.com/PPApZsybt2
— Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai (@B_ELRUFAI) June 20, 2025
JALEN WILLIAMS WHAT HAS POSSESSED YOU
— TF (@ThunderFocus) June 20, 2025
Basketball, NBA, Pacers, Social Media, Thunder, Alex Caruso, Chet Holmgren, Indiana Pacers, Jalen Williams, Obi Toppin, Oklahoma City Thunder, Pascal Siakam, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, TJ McConnell, Tyrese Haliburton
