Two of the most infamous words in professional sports have been uttered: Game Seven.
On a significant Juneteenth evening pulsating with history and hope, the Indiana Pacers delivered a performance worthy of the ages.
They dismantled the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on June 19 at a high-octane Gainbridge Fieldhouse, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
“There’s nothing like a Game 7 in the NBA Finals,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said following the decisive win. “It is really exciting for me and this group.”
Facing elimination, Indiana unleashed a devastating second-quarter surge. They outscored Oklahoma City 36-17, transforming a narrow three-point lead after one quarter into a commanding 64-42 halftime advantage.
The Pacers never looked back, leading by as many as 31 points.
“Credit to Indiana,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “They played with great force tonight. We got knocked back. We have to respond.”
Balance defined Indiana’s attack. Eight Pacers scored, led by Pascal Siakam’s 16 points and 12 rebounds. Bench sparkplug T.J. McConnell delivered a historic line: 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals. He became the first reserve since starters and reserves were tracked in 1970-71 to reach those minimums in an NBA Finals game.
Obi Toppin added 20 points, falling just shy of his playoff career high. The Pacers also set an NBA record, becoming the first team with eight players scoring at least 200 points in a single postseason (Siakam 456, Tyrese Haliburton 390, Myles Turner 311, Aaron Nesmith 288, Andrew Nembhard 272, Bennedict Mathurin 219, Toppin 216, McConnell 202).
“It’s about everybody stepping up,” Siakam said. “We know our depth is our strength. We played desperate, connected basketball tonight.”
The Thunder, conversely, faltered. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed 21 points but committed eight turnovers. Oklahoma City shot a bleak 8-for-30 (26.7%) from three-point range and was outscored 22-11 on fast breaks.
Jalen Williams scored 16 for OKC, but starters Chet Holmgren and Luguentz Dort combined for just seven points on 3-for-14 shooting.
“Our ball movement stalled,” Daigneault said. “Their pressure disrupted us. We need much better execution Sunday.”
The series is now deadlocked 3-3. The 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history is set for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on June 22 at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center.
Notably, no player on either roster has ever experienced a Game 7 at this stage.
“We fought hard to get home court back,” Haliburton said after the win. “Now we have to go take it from them. One game for everything. We’re ready for the challenge.”
The Pacers celebrated Mathurin’s 23rd birthday with a dominant victory. They aim for a far greater gift Sunday: the franchise’s first NBA championship.
The Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy awaits.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more NBA Finals coverage, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
