Pacers Rout Thunder in Game 6, Force Decisive Game 7 in NBA Finals

By USA NEWS TODAY | June 20, 2025 

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers aren’t done yet.

Fueled by grit, balance, and a stifling second-quarter surge, the Pacers crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 108–91 on Thursday night to even the NBA Finals at 3–3 and force a winner-take-all Game 7.

Obi Toppin led the charge with 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17, and Pascal Siakam delivered a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton, playing through a strained right calf, chipped in 14 points as Indiana shook off a slow start and turned Game 6 into a runaway.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 for the Thunder but struggled with eight turnovers — tying a career high and matching the most in an NBA Finals game in the past 40 years. He shot 7-of-15 from the floor and had more turnovers than field goals for the first time since 2022.

The Pacers opened cold, missing their first eight shots and falling behind 10–2. But what followed was a demolition. Indiana outscored Oklahoma City 68–32 over the next 24 minutes, flipping a two-possession deficit into a 31-point lead — the Thunder’s second-largest deficit all season.

For the Thunder, it was déjà vu. They were down 45 points in a blowout loss to Minnesota earlier in these playoffs — a series they ultimately won. They'll need another comeback now, this time in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, their first Finals appearance since relocating from Seattle.

The Pacers' bench again played a key role. T.J. McConnell posted 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in another standout performance off the pine.

Game 7 tips off Sunday night in Oklahoma City — the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016. History favors the home team (15–4 all-time in Finals Game 7s), but the Thunder would do well to remember that Cleveland stunned Golden State on the road the last time it happened.