Tyrese Haliburton Powers Pacers Past Thunder to Force Game 7 in NBA Finals
Despite calf injury, Haliburton leads Indiana to dominant Game 6 win; series finale heads to Oklahoma City
INDIANAPOLIS — With one leg and an iron will, Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t ready to let the Indiana Pacers’ season end.
Fighting through a right calf strain that limited his mobility, the All-Star guard scored 14 points and delivered five assists in just 23 minutes, helping the Pacers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The win forces a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City on Sunday — the first time the Finals have gone the distance since 2016.
Haliburton, who had struggled with just four points in Game 5 due to the injury, looked tentative early as Indiana missed its first eight shots and fell behind 10-2. But the Pacers regrouped quickly. After an early timeout, they stormed back, sparked by Haliburton's poise and playmaking.
He lit up the second quarter with a three-pointer, a left-handed floater, and a no-look pass to Pascal Siakam for a fast-break dunk, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Indiana closed the half on a 36-17 run and went into the locker room with a 64-42 lead.
“Energy plays are everything in this game,” Haliburton said. “We’ve been on Pascal for not dunking lately — so that one was fun to watch.”
Siakam finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Obi Toppin led the Pacers with 20 points.
Oklahoma City never recovered. The Thunder failed to score in the first five minutes of the third quarter and trailed by as many as 31 before Coach Mark Daigneault pulled his starters in the fourth. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points but also had a career-worst eight turnovers. Jalen Williams added 16, but the Thunder shot just 8-for-30 from three and committed 21 turnovers.
“It was a poor performance by us,” Daigneault admitted. “Indiana played great. We didn’t. Now we’ve got to regroup.”
A Gritty Comeback for Haliburton
Haliburton’s appearance in Game 6 had been uncertain for days. He underwent an MRI, extensive therapy, and used a hyperbaric chamber to recover. Comparisons were drawn to Kevin Durant’s ill-fated return in the 2019 Finals, which ended in a torn Achilles.
But Haliburton insisted he’d play if he could walk. "I have to trust my body, the staff, and ultimately, make the right decision," he said.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton passed a strength test before the game and was cleared to play without a strict minutes limit.
“He led us to a win,” said Toppin. “He’s a soldier. He’s not letting an injury stop him from chasing this title.”
Thunder’s Last Shot
The Thunder return home for Game 7, where they went 35-6 in the regular season and are 10-2 in the postseason. They’ve shown resilience before, going 18-2 after losses this season — including 6-0 in the playoffs. One of those bounce-back wins came in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against Denver.
“As disappointing as tonight was, we earned this opportunity,” Daigneault said. “Now we need to go seize it.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher. For Oklahoma City, a chance to win its first NBA title. For Indiana, a shot at completing a Cinderella postseason run.
“One game,” Carlisle said. “This is what you dream of as a kid. We’re facing the best team all year on their court. We’ll have to play at our absolute best.”
