Once again, the Indiana Pacers showed why they always have a chance to redeem themselves.
Once again, Tyrese Haliburton displayed the necessary resilience and confidence to thrive as a star player.
Just when it appeared the Pacers’ championship hopes had evaporated, they resuscitated them with a dominant 108-91 win over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. That gives the Pacers yet another opportunity to unseat a supposedly superior team in a decisive Game 7 (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET on ABC) that could cement their first NBA championship in franchise history.
Just when it appeared that Haliburton was nursing a serious injury that could jeopardize his long-term health, he played through an injured right calf and elevated his teammates with competitiveness, passing and leadership. He posted a modest 14 points on a 5-for-12 clip. Yet, he thrived elsewhere with his 3-point shooting (3-for-7), his timely assists (six) and just one turnover in 23 minutes.
“I wanted to be out there to compete with my brothers,” Haliburton told reporters. “These are guys I’m willing to [compete] with, and we have had such a special year and a special bond as a group. I’d beat myself if I didn’t give it a chance.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday.
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
At this point, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Pacers have pulled off the unthinkable. They advanced to their first NBA Finals in 25 years as a No. 5 seed by unseating an underachieving contender (Milwaukee), the East’s top seed (Cleveland) and another contender that made the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years (New York).
Yet, the Pacers maintained their excellence and determination through more difficult circumstances against the Western Conference’s best team. In Game 4 and 5 losses, the Pacers looked overwhelmed against the NBA’s regular-season MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), the Thunder’s physical defensive and their balanced offense. In Game 6, however, the Pacers still fought in front of an electric crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse that featured various franchise luminaries and devoted fans.
Indiana forward Pascal Siakam provided his usual two-way consistency (16 points, 13 rebounds). Obi Toppin (20 points) and T.J. McConnell (12) offered their unyielding hustle. Despite missing their first eight shots to open the game, the Pacers shot prolifically the rest of the night both from the field (38-for-92) and from deep (15-for-42). The Pacers showed more ball control (10 turnovers) after operating with less discipline in Game 5 (22).
“The crowd was absolutely tremendous, and we're playing the best team on the planet,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. “They have proven that the entire year, and we have got to play at such a high level for us to have a chance, and so we did better tonight.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drives with the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drives with the ball against Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Thursday.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
That mindset partly traces back to Haliburton, who looked like a much different version of himself than he did during Game 5 in Oklahoma City.
Then, Haliburton showed discomfort with his right calf after taking an awkward fall in the first quarter. He missed all six of his shot attempts. He lacked aggressiveness. He committed two costly turnovers in the fourth quarter. Still, Haliburton persisted in a high-stakes game and eventually finished with 34 minutes. After two days of rest and recovery, Haliburton received medical clearance to play and without a minutes restriction.
No longer did Haliburton appear inhibited with any discomfort. Instead, he played with enough aggressiveness to become a scoring threat and an unstoppable playmaker once again. The Pacers didn’t need to play Haliburton as much simply because they nearly dominated Game 6 from start to finish.
“He's super important to us,” Carlisle told reporters. “I think the big thing was just that there wasn’t a lot of drama. The drama was created in the press somewhat because there’s a lot of talk about it. It was not coming from him. He was straightforward. He didn't want a lot of attention. He was doing everything possible to be able to play.”
While the Pacers maintained the identity that ensured an unexpected championship-contending destination, the Thunder inexplicably lacked the ingredients that usually explain their relentless dominance.
Gilgeous-Alexander played a good-but-not-great game. He recorded 21 points, eight turnovers and two assists but lacked the scoring outbursts, ball discipline and balanced playmaking that has defined his otherwise-excellent playoff outings. Jalen Williams added 16 points, albeit with poor numbers from 3-point range (0-for-4) and in plus-minus (-40), a stark contrast to the 40-point performance in Game 5 that epitomized his growth as an off-the-ball scorer, shooter and cutter.
Oklahoma City lacked zip overall with its outside shooting (8-for-30 on 3-pointers), ball handling (21 turnovers) and hustle on the boards (Pacers won 46-41). The Thunder also went through a stretch in the second and third quarters where they missed 18 of 21 shots.
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam celebrates during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam celebrates after a play against the Thunder on Thursday.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Did OKC feel pressure with a chance to clinch the NBA title?
“Definitely in the back of our minds, for sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters. “We didn’t play like it at all, and that’s why the night went the way it did. We got exactly what we deserved and what we earned. And we have to own that.”
Nonetheless, it appears hard to decipher what this Game 6 result could mean in Sunday’s decisive Game 7.
The Thunder looked severely outmatched, but they seemingly played with some awareness they still have another opportunity to win their first NBA title in Oklahoma City. They have gone 18-2 after a loss and have won 12 of those games by at least 10 points. That includes a decisive Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets in the second round (125-93). After thriving in pressure-packed moments, the Thunder presumably should thrive in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals on their home floor.
“It's a privilege to play in Game 7s. It's a privilege to play in the Finals,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told reporters. “As disappointing as tonight was, we're grateful for the opportunity. We put in a lot of work this season to be able to play that game at home, which is exciting to be able to do it in front of our fans.”
Then again, the Pacers have defied the odds all season. They staved off elimination in Game 6 against OKC with their star player competing with better health and their team playing with more sustained hustle — all of which should make for an epic Game 7 showdown that leaves everyone guessing on the outcome.
“We’re not trying to look at it from a big-picture thing,” Haliburton told reporters. “We got one game. Nothing that happens before matters. And nothing that is going to happen after that matters. It’s all about that one game.”
Mark Medina is an NBA contributor for Athlon Sports. Follow him onX,Blue Sky,Instagram,Facebook andThreads.