NBA FINALS: Indy Obliterates OKC to Force Winner-Take-All Game 7

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The two best words in the sport of basketball.

GAME 7.

Ladies and gentlemen, for all the marbles, we will be having a do-or-die NBA Finals Game 7 for the first time in nine years since LeBron James and Kyrie Irving helped the Cleveland Cavaliers erase a 1-3 series deficit over the Golden State Warriors.

Laser-focused to drag the series to a win-or-go-home, the Indiana Pacers stepped on the gas pedal to crush the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-91, in the ongoing NBA Finals on June 20, 2025.

After a slow start in the first three minutes of the first when the Pacers only managed to score two points, 8-2, the home squad quickly inflicted damage in the next nine minutes to jump into the driver’s seat, 28-25.

It was like a mirror image after the Pacers gave the Thunder a dose of their own medicine, tallying four steals in the first quarter which resulted in five markers off turnovers.

Indiana also heated up midway through the first, knocking down five three-pointers compared to OKC’s single swished shot from the rainbow country.

There were several catalysts in the Pacers’ Game 6 dub, but all credit must be put on TJ McConnell’s hands as the veteran floor general ignited a massive Indiana second-quarter run that ballooned their advantage to 22 points, 64-42, at the half.

McConnell sparked the momentum-stealing 7-0 scoring run for the Pacers at the ninth-minute mark, generated from three consecutive perimeter jump shots and a dime to Tony Bradley.

It was like a taser shock to OKC’s gut. After McConnell’s rampage, the Western Conference kings got demolished on both ends of the floor and looked disoriented as they turned the ball over several times while going ice-cold from the three-point area.

OKC attempted to catch Indiana off guard at the start of the second half when they put Alex Caruso in their starting five but no matter what kind of adjustments the Thunder applied, the red-hot Indiana just cruised past them after hosting a three-point barrage and a balanced scoring clinic.

For the first time in the entire playoffs, the Thunder failed to score a single bucket for nearly five minutes at the start of the third which Indiana capitalized.

The Thunder never trimmed their deficit to just a single digit and already conceded Game 6 at the start of the fourth when head coach Mark Daigneault pulled out all of his starters to preserve them for the upcoming finale.

Indiana’s well-balanced assault was led by Obi Toppin who dropped 20 points built from four three-pointers alongside six rebounds and two steals.

Toppin became McConnell’s batman in the second frame, as the duo proved to be too much for the Thunder with their scintillating two-man game.

McConnell was nothing but spectacular for the Pacers as he delivered one of the best all-around performances by a back-up guard, stuffing the stat sheets with 12 markers, nine boards, six assists, and four steals.

Andrew Nembhard chipped in 17, Pascal Siakam with 16, but it was Tyrese Haliburton who inspired his squad as the injured court maestro had 14 points despite nursing a tight calf.

Game 7 will shift back to the Paycom Center on June 23, 2025. Will Oklahoma defend home turf and raise the trophy in front of its fans? Or will the Pacers continue their post-season Cinderella run?