Let’s be honest. Most of us had our postmortems ready.
The Indiana Pacers, down 3–2 in the NBA Finals. Tyrese Haliburton barely hanging on with a calf strain. And the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team of the moment, on the verge of a coronation.
But Game 6 flipped the script. Completely.
The Pacers didn’t just survive—they dominated. A 108–91 win on their home floor, sending the Finals to a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City. It wasn’t even close by the time the fourth quarter hit. Pascal Siakam was throwing down dunks like he had divine clearance. And Haliburton? He played 23 gutsy minutes, scored 14, and finished +25 despite a wrap on his calf.
It wasn’t a game. It was a message.
Pacers’ Culture Is Their Superpower
What’s made this Pacers run special—beyond the wins, beyond the disbelief—is their refusal to break character. They don’t win with one guy. They win as a group. That showed again in Game 6. Obi Toppin led the team with 20 points off the bench. T.J. McConnell was everywhere: 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals.
Indiana beat OKC in nearly every stat that matters—turnovers, rebounds, assists, three-point percentage. It was clinical. But it never felt cold. There’s something soulful about the way they hoop.
And that’s exactly why Tyrese Haliburton sounded the alarm postgame.
“For the next two days, everybody’s gonna be talking about how good we looked, how well we played, how much pressure is on OKC… That’s gonna be the narrative. We gotta do a good job of staying away from that stuff. I think that can be poison.”
— Tyrese Haliburton (via SportsCenter with SVP)
Haliburton wasn’t trying to kill the vibe. He was trying to protect it.
Pacers Refuse to Be Counted Out
The playoffs have asked Indiana to prove themselves at every turn—and every time, they’ve answered with something we didn’t expect.
Back in the second round, most thought their season would end. Same for the East Finals. Same when they fell behind 3–2 in the Finals. They’ve been too banged up, too small-market, too inexperienced. We keep waiting for the step-too-far. But they just keep walking.
Game 6 wasn’t just a win. It was a reminder that the moment doesn’t scare them. That they belong here. And that they’ll go into Oklahoma City not to survive, but to take what they believe is theirs.
The Thunder Won’t Go Quietly
Still, nobody should expect Game 7 to look like Game 6.
The Thunder were out of sync from the opening tip, and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted it.
“We sucked tonight.”
— SGA (via Josue Pavón)
Expect a different team on Sunday. A better one. After all, this was the NBA’s best regular-season squad for a reason. The defense will tighten up. Shooters will be more locked in. And that crowd? Probably unhinged.
Even so, the Pacers have done the improbable too many times to fear the odds now. They’re battered, but resilient. Young, but not shaken. And most of all, they’re two feet in.
Final Word: Believe It
Game 7. NBA Finals. On the road. For everything.
Indiana’s never won a championship. But maybe that’s the point. This isn’t your typical Finals run. It’s been gritty. Joyful. Unlikely.
And now, it’s one win away from being legendary.
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