The Indiana Pacers dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on Thursday night, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7. A no-look pass from Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam’s ferocious dunk with less than a minute remaining in the first half left the crowd in frenzy.
Haliburton stole a pass from Jalen Williams and led a fast break before dishing a no-look pass into Siakam, who slammed it home. The dunk gave Indiana a 20-point lead, and Oklahoma City never recovered.
The Pacers played their most complete game of this improbable playoff run but remained focused on the task at hand. “We’ve got one game,” Haliburton said. “Nothing that’s happened before matters.”
Obi Toppin came off the bench to be the Pacers’ leading scorer with 20 points, while Andrew Nembhard added 17. Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Tyrese Haliburton, who was a game-time decision due to a strained right calf, proved his resilience with a strong performance despite receiving various treatments. “I just want to be out there to compete with my brothers,” he said.
Coach Rick Carlisle praised Haliburton’s contributions, saying he played straightforward and didn’t seek attention. Haliburton cautioned the team not to get caught up in narratives heading into Game 7, instead focusing on physicality, ball control, and rebounding.
The Pacers will host Game 7 on Sunday night.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45547954/pacers-force-winner-take-all-rout-okc-game-6-nba-finals