The OKC vs Indiana Pacers NBA Finals got into Game 7 after a no-look pass from Tyrese Haliburton and a ferocious dunk from Pascal Siaken completely washed their opponents. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and OKC were left stunned after a 108-91 defeat on Thursday night to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
The last time there was a Game 7 of the NBA Finals, it was almost 10 years ago. In 2016, the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the favored Golden State Warriors to win the NBA title. Now, the OKC vs Indiana NBA Finals will reach the Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, on Sunday night with the series standing at 3-3.
Haliburton to Play OKC vs Indiana Game 7 Despite Injury
Tyrese Haliburton has been struggling with a calf strain for a few games now. OKC took advantage of it in the OKC vs Indiana Game 6, restricting Haliburton to a total of zero points. However, in this game, the risk he took by ignoring the discomfort of a calf strain was outweighed by the potential benefit.
Haliburton gave a solid, match-winning performance. He scored 14 points while showcasing playmaking that typified his season. Thankfully, he showed no sign of discomfort, nothing that caused him to limp, and no dire medical emergency afterwards. Haliburton, himself, stated that he is looking forward to the OKC vs Indiana Game 7.
However, looking at the Pacers’ performance in Game 6, it is clear that Haliburton doesn’t need to strain himself. The OKC vs Indiana Game 6 was a total wipeout. The Pacers were up 22 points at halftime and maintained the lead through the second half. Tyrese Haliburton only played for 23 minutes and was on the bench through much of the second half. Now, he has two days to recover before the winner-takes-all match.
OKC Gave an ‘Uncharacteristic’ Sloppy Performance
Despite coming so close to winning the NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder turned in a very sloppy performance. In the post match interview, Thunder’s MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “The way I see it is we sucked tonight!” He added, “We need to learn the lessons, and we have one game for everything we worked for, and so do they. The better team on Sunday will win.”
The performance of Gilgeous-Alexander was especially sluggish as he committed eight of OKC’s 21 turnovers. The eight turnovers were the most Gilgeous-Alexander has had in a playoff game and matched his regular-season career high. He called his bad performance a result of “carelessness and not being focused and not being engaged.”
However, the OKC is looking forward to the OKC vs Indiana Game 7. Gilgeous-Alexander’s strategy: “One game. Winner takes all. Give it your best shot. Bring your ‘A’ game.”
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