Basketball is a game of runs, but nobody expected a tidal wave. If you were watching the 2025 NBA Finals, you saw a juggernaut get humbled. It happened on a Thursday night in June. Gainbridge Fieldhouse wasn't just loud; it was vibrating.
The Indiana Pacers, facing elimination and staring down a 3-2 series deficit, didn't just survive. They demolished the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91. It forced the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since LeBron and the Cavs pulled off the impossible in 2016. Honestly, for the first few minutes, it looked like OKC might just coast to their first title in Oklahoma. They jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked like the MVP he is.
Then, the wheels didn't just come off for the Thunder—the whole car disintegrated.
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The Pacers Defense That Broke the OKC Indiana Game 6 Script
Most experts thought the Thunder’s defense would be the story. Instead, Rick Carlisle’s squad decided to beat OKC at their own game. Indiana's defensive intensity in this particular OKC Indiana Game 6 was unlike anything we saw during the regular season. They stifled the perimeter. They made every pass a chore.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 21 points, which sounds decent on paper, but he had eight turnovers. Eight. That’s a career-high for him in the playoffs. Jalen Williams, who had just dropped 40 in Game 5, couldn't find the ocean from the beach, missing all four of his attempts from deep.
The Pacers basically built a wall.
It wasn't just about the starters, either. T.J. McConnell was a pest. He finished with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. He was everywhere—diving for loose balls, poking away steals, and generally being the person OKC players will see in their nightmares. When you have a backup point guard nearly grabbing a double-double with rebounds, you know the energy levels are lopsided.
The Tyrese Haliburton Factor
There was so much talk about Tyrese’s calf strain. Everyone wondered if he could even move. He looked "kinda" hobbled in Game 5, limping through possessions and looking frustrated.
But in Game 6? He was a different animal.
He didn't need to score 40. He just needed to be the engine. His no-look pass to Pascal Siakam for a dunk late in the second quarter was the moment the building truly exploded. Siakam then hit a turnaround jumper at the halftime buzzer to put Indiana up 64-42. A 22-point lead at the half in a close-out game is psychological warfare.
Bench Depth vs. Star Power
We often hear that "stars win championships," but Indiana’s bench won this game.
- Obi Toppin: 20 points, 6-12 shooting.
- Andrew Nembhard: 17 points, including back-to-back threes that flipped the first-quarter momentum.
- Ben Sheppard: A massive buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter that essentially signaled the end.
Indiana’s reserves outscored OKC’s bench 48-37. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Mark Daigneault had seen enough. He pulled his starters. The Thunder, a team that won 68 games in the regular season, conceded with 10 minutes left on the clock.
That sort of surrender is rare in the Finals. It shows just how much the Pacers got into their heads.
What Went Wrong for the Thunder?
You have to look at the turnovers. 21 in total. You can’t win a championship game giving the ball away that often. Chet Holmgren struggled with the physicality, finishing with only 4 points on 2-of-9 shooting. He looked gassed.
The Thunder have always relied on their "drive and kick" game, but the Pacers stayed home on the shooters. Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace couldn't get clean looks until the game was already decided.
It’s easy to say "OKC just had an off night," but that’s a cop-out. Indiana forced them into that off night. They played with a desperation that the Thunder couldn't match.
Looking Toward the Decider
This OKC Indiana Game 6 changed the entire narrative of the 2025 postseason. It proved that the Pacers weren't just a "happy to be here" team. They were a legitimate threat to the most dominant regular-season team of the decade.
The series moved back to Paycom Center for Game 7, where the Thunder eventually secured the title in a 103-91 win. But the scars from Game 6 remained. It was a reminder that in the NBA, "inevitable" is a dangerous word.
If you're looking to understand why the Pacers were able to bridge the gap, look at the transition points. Indiana pushed the pace every single time SGA coughed up the ball. They played fast, they played loud, and they played together.
For fans and analysts, the takeaway is clear: defensive adjustments in the playoffs are more about effort than X's and O's. Indiana outworked a more talented team for 48 minutes.
Next Steps for Analysis:
Study the second-quarter shot chart from this game. You’ll see that Indiana took nearly 70% of their shots in the paint or from the corners. They avoided the "dead zones" of the mid-range entirely during their 17-2 run. If you are coaching a youth or high school team, this game is a masterclass in how to use "desperation defense" to fuel easy offense. Analyze the spacing used by Obi Toppin in the corner; his ability to stretch the floor opened up the lanes for McConnell’s rim runs.