Game 7: Indiana and Oklahoma City

Game 7. The two best words that are spoken in sports. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will decide the 2025 NBA Championship in a Game 7 on Sunday evening.

Indiana got the sold out Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a frenzy with a 108-91 victory to force a winner-take-all Game 7.

A no-look pass from Tyrese Haliburton to a slashing Pascal Siakam for a monster dunk with about a minute left in the first half left the Pacer crowd in complete hysteria. From that moment on in Game 6 the Indiana Pacers showed why they have taken the NBA Playoffs by storm this year.

By the time the game was over both teams had already moved onto Game 7.

Game 6:

This was a game that was long decided before the final buzzer sounded. The Pacers had a 30 point lead at the end of the third quarter. Oklahoma City raised the proverbial white flag in the fourth quarter. The bench players for the Thunder and Pacers played out the remainder of Game 6.

Both head coaches mentioned that playing in a game like this is a “privilege”. It is certainly a privilege to decide who will take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. This series has been a competitive one to say the least. Indiana was up 1-0 and 2-1, Oklahoma City had a 3-2 series lead, but now it comes down to one game. One 48 minute game. For both squads it’ll be the biggest stakes that they have ever played for. It will also be the first NBA Championship for either organization as well.

This will also be the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016.

Fans will be looking for a reason to give one team an advantage in this high stakes game. History tells us that 15 out of the past 19 Game 7’s have been won by the team with home court advantage. However, we all know that anything can happen in a game like this. Coaches, players, and the fans can’t take anything for granted. It’s all-hands-on-deck for an NBA Championship on Sunday night.

Indiana Keys:

The keys for Indiana revolve around the effectiveness of Tyrese Haliburton dealing with his strained calf. Will Haliburton be able to hit some three-pointers, but also get his teammates involved? Role players typically don’t play as well on the road as they do on their home court. Can the Pacer bench be effective enough to win a championship?Bench points will be crucial for the Pacers. Game 6 saw Obi Toppin come off the bench to score 20 points. Andrew Nembhard was able to score 17 points, but Pascal Siakam was very active by getting 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Indiana needs the same results from their role players on Sunday night. If Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, and Benedict Mathurin give the same effort for this game the Pacers will be hoisting the trophy.

Thunder Keys:

For Oklahoma City to win their first NBA Championship they have to match the energy of the Pacers. In Game 6 Indiana set the tone for the game. The Pacers were the team with the energy on both ends of the floor, however, the Thunder were the ones who were caught off-guard. Oklahoma City vaunted defense was no where near what it has been all year. The Thunder have to step up defensively, so the Pacers don’t become confident offensively.

Another piece of the puzzle for the Thunder is try and take advantage of having home court advantage. Oklahoma City fans have made the atmosphere in their arena one of the best in the NBA. Getting the Thunder fans energized with fast break points and dunks will make it difficult for Indiana to get into a rhythm. The louder that Paycom Center gets the more difficult it becomes for Indiana to win the game.

To win an NBA Championship you need to limit turnovers and shoot the basketball with high efficiency. Easy to say, harder to do. However, the Thunder have to improve in these two areas. Game 6 was a nightmare with turnovers and shooting percentage. SGA committed eight of the 21 total turnovers for the Thunder, so taking care of the ball will be of upmost importance for the NBA MVP.

We all know teams feel more comfortable in their gym, so this is a perfect opportunity for the Thunder to show why they’ve been a title contender all year. The role players have to contribute alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Williams for this to be a championship ending for the Thunder.

Who Wins Game 7:

At the end of the day on Sunday my head tells that the Oklahoma City Thunder will be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. However, I do believe that the Indiana Pacers are not going down without a fight. This will a close game, but that is all we can hope for with a Game 7.

Michael J. Wilson-The Daily Waiver

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