The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of winning the 2025 NBA championship, with only one victory separating them and the title, but the Indiana Pacers are not going to give up without a fight, and they are hoping to win Game 6 and force a Game 7.
The NBA Finals Game 6 will start Thursday night with a fired-up Indiana home crowd. As the series is tied at 3-2, the stakes are high.
Should Oklahoma City complete the task, it would mark their first title since the team relocated to Seattle, and a coronation of budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander Chasing History
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, is not only attempting to bring his team to the title, but he is also pursuing a spot in the history of the NBA.
The Thunder guard has already won the 202425 NBA MVP trophy, and he is the favorite to win the Finals MVP due to his dominance in the series.
Combine that with his regular season NBA scoring title, and Gilgeous-Alexander is about to enter an exclusive club. Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only players to ever win NBA MVP, Finals MVP, a scoring title and an NBA championship.
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Jordan did it four times. Shaq and Kareem, one time each.
Should the Thunder win the series, SGA would be the fourth player in NBA history to do so.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said: He has been phenomenal all year. It is not only the stats that make him special, it is the poise, the leadership, the way he makes everyone around him better.
Pacers Holding on, Haliburton Uncertain
The Indiana Pacers are not willing to quit.
The Pacers have played with heart and hustle in their first Finals since 2000. They recovered after a hard Game 4 defeat to win Game 5, but lost again in Oklahoma City in Game 5.
They are now back home with an opportunity to tie the series, provided they can get healthy.
The All-Star point guard of the team, Tyrese Haliburton, is struggling with a strained right calf and is a game-time decision.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, “We will do whatever we can to get Tyrese out there, but we are not going to jeopardize his long-term health. He desires to play more than anybody.”
Haliburton has been the driving force of Indiana throughout the season, averaging 18.7 points and 10.4 assists in the playoffs prior to the injury. In his absence, the team is left with Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard.
Young Core of Thunder on the Brink of Greatness
The story of Oklahoma City has been a story of right rebuilding. They did not even make the playoffs three years ago. They are now one win away from a title, behind a combination of young talent and disciplined coaching.
Besides Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder have had large games out of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and veteran guard Lu Dort, whose defense on Haliburton and Nembhard has been a significant series factor.
Holmgren, a rookie in his first full season after missing his rookie year with an injury, has been the anchor of the OKC defense and has provided some scoring on the offensive end with his range and touch.
Holmgren said, this group believes in itself. We have been together since we were kids, and now we are here, one game away.
A Poetic Anniversary of the Pacers
It is also the 25th anniversary of the last time the Pacers were in the NBA Finals, which was on Thursday.
They were defeated in Game 6 by the Los Angeles Lakers led by Shaquille O Neal on June 19, 2000, giving LA the title and making O Neal the first player in history to win the MVP, scoring champion, and Finals MVP awards in the same season.
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They are now confronted with another generational big man performance, but this time on the other side.
As the title dreams of Indiana are suspended, fans are wishing that the story ends differently. Game 6 tickets sold out in hours, and local restaurants and bars are preparing to stay up late.
When There is a Game 7…
In case the Pacers can defend home court and tie the series at 3-3, Game 7 will be played on Sunday, June 22, in Oklahoma City, a win-or-go-home situation for both teams.
It would be a pressure situation to finish off a dream season at home for the Thunder.
In the case of Indiana, it would be an opportunity to finish one of the most unlikely title runs in recent history.
What is at Stake
In the case of Oklahoma City:
The first NBA championship since the team relocated to Seattle in 2008
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander writes name with Jordan, Shaq, and Kareem
Assurance that their youth movement has already paid off
For Indiana:
The first NBA title ever
A confirmation of their risky trades and player development
The prospect of a complete recovery of national basketball relevance
Regardless of the outcome, this Finals has already provided drama, surprises, and stories that will be remembered years to come.
But at this moment, everyone is looking at Indianapolis.
Will the Thunder stand up and take their time?
Or will the Pacers live and make it to another game?
Tipoff awaits.
