The Indiana Pacers won Game 6.
It wasn't even close, honestly. They absolutely dismantled the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 108-91 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. If you were looking for a nail-biter, you didn't get it until maybe the very end of the first quarter. After that? It was a blue-and-gold avalanche.
The date was June 19, 2025. The stakes couldn't have been higher for Rick Carlisle’s squad. They were trailing 3-2 in the series, facing elimination against a juggernaut OKC team that had just rolled through a 68-win regular season. Most experts figured the Thunder would pop the champagne on Indiana’s home floor. Instead, the Pacers forced the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016.
The Second Quarter That Changed Everything
You've probably heard about "Pacer basketball," but this was something else entirely. After a shaky start where they missed their first eight shots—kinda nerve-wracking for a home crowd—Indiana caught fire.
The score was tight at 28-25 after the first. Then, the second quarter happened. Indiana outscored Oklahoma City 36-17. Read that again. They nearly doubled them up in a single frame of a Finals game.
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It was the largest halftime lead of the entire series. By the time the buzzer sounded for the break, the Pacers were up by 22. The Thunder looked shell-shocked. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, was trying to settle things down, but Indiana’s defense was suffocating. They forced 12 turnovers in the first half alone. You can't give a team like the Pacers that many extra possessions and expect to survive.
Who Actually Stepped Up?
While Tyrese Haliburton is usually the headliner, Game 6 was a masterclass in depth.
- Obi Toppin: He was the secret sauce. Coming off the bench, he dropped 20 points and hit four triples. He played with an energy that OKC just couldn't match.
- Andrew Nembhard: He’s basically become the heartbeat of this team in big moments. He added 17 points and stabilized the offense when the Thunder tried to make their patented third-quarter run.
- Pascal Siakam: A steady 16 points and 13 rebounds. He’s been there before with Toronto, and that veteran "don't-panic" attitude was all over the floor.
- T.J. McConnell: The guy is a menace. 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. He was everywhere.
For the Thunder, SGA did his thing with 21 points, but he also had 8 turnovers. That's the story of the game right there. Indiana made him uncomfortable. Chet Holmgren struggled too, shooting just 2-of-9 from the floor.
Why who won game 6 in the nba finals mattered so much
Honestly, this game was about more than just a score. It was about narrative.
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The Thunder were the "team of the future" that had arrived early. They were heavy favorites. The Pacers were the scrappy 4-seed that "got lucky" because of some injuries in the Eastern Conference brackets. By winning Game 6 so convincingly, Indiana proved they belonged on the biggest stage. They didn't just survive; they dominated.
It set up an incredible, albeit heartbreaking, Game 7 back in Oklahoma City. As we know now, the Thunder eventually took the title in that final game, but the memory of Gainbridge Fieldhouse shaking during that Game 6 blowout is what a lot of Indy fans will hold onto. It was the night the "blue-collar, gold-swagger" mantra felt real.
The Betting Side of Things
If you were a betting person, Game 6 was a wild ride. The Pacers were actually home underdogs at +175. The over/under was set at 222.5, but because both defenses (especially Indiana's) decided to show up, the "Under" hit easily with only 199 total points scored.
Key Stats from the Pacers' 108-91 Win
| Category | Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Points | 91 | 108 |
| Field Goal % | 41.9% | 46.8% |
| Turnovers | 21 | 11 |
| Bench Points | 30 | 45 |
The bench production was the real separator. When your reserves outscore the opponent's bench by 15 in a closeout game, you're usually going to have a good night. Rick Carlisle played a deep rotation, and every single person who stepped on the floor for Indy seemed to have a hand in a steal or a fast-break bucket.
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What to Remember Moving Forward
If you're looking back at this series, don't let the Game 7 result overshadow how impressive the Pacers were in this specific matchup. They faced the best team in the league with their backs against the wall and didn't blink.
For OKC, Game 6 was a massive wake-up call. Mark Daigneault famously mentioned after the game that his team "didn't respect the process" of the clincher. They learned from it, went home, and won the championship three days later. But for one Thursday night in June, Indianapolis was the center of the basketball universe.
To dive deeper into how this changed the Pacers' offseason strategy, you should check out the latest salary cap breakdowns for the 2026 season. Understanding how they kept this core together after such a deep run explains why they're right back in the mix this year. Keep an eye on the injury reports for the upcoming rematch—it's going to be personal.