NBA FINALS: Pacers dominate Game 6, force Game 7

Sports

GAME Seven. The best two words in sports. A battle for all the marbles.

That’s what solid basketball fans will be having after the Indiana Pacers defied tremendous odds and sent the NBA Finals to a winner-take-all Game 7.

The Pacers crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6, pulling off a wire-to-wire 108-91 victory on Friday (Philippine time), June 20, to seal the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016.

“The ultimate game,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said, referring to Game 7, which will be held in Oklahoma on Monday, June 23.

Facing elimination, Indiana got off to a sloppy start, missing its first eight shots and fell behind, 2-10. The Pacers were quick to regroup and answered with an 11-2 assault to surge ahead, 13-12.

Indiana would never relinquish the lead, tearing the game apart with a massive 36-17 run in the second quarter for a huge 64-42 lead at the turn.

The Pacers completely put the game beyond the Thunder’s reach with another back-breaking 26-18 attack, bringing a mammoth 90-60 lead into the final period. Indiana’s biggest lead stood at 31 points.

Obi Toppin came off the bench to lead the Pacers with 20 points. Andrew Nembhard finished with 17 points while Pascal Siakam had 16. A game-time decision, Tyrese Haliburton tossed in 14 points in just 22 minutes of play.

With Haliburton dealing with calf issues, backup point guard T.J. McConnell logged heavy minutes and was able to contribute after tallying 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals in 24 minutes of action.

Aaron Nesmith was the sixth Pacer in double figures with 10.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topped the Thunder with 21 points but accounted for eight of the team’s 21 turnovers.

Indiana had a near perfect game, committing just 10 turnovers that helped keep their bid of winning its first NBA title alive.

Oklahoma is also gunning for its first-ever NBA championship.(CCM)