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Pacers' Rick Carisle Counting on Secret Weapon to Help Fuel Game 6 Win

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Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers must win Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder if they want to keep their season alive.

The Thunder are one win away from claiming their first NBA championship since relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City. And the Pacers could be without their star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who strained his calf in Game 5 on Monday.

More News: Pacers 'Prepping' to Play Game 6 of NBA Finals Without Tyrese Haliburton, Says Rick Carlisle

While the Thunder has momentum on their side, the Pacers have Indiana. 

The Game 6 elimination game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – the Pacers’ home court.

"I anticipate one of the best crowds in the history of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and we got to find a way," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Carlisle pointed out how the Pacers were in this same situation last season in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The New York Knicks won Game 5 at Madison Square Garden to take a 3-2 lead over the Pacers. But when Indiana returned to their home court, the Pacers defeated the Knicks 116-103 to force a Game 7.

The Pacers ultimately went on to defeat the Knicks in Game 7 that year to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

“The ultimate is to get to a Game 7,” Carlisle said. “That’s the ultimate privilege, it’s the ultimate experience in sports. But we have got to take care of home court tomorrow [Thursday] to do that.”

Indiana is 1-1 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the NBA Finals, winning Game 3 by a score of 116-107 but lost the following game 104-111 on their home court.

During the regular season, the Pacers held a 29-12 record at home.

The Pacers will need to capitalize on their home court advantage if they want to win their first NBA championship in franchise history.

But regardless of the outcome of the game, Game 6 will be the final game played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season. If the Pacers are able to force a Game 7, it will be played at the Thunders’ Paycom Center on June 22.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, head on over to Indiana Pacers on SI.

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Sam Garcia
SAM GARCIA

Samantha Garcia is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Professional Writing. She is also a sports writer for the Daily Bruin at UCLA.

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