Pacers Shine, OKC Thunder Stumble in Game 6 Blowout Loss in NBA Finals

An opportunity to win the 2025 NBA Finals for the Oklahoma City Thunder lay in the hands of Game 6 in Indianapolis, a historic mark for the Thunder franchise that has existed since 2008.

That opportunity was not taken advantage of.

In fact, Game 6 couldn't have gone much worse for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They looked lost and straight-up bad on offense and especially defense, leading to an eye-opening 108-91 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

After missing their first four triples of the game, the perimeter shot became the friend of the Indiana Pacers, making their next five and taking a quick lead. Everyone got in on the fun for the Thunder, with both Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin knocking down two apiece.

Indiana also made an early effort to get to the free-throw line early in the game. It paid off, also helping them get out to their lead. The start for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC wasn't as pretty, with Gilgeous-Alexander looking uncomfortable on offense. He scored five late in the first quarter to narrow their deficit to 28-25, but it still wasn't perfect.

Turnovers were an issue for the Thunder, especially in the first half. They committed 21 by the game's end compared to 10 by Indiana, one of the more glaring disparities that led to an inevitable defeat.

OKC's duo of stars, featuring Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Jalen Williams, got the Thunder right back into the game to start the second quarter. They closed the gap to a single point, but it didn't last long after T.J. McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton propelled a 7-0 run to give the Pacers more of a cushion. With around five minutes to play in the first half, Indiana took a 45-33 lead, the largest of the series for them so far.

For the second game in a row, McConnell was quite literally everywhere on the court. Proving himself to be the ultimate hustle player, he finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists, along with four steals.

It was a well-rounded performance on offense for Indiana that helped push them ahead. Haliburton, Toppin, Nembhard and Pascal Siakam put on consistent offensive performances that looked unstoppable, even if OKC was at their best on defense.

That Indiana lead only got bigger and bigger as the second quarter progressed, with shots falling from everywhere. In fact, the Pacers got their lead all the way up to 22 points, finding themselves ahead 64-42 at halftime.

If there was one area on offense to pinpoint, OKC's poor play outside of the turnovers, it would be the three-point shooting. They went 8-for-30 from the perimeter, a stat that improved slightly as the game went on.

An ugly shooting start for both teams to start the third quarter stalled the game, but that quickly changed for the Pacers. Life was only getting worse for the Thunder in a potential series-clinching game, looking completely out of sync in every single aspect of the game.

It really didn't matter what the Thunder did to try to mount a comeback in the third quarter because the Pacers always had an answer. Whether it was a made triple when Oklahoma City switched to a zone defense or a forced turnover when Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the lane, Indiana simply always had an answer.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with only 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting, while Williams ended with 16. Center Isaiah Hartenstein was the only other player to end in double-digit scoring with 10 points.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the game was more than over. Indiana led 90-60, extending that lead with a triple from Ben Sheppard.

The fourth quarter was more of the same. Oklahoma City pulled their starters immediately into the fourth, throwing in the towel and signalling that the game was over. Indiana continued their reign of dominance, despite already leading by around 30.

Both teams now have the chance to win an NBA title on Sunday, June 22, with the series headed back to Oklahoma City one last time. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. CT.