Back in Gainbridge for Game 6 (8:30 ET, ABC).
The Indiana faithful could push their Pacers to Game 7.
The Thunder could be crowned champions.
Larry’s on the line tonight.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
June 19, 2025
Game 6 In 2 Minutes: Everything you need to know about tonight’s clash
Rising As One: The journey and bond between OKC’s dynamic duo
Embracing The Challenge: Back home, the Pacers are ready to face elimination
On The Ground In Indy: Game 6 prep with Shai & Hali and reflecting with Hartenstein
Unforgettable: “Blocked by James,” – exactly nine years ago today
1. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GAME 6 IN 2 MINUTES
One of two things will happen tonight when the Pacers host the Thunder in Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals (8:30 ET, ABC).
- The 79th NBA champion will be crowned OR
- The 20th NBA Finals Game 7 will be set
The stakes of tonight’s game are simple.
- The Thunder are playing for immortality. A win seals their first title of the OKC era and only the 4th 84+ win season in NBA history
- The Pacers are playing for their season. A win forces a winner-take-all Game 7 and keeps the hopes of capturing their first title in franchise history aliv
Tonight, Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosts the biggest 48 minutes yet of an already epic NBA Finals.
- Best vs. Best: The top two teams in the NBA since January have gone toe-to-toe, trading haymakers all series long
- Back & Forth: The series swung like a seesaw through the first four games – Pacers stole Game 1 in OKC, Thunder answered back in Game 2, Pacers won the first Finals game in Indy in 25 years in Game 3, OKC rallied back to take Game 4…
- Until, the Thunder rolled in Game 5 to post the first back-to-back wins of the series, handing the Pacers their first consecutive losses in over three months
- This Finals has already seen one game-winning shot in the final second, three 4th quarter comebacks, three clutch games and multiple star-making performances
Both teams are led by a pair of All-Stars – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams for OKC, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam for Indiana – who have each stamped their mark on this series.
- Haliburton: The hero of Game 1 with his fourth game-winning or game-tying bucket in the final five seconds of these Playoffs. He also posted a near triple-double in Indy’s Game 3 win
- Status Update: Haliburton suffered a calf strain in Game 5 and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle announced Wednesday that the PG’s status for Game 6 will be a game-time decision
- SGA: The Kia MVP played a massive role in OKC’s two series-tying wins. He did it all in Game 2 (34 pts, 8 ast, 5 reb, 4 stl, 1 blk) and took over late in Game 4, scoring 15 of OKC’s final 16 points
- Williams: The first-time All-Star has increased his scoring in each game of the Finals, capped by a Playoff career-high 40-point masterpiece in Game 5 to put OKC one win away from the title
- Siakam: Indy’s leader in points (20.6), rebounds (7.4) and steals (2.0) in the series, the 2019 champion may need to take on a larger role in Game 6 if Haliburton is limited
Impact players have been found up and down both rosters. These teams are deep and play with a chemistry and camaraderie that has been dubbed “the power of friendship.”
- T.J. McConnell: Indy’s eldest rotation player has been an energy-changer throughout the series, swinging Game 3 with his defense and playmaking. He could have an expanded role if Haliburton is limited in Game 6
- Andrew Nembhard: The primary defender on SGA is one of eight Pacers players averaging 10+ points in the series – a first for any Finals through five games
- Alex Caruso: The only Thunder player with a ring has a pair of 20-point games off the bench and a series-high 14 steals
- Aaron Nesmith & Lu Dort: The 3&D starters are tied for the series-high with 14 3s apiece – while both shooting over 50% from deep and defending an All-Star (Nesmith on JDub, Dort on Haliburton)
Can the Thunder close it out? They enter tonight 3-1 in closeout games this postseason.
- Similar Situation: OKC’s only closeout loss came in the West Semis vs. Denver, dropping Game 6 on the road before clinching with a 32-point win in Game 7
- Closeout SGA: Shai has thrived in these situations, averaging 34.8 points on 59.5% FG, 50% 3P, 83.8% FT shooting splits in OKC’s four closeout games
Can the Pacers make another comeback? They face elimination for the first time this postseason.
- Backs Against The Wall: The Pacers have pulled off five 15+ point comebacks this postseason – the most in a single Playoff run – but tonight marks the first time they’ve trailed in any series this Playoffs
- History Says: Teams down 3-2 in the Finals are 15-15 when playing Game 6 at home, with eight of the 15 that won Game 6 going on to win the series
2. RISING AS ONE: THE BOND BETWEEN OKC’S TWO STARS
Only three duos in NBA history have averaged 30+ points in three straight Finals games.
- Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (3x)
- LeBron James and Kyrie Irving (2x)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams
That’s it. That’s the list. And when you zoom in on SGA and Williams’ most recent outing, their company gets even smaller.
- In 2016, LeBron and Kyrie averaged 30+ each to pull the Cavs out of a 3-1 hole, clinching Cleveland’s first NBA championship. That included matching 41-point performances in a must-win Game 5
- Nine years later, SGA (31) and Williams (40) – also looking to deliver their city its first-ever NBA title – took over Game 5 in similar fashion, joining James and Irving as the only duos to drop 30+ and 40+ points in a Finals game in the past 40 years
Against The Grain: But unlike most duos who’ve lit up the Finals before them, SGA and Williams didn’t follow the usual path to stardom.
- Shai’s Start: Drafted 11th overall by the Clippers in 2018, SGA was a wiry 20-year-old out of Kentucky, who was traded by LA after his rookie season
- JDub’s Journey: OKC took Williams 12th overall in 2022, a bulky wing from Santa Clara – a school that hadn’t produced an NBA draft pick since Steve Nash in 1996
Built On Bond: But what sets them apart isn’t just how they got here. It’s how they’ve evolved – together.
Before making Finals history as a duo, JDub was a rookie tasked with driving Shai to the airport for road games.
A minor ritual, but one that has blossomed into an unbreakable bond — and a tradition they still keep today.
- “We talk all the time on and off the court,” said SGA on Williams at Wednesday’s media session. “[We’re] always together … we just use everything together to grow on and off the court.”
That bond blends perfectly between the lines. One slithers. The other slashes. Both suffocate defensively. And together, they power OKC’s energy on both ends of the floor.
- “They’re incredibly unique. They have unbelievable skill sets,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault yesterday on his star duo. “They’re great players, but they do it inside the team … That’s why the team’s been successful.”
- “I think both of us just trust each other,” added SGA. “Have the same mindset, winning mindset – and want the best for each other above all.”
That mindset has the Thunder one win away from becoming the second-youngest team in NBA history to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
But close isn’t close enough.
“The cusp of winning is not winning,” said SGA on Wednesday. “The way I see it, winning is all that matters … we haven’t done anything.”
3. PACERS EMBRACE CHALLENGE OF 3-2 DEFICIT
Dylan Buell/Getty Images
The Pacers were here 13 months ago.
Trailing 3-2 to the Knicks in the East Semis, they had Game 6 on in their house, looking to force a decisive Game 7 back in NYC.
And that’s exactly what they did.
- The Pacers seized control in the 2nd quarter and never looked back, winning 116-103
- Two days later, they rolled into Madison Square Garden, raced past the Knicks 130-109 and into the East Finals
Now, 13 months later, Indiana will host another elimination game – only this time in the NBA Finals.
- “What we need to do is buckle down, stand strong. I anticipate one of the best crowds in the history of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. We’ve got to find a way,” said coach Rick Carlisle
- “The ultimate is to get to a Game 7. That is the ultimate privilege. It’s the ultimate experience in sports. But we’ve got to take care of home court tomorrow to do that.”
Tonight will be the final game of the season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – regardless of the outcome.
- Myles Turner: “This is our last chance to play in front of our home fans. Want to send them out the right way. They’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”
- T.J. McConnell: “This crowd can really will us to wins, and they have done so. We need their very best tomorrow.”
The biggest question of the day surrounded Tyrese Haliburton’s calf strain and his availability for Game 6, which will ultimately be a game-time decision, per Carlisle.
- Carlisle: “He’ll go through the day tomorrow. Our prep session is tomorrow late afternoon. They’ll get together and do some testing. That will determine whether he plays or not. If he doesn’t play, we have a plan obviously if we’re without him.”
- Haliburton: “I’m a competitor; I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play. That’s just what it is.”
Whether Haliburton plays or not, whether he’s limited or not, the mindset of the Pacers does not change. They believe in the depth of their roster – even in the season’s biggest game.
- Turner: “I have confidence in the full squad, not just T.J., all our backup guys … The moment is as big as it’s going to get. I think everybody will be ready.”
- Nembhard: “These are the things you get excited about, you play for. It’s going to be fun in here. Leave it all out there. It’s do or die and you don’t want to regret it.”
- McConnell: “We’re not going to leave anything to chance or any regret. We’re going to give everything we have. We have no other choice.”
A theme throughout Indiana’s run to tonight’s Game 6 has been the comeback.
Trailing 3-2 in the Finals, they’ll try to rally again – this time with the stakes at their highest and facing elimination for the first time in this magical Playoff run.
It’s a challenge they are embracing, not fearing.
4. ON THE GROUND IN INDY: CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Nathaniel S. Butler + Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
Finals stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton have spent years fine-tuning their practice habits – even before they got to the NBA.
They know how to best prepare themselves for the rigors of competition at the highest level.
Both spent Wednesday afternoon working on their game ahead of a pivotal Game 6.
- Midrange Maestro: Gilgeous-Alexander – the Kia NBA MVP on the brink of his first title – sunk seven straight shots at various spots from the elbow to the corner
- Tyrese Treys: Haliburton, meanwhile, kept things loose from beyond the arc, draining some 3s while donning sweatpants and a sweatshirt
Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images
Isaiah Hartenstein stepped aside during practice to speak with us about a range of subjects, including his journey beyond OKC.
- Humble Beginnings: “When I first came into the league, my role was getting the towels, doing all the rookie duties… trying to figure out where I fit in in the NBA,” he said. “Through that, I just evolved.”
- Stay Selfless: “Every player on the team gives up a certain thing. We have a great team, we have a deep team,” Hartenstein said. “For each player to adapt – if you look throughout the Playoffs – each series, people’s roles changed.”
Canada Connection: Luguentz Dort and Bennedict Mathurin reflected on their lasting bond, which dates back to their upbringing in the same Montreal neighborhood.
Several Pacers sent early birthday wishes to Bennedict Mathurin, who turns 23 today.
- “Go be special tomorrow” – Obi Toppin’s message to him ahead of a must-win Game 6
5. UNFORGETTABLE: BLOCKED BY JAMES – 9 YEARS AGO TODAY
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
In 2014, LeBron James returned to Cleveland with one promise – to bring the city its first-ever NBA title.
- In 2015, the Cavs came up short, falling to the Warriors in six games
- One year later, they found themselves in a rematch with Golden State, who were fresh off a record-breaking 73-9 regular season
Down 3-1 – a deficit no team had ever overcome in Finals history – Cleveland forced a Game 7 in Oracle Arena, where the score was tied at 89 with under two minutes to play.
That’s when Andre Iguodala grabbed a defensive rebound and turned up floor. With Steph Curry breaking to his left, the Warriors had a 2-on-1 – alone against a backpedaling J.R. Smith.
Or so they thought.
From the far corner came a streaking 250-pound blur – one even play-by-play announcer Mike Breen didn’t see coming:
- “Iguodala to Curry. Back to Iguodala. Up for the layup – Oh! Blocked by James!”
One minute later, Kyrie Irving splashed the game-winning triple — and the comeback Cavs were immortalized.
LeBron James had come all the way back. Back to Cleveland. Back from 3-1 down. And back 94 feet to deny Iguodala – delivering his promise of an NBA championship.
Shortly after the buzzer, with the drought over and the trophy his, James reflected on the weight of the moment – and the heart it took to get there.
“I set out a goal – two years [ago] when I came back – to bring a championship to this city.
“I gave everything that I had. I poured my heart, my blood, my sweat and my tears to this game and – against all odds. Against all odds…
“I don’t know why we wanted to take the hardest road. I don’t know why the man above gave me the hardest road. But there’s nothing that the man above don’t put you in situations that you can’t handle…
“And I just kept that same positive attitude. Instead of saying, ‘Why me?’ saying, ‘This is what he wants me to do.’ And … CLEVELAND! THIS IS FOR YOU!!”
Relive The Iconic Clash: 2016 Finals Game 7 Mini-Movie
