Indiana Forces Game Seven with 108-91 Win Over OKC - Page 2

Source: Dylan Buell / Getty

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – The Indiana Pacers are one win away for the first time in franchise history from their first NBA championship after dominating the Oklahoma City Thunder behind Obi Toppin’s 20 points and their aggressive defense.

1. First Quarter

For the twenty-second consecutive playoff game, the Indiana Pacers starting lineup featured Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. Oklahoma City used the following starting lineup for the nineteenth playoff game: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Chet Holmgren. Both teams came out firing to start the game. Indiana got off to a painfully slow start offensively, missing its first six shots of the game. With 8:26 left in the quarter, Indiana was down 10-2. The Pacers offense caught fire the next four minutes. They took their first lead after back-to-back triples from Nembhard. Indiana extended its lead to nine points when Toppin sunk two free throws with 3:27 left in the period. At the time it was 26-17, but the Pacers offense then stalled. Oklahoma City closed the quarter with an 8-2 run to make it a 28-25 game after twelve minutes of play. Nembhard and Toppin led all players in scoring with 8 points each in the quarter. OKC’s leading scorers were Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander with 7 points each. Indiana shot 32% from the field, 5/14 (36%) from three-point range, 7/10 from the free throw line, and did not turn the ball over one time. OKC shot 52% from the field, 1/6 from three-point range, and 2/4 on free throws.

2. Second Quarter

Indiana’s offensive success continued to the second quarter and was better than it was in the first quarter. OKC trimmed its deficit down to one point three times in the first three minutes of the period. With 8:52 left in the half, it was a 34-33 game, and the Thunder had a chance to take the lead. Indiana forced a turnover and then on an 11-0 run to take its first double figure lead with a corner three from Nesmith. The run didn’t stop there. Indiana’s run ended up being 28-9 to conclude the half. Oklahoma City turned the ball over seven times in the quarter, resulting in 11 points for Indiana. Nesmith was the leading scorer in the quarter with 9 points. Haliburton had it going too in the period with 8 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 3/4 shooting. McConnell was fantastic in the quarter too with 8 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Siakam chipped in with 6 points too. As for OKC, only two players scored in the quarter, Williams with 9 points and SGA with 8 points. Indiana had three players (Siakam – 13, Haliburton 12, and Nembhard – 10), in double figures. OKC had Williams with 16 points and Gilgeous-Alexander with 15 points. Indiana forced 12 turnovers in the first half, held OKC to 1/11 from three-point range, and were +2 in rebounding.

3. Third Quarter

The second half started very similarly to the first half, except neither team could make a basket. Neither team scored in nearly the first four minutes of the half. Haliburton cut to the basket and Nesmith found him for a layup to get the second half scoring started. It started a 6-0 burst to take a 28-point lead when Ben Sheppard converted a layup. The Thunder started chipping away and it silenced Gainbridge Fieldhouse because it was a nineteen-point game with 5:25 left after an Isaiah Joe three. The Pacers hung in there and started slowly extending the advantage back out with points from Nembhard (5), Toppin (4), Siakam (3), and Sheppard (3). The Pacers closed the final 4:36 of the quarter on a 15-3 run to take a 90-60 lead to the fourth quarter because Sheppard hit a three as time expired. Between the second and third quarters, Indiana outscored OKC 62-35. Toppin and Nembhard led the Pacers in scoring with 7 points each. OKC only had three players score, Hartenstein and Gilgeous-Alexander each with 6 points and Dort with 3 points. After three quarters, it was SGA leading all players in scoring with 21 points. Indiana was led by Nembhard with 17 points followed by Siakam with 16 points and Toppin with 15 points.

4. Fourth Quarter

OKC elected to not play any of its starters in the fourth quarter, essentially waving the white flag knowing it was a thirty-point game. The only starter for Indiana that didn’t play was Haliburton, which is critical since he is nursing a strained calf. Nesmith gave the Pacers their largest lead of the game, thirty-one points, with a free throw with 10:46 left in the game. The Thunder reserves would outscore the Pacers reserves the rest of the way to make the game look closer than it was. Indiana forced a game seven with a 108-91 win over Oklahoma City.  

5. Top Performers

Obi Toppin (20p, 6r, 2s), Andrew Nembhard (17p, 4a, 3s), Pascal Siakam (16p, 13r, 3a), Tyrese Haliburton (14p, 5a, 2s), T.J. McConnell (12p, 9r, 6a, 4s), and Aaron Nesmith (10p, 3a, 2r, 1s, 1b). For Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (21p, 4r, 2a), Jalen Williams (16p, 3r), Isaiah Joe (11p), and Isaiah Hartenstein (10p, 4r, 1a, 1s, 1b). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Indiana is now 15-7 in the playoffs
  • Indiana is now 1-7 when scoring under 110 points
• Indiana finishes 8-3 at home in the playoffs and 27-14 on the season
• Indiana has won 8 consecutive Game 6’s at home
• Indiana is 4-6 all-time in Game 7s, 3-6 all-time on the road
• Indiana’s 11 turnovers are the fewest in a game this series
• Indiana is one win away from an NBA title for the first time in franchise history
• Oklahoma City’s 91 points are the fewest points in any game this season
  • Only 5th time this season being held under 100 points
• Oklahoma City’s 21 turnovers are the most in any game this season
• Oklahoma City is 15-7 in the playoffs
• Oklahoma City finishes 5-5 on the road in the playoffs and 37-13 on the season
• Oklahoma City is now 32-4 against Eastern Conference teams
• Andrew Nembhard’s 17 points are the most in this series
  • Most in a game since scoring 18 points in Game 5 at Cleveland
• Jalen Williams finished the game -40, worst +/- in an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era
• Obi Toppin’s 20 points ties the most in a playoff game (Game 4 vs Cleveland)
• Obi Toppin has scored 17, 12, and 20 points in the last 3 games
• Pascal Siakam recorded his 3rd double-double of the playoffs, 2nd in the NBA Finals
• Pascal Siakam is 3rd in franchise history in points by a Pacer in the NBA Finals (119)
  • Reggie Miller (1st – 146) and Jalen Rose (2nd – 138)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led his team in scoring in 18 of the 22 playoff games
  • Aaron Wiggins 21 points in game one versus Memphis
  • Jalen Williams 32 points in game three versus Denver
  • Jalen Williams 26 points in game three versus Indiana
  • Jalen Williams 40 points in game five versus Indiana
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 21 points are the fewest in this series
• T.J. McConnell’s 9 rebounds ties the most in a playoff game of his career
• T.J. McConnell is the first bench player in NBA history with 60+ points, 25+ assists, and 15+ rebounds in the NBA Finals
• T.J. McConnell and Alex Caruso are tied for the most steals off the bench in a series in NBA Finals history with 14
• Tyrese Haliburton has turned the ball over 20 times in this series
  • Haliburton turned the ball over 10 times against New York in 6 games
  • Haliburton turned the ball over 10 times against Cleveland in 5 games
  • Haliburton turned the ball over 11 times against Milwaukee in 5 games
• Tyrese Haliburton’s 23 minutes are the fewest in any playoff game this postseason

7. Next Up

The two teams will have two days off to prepare for one final matchup in Oklahoma City on Sunday night with the winner hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Pat Boylan will get things started at 7:30pm followed by the play-by-play coverage with Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill at 8pm.

Here is the NBA Finals Schedule:

• Thursday, June 5 | Game 1 at Oklahoma City | Indiana 111 – Oklahoma City 110
• Sunday, June 8 | Game 2 at Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City 123 – Indiana 107
• Wednesday, June 11 | Game 3 in Indianapolis | Indiana 116 – Oklahoma City 107
• Friday, June 13 | Game 4 in Indianapolis | Oklahoma City 111 – Indiana 104
• Monday, June 16 | Game 5 at Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City 120 – Indiana 109
• Thursday, June 19 | Game 6 in Indianapolis | Indiana 109 – Oklahoma City 91
• Sunday, June 22 | Game 7 at Oklahoma City – 8pm