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Thunder vs Pacers: Five Takeaways From NBA Finals Game 6

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As expected, the Thunder vs Pacers Game 6 did not fail to impress. Now there’s one final game left to play in the 2025 NBA Finals. Two hungry teams that are battling for supremacy. Now it all comes down to a best-of-one.

With their season on the line and the crowd roaring by their side, everything was falling for the Indiana Pacers. It was their biggest win of the series – a saving grace that led to a 108-91 victory in Game 6. The Pacers were battling against the odds all season, and they were great at defying it again when it mattered most.

Thunder vs Pacers: Five Takeaways From NBA Finals Game 6

Game 6 is now in the books. But now is the time to see what the Pacers showed on Thursday night to pull off a season-saving win.

1. Obi was Toppin’ the Game!

In a series where he struggled to perform at a high level, Obi Toppin showed up big for the Pacers. The forward led his team in scoring with 20 points and six rebounds. But what made his game important was his three-point prowess, as he nailed three of four early. That helped Indiana kick-start a massive run to outpace OKC, shutting down any hopes of a response from their opponents.

Jun 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of game six of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

If you’re not impressed, Toppin was a 36.5% shooter from beyond the arc during the regular season. Those four threes he finished with in the win were the most since his five makes in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He has also joined the legendary Robert Horry as the only players to have 70+ points, 30+ rebounds, 12+ threes in an NBA Finals while coming off the bench.

Nothing has been easy for Toppin in the Thunder vs Pacers series. But his growth in consistency since his Game 2 stinker has been often overlooked. He has been key at the defensive end as well, even performing better than Myles Turner at times. In Game 6, he was most certainly playing hero ball.

2. Thunder Stars Didn’t Shine

Coming off a blazing 40-point explosion in Game 5, Jalen Williams looked to be missing in this loss. The Thunder star finished with just 16 points and three boards while he shot 6-13 from the field. After consistently having more and more points in each game of the Finals, this one was definitely a fluke showing from J-Dub.

Williams could not simply make the baskets after he was shooting lights out in Game 5. On top of that, he had little impact in OKC’s ball rotation, finishing with just one assist. He was aggressive early, but could not sustain the same level of play. On the other hand, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked lost for most of the game.

Sure, the 2024-25 MVP was hitting his key shots, but his touches have been limited, and he even had eight turnovers. That is the most that he’s had for his whole playoff career as well. Despite shooting 7-15 from the field, Gilgeous-Alexander could not get rid of the pesky defenders coming at him. That led to his low touches, and it crippled Oklahoma City’s game. Like J-Dub, SGA’s production was limited well – finishing with just two assists.

3. Black Magic in Effect?

During the pre-game huddles, Pascal Siakam was spotted showing the whites of his eyes when he threw his head back for a moment. Fans were quick to troll about how this is related to the black magic of the Pacers in these playoffs. It relates as to how they’ve been able to beat opponents despite having the odds stacked against them.

Whether it is true or not, it definitely looked like it was working. Siakam finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. He was certainly a menace on both ends of the floor. Spicy P even finished with a facial poster on J-Dub early in the game that served to be one of the top highlights of the win.

Siakam was in full control of the game. He even played the most minutes among all players for both teams. But what was in display here was the massive experience that the 2019 champion has to offer. Now, Indiana has a chance in Game 7, and he’s leading the charge.

4. Centers Were Trash

This series has shown the world that centers have the toughest jobs in the league. So far, we have seen how Chet Holmgren has struggled to play at a high level, and so has Turner for the Pacers. Even Isaiah Hartenstein could not make the usual impact he has in the game for OKC. That says a lot about their struggles for most of the series and how it has led to poor performances when it mattered.

Turner was just 1-of-9 from the field, while Holmgren had one more field goal made with the same attempts. Hartenstein had the best game among the centers as he finished with 10 points and shot 3-of-4 from the field. However, the fast pace of the game limited his minutes and touches on the offense.

For most of the series, however, it has been the centers who have been pivotal on defense. Holmgren and Hartenstein have held their ground, and so has Turner. But with Game 7 coming in hot, it seems that the big men will need to step up now more than ever.

5. Game 7 Coming in Hot

So, Game 7. It has been quite a long time since we’ve last seen an intense series like this. The last Game 7 played in the NBA Finals was in 2016, in which the Cleveland Cavaliers capped off a 3-1 series comeback against the Golden State Warriors. This time, however, has seen the NBA Finals on a back and forth swing for the two teams.

Now that the series is tied, it all comes down to one big game. It will be a promising showdown to remember. Many said that the Thunder vs Pacers clash would be a snoozefest, but it seems that the series has proven them wrong now more than ever.

The 2016 Cavaliers were the first road team to win in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 1978. However, home teams stand with a 15-4 record all-time in Game 7s in the NBA Finals.

Who Gets the Last Word in Thunder vs Pacers?

Well, it is safe to say that this year’s NBA Finals did not fail to impress. We have seen heroics, epic comebacks, fantastic finishes, and massive battles. This has been a defining series so far, and fans are definitely enjoying a treat right now.

But it all comes down to one final game. Two historic teams, battling for greatness in the biggest stage of them all. However, there can only be one team to have the last word.

That unfolds in the two greatest words in sports – Game 7.

Photo credit: © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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