Maintain observe of Recreation 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, because the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers are tied 3-3 in a winner-take-all scenario.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (68-14), the highest seed within the Western Convention, and the No. 4 Jap Convention seed Indiana Pacers (50-32) entered Recreation 7 at Paycom Heart tied, 3-3, with all of the marbles on the road.
It was the Thunder who got here out on prime within the first Recreation 7 NBA Finals Recreation since 2016, defeating the Pacers, 103-91.
FINAL: Thunder 103, Pacers 91Â
Behind 29 factors and 12 assists from MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder seized management within the third quarter after Tyrese Haliburton exited within the first with an Achilles harm. Indiana had led 48-47 at halftime, however with out their All-Star guard, the Pacers struggled offensively, committing seven turnovers within the third quarter and scoring simply 43 factors within the second half.
Oklahoma Metropolis, which completed the common season with the NBA’s greatest file at 68-14, obtained balanced manufacturing within the deciding sport. Jalen Williams added 19 factors, Chet Holmgren scored 16, and each Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace chipped in with double-digit scoring off the bench. The Thunder protection held Indiana to its lowest scoring output of your entire postseason.
Haliburton scored 9 factors within the sport’s first seven minutes earlier than happening whereas driving in opposition to Gilgeous-Alexander. He didn’t return. It was a heartbreaking finish to a standout playoff run that included a number of game-winners from the 25-year-old.
The Thunder turned the seventh totally different champion in as a few years, marking a continued period of parity for the league. For Indiana, their watch for a primary NBA championship will stretch at the least one other 12 months.
4th Quarter: Thunder 103, Pacers 91Â Â
1:04 – Williams cut up a pair of free throws to place the Thunder up 101-87 to ice the sport additional.
2:24 – Turnovers continued to plague the Pacers, serving to the Thunder to keep up a double-figure lead. Holmgren cut up a pair of free throws, then flushed down a transition dunk. Indiana was buying and selling scoring possessions as a substitute of getting stops down the stretch.
4:47 – Led by Mathurin scoring seven consecutive factors amid an 11-1 run, the Pacers lower the Thunder’s result in 91-79 coming into a timeout. Nonetheless, time was operating out late within the sport.
7:28 – It wasn’t till Siakam knocked down a mid-range jumper after a jab step that Indiana obtained on the board within the fourth quarter.
8:28 – Oklahoma Metropolis’s protection continued to fully stifle the Pacers, who hadn’t scored within the interval coming into a timeout with 8:27 left in regulation. After Holmgren swatted away a end try by Nesmith, Williams cashed in from 3-point vary to pressure one other Pacers timeout. The Thunder continued their 19-2 run that carried over from the third quarter, main 89-68.
11:22 – Gilgeous-Alexander continued the Thunder’s momentum with a step-back 3-pointer, pushing the result in 84-68. He had already accrued 25 factors and 10 assists at this level.
third Quarter: Thunder 81, Pacers 68
29.0 – After a pair of empty possessions for the Pacers, the momentum was all in Oklahoma Metropolis’s favor. A missed pull-up jumper from Gilgeous-Alexander led to a putback end for Hartenstein. Caruso then blocked Siakam’s shot late within the shot clock. Oklahoma Metropolis set a brand new game-high lead (13) earlier than the third quarter ended, ending a 34-20 interval. The Thunder outscored Indiana 18-0 in factors off turnovers, particularly within the third quarter.
1:27 – The Thunder continued to have a solution for the Pacers. McConnell made a short-range pull-up jumper, however Williams responded the following journey down the ground with a 17-foot step-back. Oklahoma Metropolis regained an 11-point lead (79-68).
2:02 – Williams completed on the rim to place the Thunder up 77-66, the biggest lead of the sport. Indiana burned one other timeout after failing to regain management of the sport. Oklahoma Metropolis held a staggering 22-point benefit in factors off turnovers.
2:20 – The disorganization for the Pacers continued, resulting in a five-second violation.
2:42 – A pair of turnovers attributable to trapping Toppin dropping it out-of-bounds and the Thunder trapping McConnell created a number of simple scoring probabilities for Oklahoma Metropolis. Wallace knocked down a 3-pointer and later completed on the rim—each assisted by Hartenstein—to place Oklahoma Metropolis again up by a nine-point margin (75-66).
3:54 – The momentum continued for McConnell. He made a short-range pull-up jumper, which marked 10 consecutive factors scored by him. He already scored 14 factors within the third quarter at this level, however an lack of ability to get well timed defensive stops as soon as once more stifled Indiana’s rally.
4:41- McConnell tightened up by attacking downhill, in search of photographs within the paint. He scored on 4 consecutive drives, however the Thunder continued to have solutions on the opposite finish, stopping Indiana from utilizing these scoring sequences to create a run. Gilgeous-Alexander was producing rim strain of his personal, ending one himself and discovering Holmgren for a dunk. Indiana trailed 69-64 regardless of McConnell’s influence.
7:13 – The sport is starting to slide away for the Pacers. Now, Oklahoma Metropolis is on a 9-0 run, leading to one other timeout referred to as by Carlisle. This sequence included a barrage of 3-pointers, with a step-back from Gilgeous-Alexander beginning it off. Just a few turnovers by McConnell led to Holmgren and Williams getting clear perimeter jumpers.
9:20 – The Pacers referred to as a timeout after the Thunder jumped out with a 9-3 run popping out of halftime. A tip shot by Caruso after his personal missed layup, and finally a steal resulting in a breakaway transition end for Williams, was sufficient for Carlisle to name a timeout.
10:30 – Holmgren cleaned up a missed 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander for a putback to kickstart some momentum for Oklahoma Metropolis. A turnover by Nembhard created an opportunity for the Thunder to take benefit. Gilgeous-Alexander almost carried however discovered Dort, who threw up a high-arching side-step 3-pointer and made it. Siakam answered with a make of his personal to chop it to 1 (52-51).
12:00 – Oklahoma Metropolis made a lineup change to start the second half by swapping out Hartenstein for Caruso.
Halftime: Pacers, ThunderÂ
Evaluation: The Pacers deserve a whole lot of credit score for managing to carry a halftime lead regardless of Haliburton happening with a big harm. Indiana’s sizzling perimeter capturing—going 8-of-16 (50%)—performed an essential position, together with outscoring the Thunder 9-to-5 in factors off turnovers. Siakam was the primary Indiana participant to achieve double figures (10 factors), whereas Nembhard and Haliburton every had 9, and Mathurin scored eight. Factors had been left on the board from the free throw line by capturing 61.5% as a crew, along with going 8-of-22 from contained in the arc.
For the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander was getting his personal with 16 factors whereas nonetheless discovering his teammates for seven assists, whereas every Thunder starter had 5 factors. Oklahoma Metropolis shot poorly throughout the board with 40.5/22.2/69.2 capturing splits, however the crew did successfully comprise turnovers (4) and held a 20-to-12 edge for factors within the paint.
2nd Quarter: Pacers 48, Thunder 47
3.6 – The Pacers walked into halftime with a 48-47 benefit after Nembhard exploited drawing Holmgren on a swap to get right into a step-back 3-pointer. This was the tenth lead change of what was a good first half during which no crew led by greater than 5 factors.
39.2 – Hartenstein stifled the Pacers’ momentum by patiently ending within the paint whereas drawing a foul. His free throw accomplished an and-one sequence, tying it up at 45-45.
1:28 – Pacers go up 45-42 on a sequence that included a contested Mathurin 3-pointer and two made free throws for Siakam to proceed what was a 9-2 run.
3:53 – Between a Turner elbow jumper and McConnell capturing excessive of a contest in short-range, the Pacers managed to tie it once more, 40-40.
6:46 – Oklahoma Metropolis took a five-point lead (37-32) after Gilgeous-Alexander obtained into the hole in mid-range once more and used a step-back to clear some house earlier than making a jumper. Wallace stepped right into a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in transition to maintain the momentum going.
7:46 – Indiana continued to struggle, tying it up 32-32 after Aaron Nesmith sank a 3-pointer.
Harm Replace – The Pacers formally introduced that Haliburton was dominated out for the remainder of the sport with a decrease leg harm.
10:21 – Kicked off by McConnell dishing it to Mathurin for a fringe jumper, the Pacers managed to take a quick lead (26-25) after Siakam cut up two free throws.
1st Quarter: Thunder 25, Pacers 22
22.2 – A powerful near the quarter arrange a 25-22 lead for Oklahoma Metropolis. Williams attacked the rim for a finger-roll to kickstart this stretch. Cason Wallace’s steal after McConnell misplaced the ball finally led to a visit to the free throw line for Holmgren, who cut up each free throws.
34.2 – Indiana stored chipping away. Siakam transformed from mid-range after a cross from McConnell. A pair of empty possessions for the Thunder left the door open for the Pacers to tie it up (22-22) after Mathurin cleaned up his personal miss on the rim.
2:48 – Oklahoma Metropolis’s hustle on the boards paid off. An offensive rebound by Kenrich Williams after a missed 3-pointer by Caruso led to a short-range pull-up for Gilgeous-Alexander. A fast defensive cease for the Thunder led to Holmgren getting a floater off a discover from the MVP, pushing to a 4-0 run to go up 22-18.
4:55 – A devastating improvement for the Pacers occurred. Haliburton tried to make use of a shot pretend to arrange a drive, however misplaced the ball as he dropped to the ground in important ache. The Thunder took benefit with a transition dunk for Williams on a leak-out, taking an 18-16 lead. Indiana’s entire squad was huddled round Haliburton. T.J. McConnell checked into the sport in Haliburton’s place because the All-Star guard had a towel over his head throughout an emotional journey to the locker room.
5:48 – Indiana was residing with Alex Caruso, having house from past the arc, and was made to pay for making an attempt to shrink the ground with back-to-back 3-pointers. Oklahoma Metropolis took a quick lead, however Nembhard tied it up (16-16) after driving the lane and drawing a foul, making a pair of free throws.
7:01- Again-to-back 3-pointers for Haliburton gave Indiana an 11-6 edge. He was feeling it, together with a deep warmth test pull-up. He didn’t fairly make it three in a row with a missed pull-up, however he obtained it again after an offensive rebound by Bennedict Mathurin to make the Thunder protection pay. Indiana was up 14-10 going right into a timeout. Haliburton already had 9 factors.
8:58 – Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down back-to-back mid-range jumpers to maintain Oklahoma Metropolis regular. A block in opposition to Haliburton on the rim arrange a fast post-up for Chet Holmgren, resulting in a turnaround jumper.
10:45 – With Haliburton drawing full-court strain to begin the sport, his teammates made performs early to take a fast 5-2 lead. Nembhard began them off with a mid-range pull-up, then discovered Siakam on a spray-out for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer.
Pregame
Tyrese Haliburton goes to play within the largest sport of his life. OKC wasn’t in a position to exploit him on protection in Recreation 6. Bench play was key in Recreation 6 however how massive of an element will or not it’s in Sunday’s Recreation 7 when there isn’t a subsequent sport?
Beginning Lineups
THUNDER:Â Luguentz Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Jalen WilliamsPACERS:Â Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
Accidents
THUNDER:Â Nikola Subject (Out, left knee)PACERS: Tyrese Haliburton (questionable, calf), Isaiah Jackson (Out, Achilles tendon), Jarace Walker (Out, Ankle)
Line: OKC -6.5O/U: 214.5
Officers: Crew Chief James Capers, Refree Josh Tiven, Umpire Sean Wright (alternate: James Williams)
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