The Indiana Pacers fall one game short of the NBA championship, losing 103-91 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Doubly devastating is that star guard Tyrese Haliburton leaves the game in the first quarter with an Achilles injury. If it’s serious, he could miss most of next season.
Bennedict Mathurin scores 24 points with 13 rebounds, T.J. McConnell scores 16 with 6 rebounds, Pascal Siakam has 16, and Andrew Nembhard 15.
OKC applies unbearable pressure in the third quarter, forcing 8 turnovers and expanding its lead to double digits with 34-20 edge. The Pacers commit 21 turnovers overall.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points with 12 assists, Jalen Williams adds 20, Chet Holmgren 18 with 8 rebounds and 5 blocked shots, and Alex Caruso 10 and Cason Wallace 10 each off the Thunder bench. OKC snags 14 steals and commits just 7 turnovers.
Dustin Dopirak is your best Pacers follow, and get IndyStar’s Pacers coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Pacers Update newsletter.
Bennedict Mathurin comes to play in fourth quarter
4:45 left 4Q, Thunder 91, Pacers 79: Bennedict Mathurin is on a personal run, up to 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Pacers trail Thunder in fourth quarter of Game 7 of NBA Finals
5:50 left 4Q, Thunder 90, Pacers 75: Indiana has a 7-point spurt to trim its deficit. Pascal Siakam scores with 7:28 left, Indiana’s first basket of the quarter and the first by any Pacer besides T.J. McConnell in 13 minutes of game time.
Thunder stifle Pacers, take 21-point lead
8:27 left 4Q, Thunder 89, Pacers 68: Indiana hasn’t scored in the quarter. OKC’s lead reaches 21 points.
Pacers have to work to do to win the NBA title
End 3Q, Thunder 81 Pacers 68: SGA has 22 points and 10 assists, and Jalen Williams has 14 points. T.J. McConnell leads Indiana with 16 points and Pascal Siakam has 13.
OKC has 18 points off Indiana turnovers in the period. McConnell was the only Pacer score over the last 8 1/2 minutes.
T.J. McConnell tries to keep the Pacers close
1:56 left 3Q, Thunder 77, Pacers 66: OKC cranks up the defense again to force turnovers and score. Indiana has 8 turnovers in the quarter.
T.J. McConnell scores 5 times in quick order, and he is up to 14 points.
Thunder get hot from 3-point range, extend lead on Pacers
7:13 left 3Q, Thunder 65, Pacers 56: Indiana is up to 12 turnovers, 5 in the quarter. OKC hits 3 3-pointers in a row. Myles Turner ties the score with a 3-pointer, but SGA answers a few seconds later.
Thunder apply pressure on Pacers in third quarter
9:20 left 3Q, Thunder 56, Pacers 51: OKC converts offensive rebounds, forces Indiana turnovers. The Thunder lead the quarter 9-3.
Lu Dort beats the shot clock buzzer with a long 3.
Halftime: Pacers 48, Thunder 47
Pascal Siakam has 10 points, Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard 9 each and Bennedict Mathurin 8. The Pacers have made 50% of their 3-pointers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has 16 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds to lead OKC. Alex Caruso has 8 points and 3 steals. OKC is 22.2% from 3-point range.
Nembhard’s late 3 gives the Pacers the lead.
Pacers stay close to Thunder in second quarter
5:22 left 2Q, Thunder 37, Pacers 36: T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard score on drives to the basket. OKC calls a timeout.
Pacers adjust with Tyrese Haliburton injured
7:14 left 2Q, Thunder 34, Pacers 32: OKC’s Cason Wallace is being T.J. McConnell, with 3 steals already.
Pacers trail Thunder after first quarter
End 1Q, Thunder 25, Pacers 22: Tyrese Haliburton had 9 points before his injury and Pascal Siakam has 7. SGA has 8 points for OKC.
Tyrese Haliburton goes down with calf injury
4:55 left 1Q, Thunder 18 Pacers 16: Tyrese Haliburton goes down with a right calf injury. He loses the ball and OKC scores on the other end. He pounds the court in frustration.
Alex Caruso makes OKC’s first 2 3-point attempts, giving it a 16-14 lead.
Pacers vs. Thunder in Game 7 of NBA Finals begins
6:58 left 1Q, Pacers 14, Thunder 10: Tyrese Haliburton hits consecutive 3-pointers and adds another for 9 points. SGA has a couple of mid-range baskets and 6 points. Aaron Nesmith has 2 fouls at the 7:21 mark, and Bennedict Mathurin comes in.
Pacers vs. Thunder starting lineups for Game 7 of NBA Finals
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein
Thunder are ready to celebrate … hours before tipoff
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle saw video of buses being prepared for a potential parade, the word “champions” on the sides. Here’s his reaction.
Former Pacers coach Isiah Thomas breaks down the NBA Finals
Isiah Thomas, who led Indiana University to a national championship and coached the Pacers for three years, sees the series as a contrast between OKC’s defensive style and Indiana’s offense.
Pacers vs Thunder expert predictions, picks for Game 7
Dustin Dopirak, IndyStar: Pacers 111, Thunder 109
“I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen in this game. But the most fitting thing considering the way these playoffs have gone would be for the Pacers to win on a Tyrese Haliburton game-winning 3. So let’s go with that.”
Gregg Doyel, IndyStar: Pacers win
“I’ve got the Pacers winning Game 7, because I think the Pacers are better. Don’t ask me why one team won 68 games, but the team I think is better won 50. But that’s what I think.”
What time is Pacers vs Thunder game? NBA Finals Game 7 tip-off time
Game 7, Sun., June 22: Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m.
Pacers vs Thunder injury report for Game 7 of NBA Finals
Pacers: Jarace Walker (ankle) and Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) are out.
Thunder: Nikola Topic (knee) is out.
Pacers vs Thunder Game 7 TV channel; where to watch NBA Finals game
TV: ABC, with Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson (analysis), and Lisa Salters (sideline reporting)
Watch with a Fubo trial
How can I stream, listen to the Pacers vs Thunder in Game 7 on the radio?
93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analysis) and Pat Boylan (sideline reporting). Game 7 streaming is on SiriusXM channels 86 (Thunder feed) and 81.
NBA Finals schedule: Pacers vs Thunder
Get IndyStar’s book celebrating the Pacers’ playoff run
Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals Game 7 betting odds
via BetMGM
Game 7 favorite: Thunder by 7.5 points
Over/under: 214.5 total points
Moneyline: Pacers +260, Thunder -325
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Thunder a 59.3% chance of winning.
Pacers probable starting lineup for NBA Finals Game 7
(Series averages)
Pacers key reserves
Thunder probable starting lineup for NBA Finals Game 7
Thunder key reserves
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Finals Game 7 results, highlights: Pacers fall one game short of NBA championship
Reporting by Scott Horner, Dustin Dopirak and Evan Frank, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
