The NBA Finals are going to the limit after the Indiana Pacers demolish the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6.
Obi Toppin scores 20 points, Andrew Nembhard 17 points, Pascal Siakam 16 with 13 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton 14 as the Pacers lead by as many as 30 points. T.J. McConnell adds 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Their 36-17 second-quarter edge puts the game away. Indiana makes 15 3-pointers.
Haliburton, whose status coming into the game was iffy because of a sore calf, plays 23 minutes, makes 5-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-7 3-pointers, with 5 assists and 2 steals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 21 points and Jalen Williams 16 for OKC, which makes 8-of-30 3-pointers.
Game 7 — for the NBA championship — is Sunday night at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City.
When is the last time the NBA Finals went to seven games?
The most recent Game 7 in the NBA Finals came in 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors.
Dustin Dopirak is your best Pacers follow, and get IndyStar’s Pacers coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Pacers Update newsletter.
It’s garbage time for Pacers vs. Thunder
5:45 left 4Q, Pacers 100, Thunder 75: Both teams have gone deep into their benches.
Pacers still lead big over Thunder after three quarters
End 3Q, Pacers 90, Thunder 60: Ben Sheppard beats the buzzer with a 3-pointer. OKC trims its deficit to 18 earlier in the quarter.
Thunder get on the board in third quarter
5:25 left 3Q, Pacers 73 Thunder 51: Isaiah Hartenstein gets an alley-oop dunk with 6:58 left, OKC’s first points of the second half. Hartenstein has 10 points.
Pacers are rolling vs. Thunder in Game 6
7:15 3Q, Pacers 70, Thunder 42: OKC remains scoreless in the quarter. Another timeout.
Slow start for Pacers, Thunder in third quarter
8:06 left 3Q, Pacers 66, Thunder 42: Neither team scores until Tyrese Haliburton’s layup almost 4 minutes in. Timeout, OKC.
Halftime: Pacers 64, Thunder 42
Indiana’s balance is beating OKC’s Big 2.
Pascal Siakam has 13 points, Tyrese Haliburton 12, and Andrew Nembhard 10 for Indiana, which is 9-of-24 on 3-pointers and has just 2 turnovers. Aaron Nesmith has 9 points, and T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin 8 each.
Jalen Williams has 16 points and SGA 15 for the Thunder, who are 1-of-11 on 3s and have 12 turnovers.
Aaron Nesmith hits consecutive 3-pointers as Pacers’ lead grows
4:33 left 2Q, Pacers 48, Thunder 35: OKC has 10 turnovers, Indiana 2. Aaron Nesmith’s a pair of 3s as the Pacers have their largest of the series.
Pacers increase their lead on the Thunder
7:20 left 2Q, Pacers 41, Thunder 33: OKC has turnovers on consecutive plays and the Pacers take advantage with a T.J. McConnell basket and a Tyrese Haliburton 3. McConnell has 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Thunder inch closer to Pacers
9:28 left 2Q, Pacers 32, Thunder 31: Myles Turner steps on the baseline with the ball, committing Indiana’s first turnover almost 14 minutes into the game. SGA has 11 points and 4 turnovers.
Pacers lead Thunder after first quarter of Game 6 of NBA Finals
End 1Q, Pacers 28, Thunder 25: Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard have 8 points each, and the Pacers are 5-of-14 on 3-pointers, 7-of-10 free throws with 0 turnovers. OKC is 1-of-6 from deep, 2-of-4 free throws with 5 turnovers.
Pacers surge to take lead against Thunder
4:15 left 1Q, Pacers 24, Thunder 17: After missing their first 8 shots, they make 8-of-10.
Tyrese Haliburton makes a 3-pointer for the first time since Game 4. Indiana makes 6 straight shots from the field in one stretch. Andrew Nembhard’s second consecutive 3-pointer, with 6:41 left, puts the Pacers ahead 13-12. Siakam gets Indiana’s first field goal at the 8:03 mark.
Pacers vs. Thunder start Game 6 of NBA Finals
8:59 left 1Q, Thunder 8, Pacers 2: Tyrese Haliburton starts. He makes a free throw and misses a 3-pointer in the first stint. The Pacers are 0-of-6 from the field. They call a timeout.
NBA starting lineups: Pacers vs. Thunder in Game 6
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam
Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren
Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull back the Pacers in the NBA Finals
The Indiana Fever play the Golden State Valkyries late Thursday night.
What Pacers coach Rick Carlisle says about Tyrese Haliburton
Pacers vs. Thunder expert predictions, picks for today, June 19
Dustin Dopirak, IndyStar: Pacers 116-111
“We won’t know if Tyrese Haliburton should play until we see his condition after he takes the court. He certainly wants to play and likely will unless the Pacers’ medical staff deems the long-term risk too great. This is his first NBA Finals and the franchise’s first in 25 years. There’s no guarantee he and the team will return.
“The Pacers likely need a better-than-average Haliburton to force a Game 7. Haliburton tends to play better at home — averaging 20.2 points per game on 49.9% shooting and 41.5% 3-point shooting in regular-season games this year — and Gainbridge Fieldhouse should be as explosive as ever. Even if Haliburton isn’t at his best, some made shots to help ignite the crowd might be enough for the Pacers to extend their season to the limit.”
What time is Pacers vs Thunder game? NBA Finals tip off time today
Game 6, Thurs., June 19: Thunder at Pacers, 8:30 p.m.
Pacers vs. Thunder injury report today, June 19
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton (calf) is available. Jarace Walker (ankle) and Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) are out.
Thunder: None.
Pacers vs Thunder Game 6 TV channel today; where to watch Pacers vs Thunder Game 6
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 today, June 19?
93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analysis) and Pat Boylan (sideline reporting). Game 1 streaming is on SiriusXM channels 81 (Thunder feed) and 86.
NBA Finals schedule: Pacers vs Thunder
(*-if necessary; all games are ET and on ABC)
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Pacers vs Thunder odds today
via BetMGM
Game 6 favorite: Thunder by 6.5 points
Over/under: 221.5 total points
Moneyline: Pacers +200, Thunder -250
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Thunder a 56.4% chance of winning.
Pacers probable starting lineup today, June 19
(Series averages)
Pacers key reserves
Thunder probable starting lineup today, June 19
Thunder key reserves
This story was updated to add a video.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Finals Game 6 results, highlights: Pacers push Thunder to limit with blowout win
Reporting by Scott Horner and Dustin Dopirak, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
