Legacies on the line in NBA Finals Game 7: What's at stake for Thunder, Pacers
All that's at stake is legacy.
The victor of Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will shape the narrative, the frame through which the winning team is remembered.
If it's the Thunder...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will go down as having an all-time great season. He will have notched a regular season Most Valuable Player award — and probable Finals MVP — and will have led Oklahoma City, which tied for the fifth-most victories in a regular season (68), to its first NBA championship since moving to the city and the franchise's first since 1979, when it was the Seattle SuperSonics.
Jalen Williams will emerge as a legitimate star whose Game 5 heroics in a 40-point masterpiece lifted the Thunder.
And Mark Daigneault, 40, will reinforce his position as one of the premier coaches in the NBA, leading the second-youngest team to win a Finals in NBA history — which implies OKC could be in position to repeat.
If it's the Pacers...
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton will obliterate the 'overrated' narrative that has unfairly followed him since The Athletic published a player poll that labeled him the most overrated player in the league. He will wrap an unprecedented run of clutch postseason play with a title.
Pascal Siakam will become a two-time champion and see his profile raised further.
Rick Carlisle will become just the fourth coach — joining Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Alex Hannum — to win championships with two different teams. His status as an innovative and adaptable coach who entrusts his players will be unquestioned after leading the decided underdog Pacers to an NBA title, their first in franchise history.
Game 7s in the Finals are special, with this marking just the 20th in history. Just the very nature of the games — the magnified stakes, the drama — can define legacies.
'Respect isn't something that we can just talk about and receive — it's an earned thing,' Haliburton said in a Saturday, June 21 news conference. 'No matter what happens, it's still probably not going to be where necessarily it 'should' be or what we think it should be.
'It doesn't really matter, though. I think from our standpoint — teams we compete against, they respect us. I think that's the most important thing. … We are in a great, great point right now in our organization's history and for our team specifically. You've got to be really excited about the chance to compete in one game to win a championship.'
It becomes a very different story with a loss — for both squads.
The Thunder suddenly will be framed as front-runners and Gilgeous-Alexander's greatness and efficiency will likely be overshadowed. Detractors will get louder with their 'foul merchant' critiques and almost certainly will say the Thunder got a favorable whistle and still couldn't do anything with it.
Similarly, a defeat would likely only strengthen the barbs hurled at Haliburton. Indiana's up-tempo, free-flowing offense may be discounted as a gimmick and an operation — despite Indy's success this postseason — not suitable to win when it counts. Critics will likely say the Pacers still need a true star.
The reality, however, is that it serves teams no use to consider narrative and legacy before a Game 7.
While players and coaches certainly do reap future profits from championship runs, Game 7s are — in their most distilled terms — just another game. Forty-eight minutes for a team to top another. The glory cannot come without the actual victory.
The secret to success, therefore, likely requires some willful ignorance, some intentional blocking out of the context of the game.
'You try to make it as binary as possible,' Thunder guard Alex Caruso, a champion with the 2020 Lakers, said Saturday. 'You're either going to win or lose. That is literally what's going to happen. The season is going to be over and you're going to be champion, or you're going to lose and start from square one. You might as well go out and put your best forward and compete your (butt) off and play hard for your teammates and try and win.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
Nets' Cam Thomas, D'Angelo Russell listed as top-30 NBA free-agents
The Brooklyn Nets have a big offseason ahead of them as they have five picks in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft along with plenty of cap space to use. Brooklyn has a few days before the Draft begins on Wednesday, but with Game 7 of the NBA Finals happening on Sunday, the Nets will also have to worry about free-agency. Speaking of free-agency, Nets guards Cam Thomas and D'Angelo Russell are regarded as top-30 free-agents this offseason, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Thomas, who is a restricted free-agent, ranks 15th on the list while Russell, who is unrestricted, places 28th on the list after what each player did during the 2024-25 season. Thomas, 23, is coming off a season in which he averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land. In what was arguably his best season in his four-year career, Thomas played in just 25 games as he dealt with multiple left hamstring strains, the third of which ended his season in March. Pincus predicts that Thomas and the Nets will come to terms on a deal starting in the $24 million range while acknowledging that Thomas' could be lower due to the nature of the salary cap situation across the league. "While he's believed to have been seeking over $30 million in prior negotiations, that number may need to be much lower for a deal. Since he's restricted, Brooklyn has all the leverage, and no one else has the kind of cap room to give Thomas an offer sheet of note," Pincus wrote. Russell, 29, is coming off a campaign in which he averaged 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game during his 29 games played with the Nets. Russell came over to Brooklyn in a midseason trade with the Los Angeles Lakers to be the starting point guard, but it was clear that his numbers for the entire season were down from his prior three seasons. When it comes to Russell, Pincus predicts that the former Ohio State Buckeye will sign with the Milwaukee Bucks as they would be the team with the best offer for him at the Taxpayer Mid-level Exception (TMLE), listed as $5.685 million for the 2025-26 season. "If he can't get a team to give him the full NTMLE, he may have to settle for the TMLE with a team in need of a lead guard who can shoot the three," Pincus wrote.
San Francisco Chronicle
22 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Duke's Khaman Maluach, Maryland's Derik Queen headline list of big men in upcoming NBA draft
Duke's Khaman Maluach anchored the interior for an elite defensive team that reached the Final Four. Maryland's Derik Queen was the offensive focal point for a team that reached the NCAA Tournament's second weekend. Those freshmen are the headliners among big men in the upcoming NBA draft. While there's a deep well of high-end guard prospects, the bigs have a smaller list and could produce Maluach and Queen as the lone lottery picks. Here's a look at the position entering Wednesday's first round: Khaman Maluach, Duke STRENGTHS: He has the length and size of an elite rim-runner who can impact games as a shot blocker and lob threat. The 7-foot-1, 253-pounder from South Sudan — he joined NBA Academy Africa in 2021 — showed ability to defend on the perimeter in Duke's switch-heavy approach and had the combine's biggest wingspan at 7-6 3/4. Maluach runs the floor well for transition potential beyond finishing those pick-and-roll chances, where he ranked in the 99th percentile by shooting 89.4% (42 of 47), according to Synergy's analytics rankings. He shot 76.6% from the foul line and made four 3s, indicators that he can develop his touch. CONCERNS: Maluach, who turns 19 in September, is a relative newcomer to the game and is still developing a raw offensive skillset. His 71.2% shooting largely came on dunks and putbacks, and he got to the line just twice per game. Taking away those in-close opportunities can blunt Maluach's impact (for now, anyway). That was on display in Duke's Final Four loss to Houston; he struggled against older and more physical players while managing six points on 1-for-2 shooting with zero rebounds in 21 minutes. Derik Queen, Maryland STRENGTHS: The 6-9, 248-pound Queen is a skilled big who averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds while ranking among Division I leaders with 15 double-doubles with his ability to score in postups or off the offensive glass. He was also a solid passer (1.9 assists) and shot 76.6% on free throws while getting to the line 6.1 times per game, indicating his willingness to attack defenders. The 20-year-old claimed his place in March Madness lore by banking in a buzzer-beating runner to beat Colorado State and reach the NCAA Sweet 16. CONCERNS: Queen isn't the biggest of bigs nor an elite defender. There's also uncertainty on how he might fare against a bigger or quicker defenders, while he must improve his range after making just 7 of 35 3-pointers (20%). He also didn't measure well at the combine; he tied for last among all players in standing vertical leap (23.5 inches) and tied for second-lowest in max vertical (28.0), as well as last or next to last in lane agility, shuttle run and three-quarter court sprint testing. Asa Newell, Georgia STRENGTHS: The five-star recruit and first-round prospect helped the Bulldogs return to the NCAAs for the first time in a decade, with the 19-year-old capable of playing as a small-ball center or power forward. His athleticism helped him thrive on the offensive glass (22nd in Division I at 3.33 rebounds per game) and as a rim finisher, along with showing potential as a versatile defender. CONCERNS: Newell needs bulk on his 6-9, 224-pound frame to handle physical, stronger opponents. He also needs to enhance his outside shot after shooting 29.2% on 3-pointers (26 of 89). Thomas Sorber, Georgetown STRENGTHS: The freshman has the frame to tussle amid bumps in the post (6-9, 263) and in traffic. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 53.2% overall, including 57.1% in post-up chances, according to Synergy. The first-round prospect has defensive potential with a 7-6 wingspan (tied for second-longest at the combine) that helped him average 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. CONCERNS: The 19-year-old must improve his 3-point shot (6 of 37, 16.2%). There was a limited sample size of 24 games before a foot injury ended his season, though the Hoyas lost seven of 10 without him to illustrate his value. Others of note: – RASHEER FLEMING: The 6-8, 232-pound junior from Saint Joseph's is a first-round prospect who averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last year. He has a better than 7-5 wingspan, and went from shooting 31.3% on 3s in his first two seasons to 39% last year. – DANNY WOLF: The 6-11, 252-pound junior thrived in moving from Yale in the Ivy League to the Big Ten's Michigan. The first-round prospect averaged 13.2 points and 9.7 rebounds while also making 38 3s in 37 games to go with 15 double-doubles. – MAXIME RAYNAUD: Stanford's fourth-year senior from France is a skilled 7-footer who averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds while making 67 3-pointers in 35 games last year. His rangy skillset could land him late in the first round. – JOAN BERINGER: The 6-11, 230-pound Frenchman turns 19 in November and could be a first-rounder as a mobile threat working in the pick-and-roll and as a lob threat. – HANSEN YANG: The 7-1, 249-pound center from China is a potential late first-rounder with intriguing size (9-3 standing reach, nearly 7-3 wingspan, only combine player in top three in both hand length and width) to go with shooting and passing touch. He turns 20 on June 26, the day of the second round. – RYAN KALKBRENNER: The 7-1, 257-pound senior from Creighton averaged 14.5 points and 2.4 blocks while shooting 65.8% over five college seasons. He has good touch in the paint and had 49 points in a game last year (second-most in Division I) as a possible late first-rounder. – YANIC KONAN NIEDERHAUSER: The 6-11, 243-pound junior from Penn State is a likely second-rounder who ranked 12th in Division I by averaging 2.31 blocks. He had a better than 7-3 wingspan with a 37-inch max vertical leap at the combine. ___
Indianapolis Star
25 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Who are refs for tonight's Pacers vs. Thunder Game 7 of NBA Finals?
The Indiana Pacers are one win away from their first NBA championship. A trending topic over the course of the NBA Finals has been the referees, especially following Game 4 which caused Pacers coach Rick Carlisle to publicly defend official Scott Foster. How Game 7 is called could be a key factor in whether the Thunder or Pacers lift the Larry O'Brien trophy Sunday night. The Thunder are shooting 84.2% from the free-throw line this series, while the Pacers are at 75.8%. The crew chief for Game 7 is James Capers, with Josh Tiven as referee and Sean Wright as umpire. This is Capers' 13th NBA Finals, Tiven's sixth Finals and Wright's second Finals. Three of the more criticized referees by fans will not be working Game 7 on Sunday. Game 7, Sun., June 22: Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m. TV: ABC, with Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson (analysis), and Lisa Salters (sideline reporting)
