The Thunder play hard and play with physicality. But they won't lose by technical knockout

OKLAHOMA CITY — The worst display of bad behavior, at least in the NBA's eyes, exhibited by Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season happened on Jan. 12.
Thunder teammate Alex Ducas made a 3-pointer with 2:55 left in a blowout win over Washington — the first points of his NBA career, a shot that happened right in front of the Oklahoma City bench. Gilgeous-Alexander jumped out of his seat in celebration and waved a towel. Problem was, the towel appeared to make contact with Washington's Jared Butler.

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New York Times

11 minutes ago

• New York Times

Extreme heat at the Club World Cup: Players and fans voice concerns as temperatures soar

As temperatures rose towards 90F at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium on Saturday while Borussia Dortmund played South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, the German team posted on social media: 'Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun — never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.' The message was accompanied by a picture of players who would usually be pitchside instead sitting in shorts and T-shirts around a table stocked with drinks. Players, coaches and supporters were already concerned about high temperatures during matches in the opening week of the Club World Cup, and now a heatwave across the United States in the coming days will cause temperatures to rise even further, with participants expressing their worries to The Athletic and experts suggesting FIFA take proactive moves. Advertisement 'The match was clearly influenced by the temperature,' said Luis Enrique, manager of the European champions Paris Saint-Germain, after their opening game against Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles on the weekend kicked off at 12pm local time. 'The time slot is great for European audiences, but the teams are suffering.' Over the next week, parts of the country are set to get even hotter, including locations where football games are taking place. Eight of the 11 host cities (there are two venues in Orlando) are located on the East Coast, and it is the northeast of the country that is expected to experience the worst of the heatwave. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the temperature in New York is expected to pass 100F (37.8C) by Tuesday and an extreme heat warning has been in place for Philadelphia from Sunday until the end of the week. In Nashville, Tennessee, which hosts Auckland City vs Boca Juniors on Tuesday at 2pm local time, the temperature could get to 98F (36.7C). There is a similar forecast on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Benfica take on Bayern Munich at 3pm local time (99F, 37.2C). Afternoon kick-offs on Wednesday and Thursday in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Washington, D.C, respectively, could take place in heat in the mid-90s, too. The timing of matches in this tournament is a concern, with 35 of the 63 fixtures kicking off earlier than 5pm, and 15 of those starting at midday. Only two of those 12pm games are being held in Atlanta, where the roof can provide some protection for players. The National Weather Service recommends that, during heatwaves, people should stay hydrated and look for areas of shade when outdoors. It also suggests limiting strenuous outdoor activities. Given this tournament is something of a trial run before the 2026 World Cup, which will be played across the U.S, Canada and Mexico at the same time of year, FIFA's approach in terms of the safeguarding of players and fans in such circumstances is set to come under increased scrutiny. Advertisement 'It's difficult, but we have to get used to it because the tournament is here and next year the World Cup will be here, too,' France and Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni told The Athletic. So, what are the rules around playing in high temperatures? What impact does it have on players and how are teams preparing for this? What are FIFA doing to protect those involved and those attending games? And is it enough? The Athletic explains… Before the opening weekend on June 14-15, the National Weather Service predicted 'moderate' heat risk for Miami and Los Angeles, with temperatures likely to exceed 86F (30C). For the tournament's opening game between Inter Miami and Al Ahly, an 8pm ET kick-off at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium meant the peak heat of the day had passed. But on Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain vs Atletico Madrid kicked off at midday in the open-air Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles amid temperatures reportedly nearing 104F (40C) on the pitch. Both PSG and Atletico made it clear that the heat was a factor. Luis Enrique's sentiments were echoed by PSG midfielder Vitinha, who said: 'It's hot at this time. I'm all red. It was really difficult. We just have to try to recuperate as much as possible, whether it's using compression boots or cold treatment.' The Atletico midfielder Marcos Llorente went into more detail after the match, saying: 'It's impossible, terribly hot. My toenails were hurting; I couldn't slow down or speed up. It was unbelievable.' Of the 12 stadiums across the United States being used in the Club World Cup, only one, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, has a roof that can be closed, which is done when the temperature is above 80F, as it was for Manchester City's 6-0 win over Al Ain on Sunday night. Advertisement Five of the remaining 11 stadiums have no coverage at all, while the other six have partial coverage, mainly for spectators to protect them from the elements. In Cincinnati, the TQL Stadium (which hosted Bayern's 10-0 thrashing of Auckland City on the tournament's opening weekend in temperatures of around 83F/28C) has a canopy roof that covers all seats but is designed to allow ample sunlight to reach the field. Good for the grass, not so great for the players exerting themselves in the midday sun. Cooling/ice towels have been widely in use, with players (and coaches) applying them to the backs of their necks or over their heads during cooling breaks and at half and full time. During Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Al Hilal in Miami on Wednesday afternoon (a 3pm ET kick-off), the Madrid coach Xabi Alonso could be seen picking up a wet towel and placing it around his neck in a bid to cool down. For his players, it was tougher. Alonso revealed after the game that Vinicius Junior was having cramps 'because of the heat, because of the pitch', while Gonzalo Garcia said after the game: 'It was very hot, the match was at an hour that we are not used to playing at. It would have been better to play at a different time.' At Real Madrid's training base in Miami, the club included heated tents among the temporary structures they put in place before the team's arrival to mimic the kind of conditions players will face. Heat lamps can even be used inside these tents to help recreate the feeling of the powerful rays of the sun. Temperatures inside the tents can range from 35 to 50C (95 to 122F) and the humidity rises from around 30 per cent to 80 per cent by the end of the session. Teams including Manchester City and Juventus have been using training sessions to deliberately try to speed up the adaptation process, with City manager Pep Guardiola holding long training sessions in the searing Florida heat at their base in Boca Raton. Last Friday's session lasted nearly two hours in temperatures surpassing 90F. Phil Foden, the City midfielder, said after the win over Wydad (a noon kick-off in Philadelphia) that he and his team-mates had tried to play more of a possession game to cope in the conditions. Juventus have been mirroring their training times to match kick-off times, with defender Lloyd Kelly telling the media after their opening game that they had trained 'the past 10 days in the hottest times of the day'. That match against Al Ain was a 9pm kick-off on Wednesday evening, but despite the later hour, temperatures in Washington were still hot and sticky enough that after the match (a 5-0 victory for the Italians), USMNT forward Timothy Weah told reporters: 'I only played a half, and it was like, I was dying out there. It was really hot.' Advertisement Dortmund's post about their substitutes sheltering was characterised in some replies as being another European team finding an excuse for their performances at a tournament in which South American teams have had an early edge. But Dortmund won the game in question 4-3, and after Palmeiras' 2-0 win over Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium on Thursday (a midday kickoff), the Brazilian midfielder Mauricio told The Athletic: 'The heat definitely had an impact today. We couldn't play with the same intensity we showed against Porto. We had to slow things down and manage the tempo.' His team-mate Joaquin Piquerez echoed those thoughts: 'Today was too hot and the time of the day when we played did not help. I asked Egyptian players what they thought of the heat and even they said it was hot, even though they are used to playing in a hot climate.' As well as the teams suffering, those attending matches have been struggling with the heat, too. The biggest issue comes in the open stadiums, where there is little to no shade for supporters. At PSG against Atletico in the uncovered Rose Bowl stadium, one journalist said they had collapsed after transport issues left them having to walk two miles to the stadium in the searing sun, and a girl was seen being treated by medical staff. There were also reports of 45-minute queues for water at concession stands. At the Palmeiras match against Al Ahly on June 19, which kicked off at midday in New York, supporters moved seats to try to be in shaded areas and at half-time flooded inside for shelter and to access water. There are water fountains on the concourses at MetLife and bottled water is for sale from concession stands. Some people who complained to stadium staff about the heat during the match, particularly elderly fans, were directed towards Club 50, an air-conditioned VIP area with a bar and screens showing the match. Brazilians are no strangers to high temperatures, but Palmeiras fans who made the trip to New York still weren't thrilled about the early kick-off, with one fan telling The Athletic: 'Back home, our league matches don't start until after 4 or 5pm. This is not a good time.' Al Ahly followers echoed the sentiment. Many had brought children to the game and spent parts of the match ducking into air-conditioned areas to escape the heat. On top of that, there were grumbles about the concession prices: $15 for a beer and $5 for water. At half-time, a long line formed in front of the water fountain as fans waited to fill their cups. A sporting director for one of the teams at the tournament — speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect their position — told The Athletic during the opening week that the conditions so far and the forecast for the coming days have made their sports science team and players very worried about their remaining group games. Advertisement The only reference to extreme weather in FIFA's regulations for the tournament refers to the use of cooling breaks. These breaks in play are implemented around the 30th and 75th minute of play in cases when the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT; an overall thermal strain measure achieved by combining temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation) exceeds 32C/89.6F on the pitch and allow players to hydrate and use cooling measures such as ice towels. These breaks can last anything from 90 seconds to three minutes. Christopher Tyler is a reader in Environmental Physiology at the University of Roehampton. His research focuses on human responses to extreme hot and cold environments, specifically how to minimise the performance impairments observed in such conditions. He believes that FIFA's heat protocol should be implemented earlier. 'When you take into consideration other factors the elite footballer faces, such as total game load, 32C/89.6F is probably too high as a break — this is a preventative break,' he says. 'FIFA would argue that it works because they haven't seen enough medical complications at that temperature or above, but the argument against that is that players are probably slowing down and changing how they are playing, so they're not getting ill. 32°C/89.6F is high compared to many other sports as a threshold from a safety point of view, but also, it will eventually compromise the quality of the game as well.' Tyler says there is data to show that stopping at 32C/89.6F and taking on fluid does decrease the strain afterwards because players have time to lose a bit of heat and not continue to gain more, but says 'there is no real reason why that couldn't be lowered'. In response to questions from The Athletic, FIFA said its medical experts 'have been in regular contact with the clubs to address heat management and acclimatisation'. It said it was working with local medical authorities regarding heat management. People briefed on the organisation's position said that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that lowering the threshold for cooling breaks improves safety and that there are no plans to do so. Advertisement 'FIFA's current approach is reactive, not preventative,' says Tyler. 'We urgently need more robust, science-led heat mitigation strategies, or we risk seeing performance suffer and health compromised on the world's biggest stage.' FIFA did not respond directly when asked by The Athletic if it would consider moving matches or kick-off times during the incoming heatwave but people briefed on the organisation's thinking say that the conditions will be considered in the same way that storm threats have been, though there is no specific guidance as to what happens if it gets too hot. Four matches in four days have had weather-related delays that have at times suspended play for as long as two hours. In each case, FIFA has worked in unison with the relevant local authorities on the decisions. The organisation is not monitoring the weather across the competition but does receive reports and updates from the stadium. In a statement shared with The Athletic, FIFPro, the organisation that represents professional footballers across the globe, said: 'FIFPro has consistently advocated for comprehensive heat protection measures including mandatory cooling breaks, adjustments to kick-off times to avoid the most intense heat, and the postponement of matches when conditions pose a serious health risk to players… FIFPro will closely monitor the situation in the coming weeks with a view to prioritising player welfare over other considerations.' In a statement to The Athletic, FIFA said: 'From a broader player welfare perspective, besides having the right to make a maximum of five substitutions, teams can make an additional substitution if a match goes into extra time (regardless of whether the team has used its maximum number of substitutes or not), as well as a concussion substitution. Additionally, all teams have a minimum of three rest days between matches to facilitate recovery.' And regarding people attending the games: 'Fans are welcome to bring empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to one (1) litre/33.8 oz. capacity into the stadiums. In venues where temperatures are extreme, local authorities may implement additional measures such as hydration reminders via stadium announcements, cooling buses and water stations. Furthermore, in coordination with the World Health Organization, 'beat the heat tips' will be shared with all ticket holders. 'FIFA will continue to monitor the weather conditions in coordination with the venue teams to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.' Advertisement The issues are particularly relevant because the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, will host the World Cup next year, the biggest sports event on the planet that will involve 48 teams and their travelling supporters. The Athletic reported on Sunday that the National Weather Service has been working with FIFA to develop plans for all 11 U.S. cities preparing to host World Cup games next year. One advantage is that some venues not in use this summer, such as the AT&T Stadium in Dallas and the NRG Stadium in Houston, are indoor stadiums. The agency will also have meteorologists in each city who will work closely with local leaders, Ben Schott, the operations chief with the National Weather Service, told The Athletic. Their main goal as a federal agency is to protect 'life and property.' He explained that FIFA, meanwhile, will likely have its own meteorologist who will prioritise forecasting related to players and the tournament. Here are when and where games are taking place in the next seven days and the forecast temperature on each day. All forecasts are per the National Weather Service's NOAA and are correct as of June 22. Friday, June 27, is the only day during the tournament with no matches. MetLife, New York, New Jersey Monday, June 21: Porto vs Al Ahly (9pm ET) – high of 98F in the day, low of 78F at night Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Tuesday, June 24: Esperance de Tunis vs Chelsea (9pm ET) – high of 102F in the day, low of 81F at night Thursday, June 26: Salzburg vs Real Madrid (9pm ET) – high of 93F in the day, low of 71F at night Saturday, June 28: First match of last 16 (12pm ET) – high of 86F in the day, low of 72F at night Audi Field, Washington, D.C. Thursday, June 26: Wydad vs Al Ain (3pm ET) – high of 96F in the day, low of 76F at night Advertisement TQL Stadium, Cincinnati Wednesday, June 25: Dortmund vs Ulsan (3pm ET) – high of 96F in the day, low of 75F at night Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles Monday, June 23: Atletico Madrid vs Botafogo (12pm PT) – high of 78F in the day, low of 55F at night Wednesday, June 25: Urawa Red Diamonds vs Monterrey (6pm ET) – high of 83F in the day, low of 60F at night Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte Tuesday, June 24: Benfica v Bayern Munich (3pm ET) – high of 99F in the day, low of 77F at night Saturday, June 28: Second match of last 16 (4pm ET) – high of 94F in the day, low of 73F at night Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Sunday, June 29: Third match of last-16 (12pm ET) – TBC GEODIS Park, Nashville Tuesday, June 24: Auckland City vs Boca Juniors (2pm CT) – high of 98F in the day, low of 77F at night Thursday, June 26: Al Hilal vs Pachuca (8pm CT) – high of 98F in the day, low of 76F at night Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Monday, June 23: Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (9pm ET) – high of 90F in the day, low of 80F at night Wednesday, June 25: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense (3pm ET) – high of 90F in the day, low of 79F at night Sunday, June 29: Fourth match of last 16 (4pm ET) – TBC Lumen Field, Seattle Monday, June 23: Seattle v PSG (12pm PT) – high of 77F in the day, low of 56F at night Wednesday, June 25: Inter vs River Plate (6pm PT) – high of 69F in the day, low of 56F at night Camping World Stadium, Orlando Tuesday, June 24: LAFC vs Flamengo (9pm ET) – high of 94F in the day, low of 75F at night Thursday, June 26: Juventus vs Man City (3pm ET) – high of 94F in the day, low of 75F at night The Gold Cup is also in progress in the U.S. this summer, while other competitions, such as the Premier League's Summer Series, have also taken place in the country at this time of year before without significant issues. However, heat controversies are not new in football. At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, 34 of the 52 matches were scheduled to kick off at noon despite oppressive temperatures (over 100F in Monterrey, northern Mexico, where England were due to play). The Argentina forward Jorge Valdano called the midday kick-off times an 'attack against the players… This World Cup shows clearly that the interests of television are put on top of those of soccer'. Advertisement There were concerns at the 1994 tournament in the U.S, too, where the heat in Dallas and Orlando was expected, but a heatwave also brought scorching temperatures to Chicago and California. During the tournament, The New York Times reported that, in Orlando, 106 fans were treated for 'mostly minor heat problems', while in Chicago, 43 were treated for heat exhaustion and 13 hospitalised on the tournament's opening day. Last year's Copa America was heavily impacted by the heat, too. During a match between Canada and Peru at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, assistant referee Humberto Panjoj collapsed while running the line at the end of the first half. Temperatures in the stadium were as high as 91F, with a feels-like temperature of 101F at the time, with 51 per cent humidity. 'It's gotta be an 8 or 9 o'clock kick-off. Because honestly, it's not even safe for the fans,' Canada defender Alistair Johnston said. Contributing reporters: Dan Sheldon, Jack Lang, Adam Crafton, Mario Cortegana, Felipe Cardenas (Top photos: Jonathon Moscrop/Getty, Alex Pantling/Getty, Stu Forster/Getty, Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty, Darren Walsh/Getty; design: Kelsea Petersen)

USA Today

12 minutes ago

• USA Today

Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions. They might just be getting started.

An earthquake that rattled Las Vegas on July 5, 2019 suspended play for the night at NBA Summer League. Hours later, another seismic event altered the direction of the NBA in ways that were not immediately recognized. The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the focus of the deal was George joining Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers. Gilgeous-Alexander had just finished an encouraging rookie season and, as part of the deal, the Thunder acquired multiple first-round picks, including the Clippers' 2022 first-round pick that turned into Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams. Six years after the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander and three years after they selected Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 draft, the Thunder are NBA champions with Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams excelling throughout the regular season, playoffs and NBA Finals. The Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 on Sunday, June 22, putting their historical mark on a season that included 68 regular-season victories, 16 playoff victories and the Thunder's first NBA title since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008. Gilgeous-Alexander was named Finals MVP going for 29 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in Game 7 and averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals in the Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to win a title, regular-season MVP and Finals MVP in the same season. Williams, who in each Finals game gained more confidence in his ability to score from where he wanted, averaged 23.6 points against the Pacers and scored 40 in Game 5 and 20 in Game 7. The team was meticulously assembled by Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti. The Thunder feature two All-Stars, talented young players, savvy veterans – they're a team that has offensive and defensive versatility. Presti brought in a then-early-30s-something and open-minded assistant head coach named Mark Daigneault from the Florida Gators men's basketball team to coach Oklahoma City's G League team in 2014. He became the Thunder's head coach in 2020. Oklahoma City is the second-youngest team to win a championship in the past 70 seasons, with an average age of 25.6 years old. The Thunder were No. 1 defensively and No. 3 defensively during the regular season and that carried over to the playoffs. This is the vision Presti had when he started a rebuild. Already one of the game's premier executives – he was named 2024-25 NBA Executive of the Year – Presti wanted a team that can compete for a championship season after season. The Thunder have been building toward this moment for years. In Daigneault's first season in 2020-21, the Thunder went 22-50, then 24-58, 40-42, 57-25, and 68-14 this season. "There were very early flickers," Daigneault said. "Even in those early years, those were challenging years at different times. Certainly they looked like challenging years on paper. How it felt every day was not a reflection of our record or where our standing was in the league. You could feel that something was starting to simmer. You could feel that some of the seeds we were planting were going to be flowering at some point. There were very early indications of that even in those seasons. "We were confident, even back then, not necessarily that we'd be in the Finals right now. You never know the timing of when things come together. But we were confident that we were building something special and something that had the ability to sustain." It came together this season. For a group that had not advanced beyond the second round, the Thunder earned their title. They trailed the Denver Nuggets 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals and needed to win Game 7 to reach the conference finals, where they handled the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Oklahoma City dropped Game 1 to the Pacers and Game 3. It trailed 2-1 in the series and won the next two games. It fell in Game 6 but won another winner-take-all contest at home. "We've gone through a lot of new experiences together. Haven't pretended that we're more experienced than we are," Daigneault said. "We've tried to lean on the things that we know have made us successful and put us in this position." It helps to lean on Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, two of the league's best young players. Gilgeous-Alexander's 72 points through the first two games against the Pacers were the most ever by a player in his first two career Finals games. In Game 4, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter – the most points in the final five minutes of regulation of an NBA Finals game since 1971. In Game 5, he became the first player to have at least 30 points, 10 assists and four blocks in a Finals game since blocks became an official stat in 1973-74. "It comes down to the moments and who is willing to make winning plays on both ends of the floor," the 26-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I relish those moments, love the moments, good or bad. When I was a kid shooting at my driveway, I'd count down the clock for those moments. Now I get to live it. It's a blessing, it's fun, and I relish it." Williams, 24, was an All-Star and All-NBA selection for the first time in his three-year career. He improved and became more difficult to defend as the series progressed. He had 40 points, six rebounds and four assists in Game 5 – the fifth-youngest player to score 40 or more in a Finals game behind Magic Johnson, Rick Barry, Russell Westbrook and Jerry West. "My biggest thing is just stepping into the moment, success or fail, just kind of living with the results," Williams said. "I put a lot of work into my game, so I just go out there and play. I just don't want to ever play a game and look back where I wasn't aggressive, afraid to do a move." The Thunder are not a two-man show and that was by design. Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams and Isaiah Joe provided the Thunder with what Daigneault called "optionality." In Game 2, Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso, Williams, Wiggins and Holmgren became the first set of five teammates since the 2019 Raptors to score at least 15 points each in a Finals game. Caruso, in Game 4, was the first player to record at least 20 points and five steals in a Finals game since steals became an official stat in 1973-74. Time and time again, the Thunder had a player deliver when necessary. Wiggins' five 3-pointers in Game 2, Holmgren's 14 points and 15 rebounds in Game 4, Wallace's three 3s in Game 5 and Dort's relentless defense for the entire series. Holmgren added 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the series finale. "If you followed our team throughout the season, I think you know that flexibility and adaptability is the only constant," Daigneault said. "We're never staying the same. … Our rotation night to night in these series has been incredibly variant. We think that's a strength of our team." And the Thunder should be championship contenders for the next several seasons. Yes, the league changes quickly, and there hasn't been a repeat champion since Golden State in 2017-18. That's seven different champions in seven seasons in this new era of competitive balance in the NBA. But the Thunder can have the same roster back next season, and with savvy financial planning, they can keep Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Holmgren, Caruso, Wiggins and Wallace through at least 2027-28 and possibly for a few seasons after that. Plus, they have a stockpile of first-round draft picks available for roster improvements. It is difficult to build a dynasty in today's NBA. The roster restrictions and financial penalties limit what teams can do. Surveying the NBA landscape, the Thunder are in position to make it happen.

Indianapolis Star

13 minutes ago

• Indianapolis Star

ESPN writer on Tyrese Haliburton injury: 'I just feel sick about it... I've never felt that way about watching a game before'

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he felt "sick" watching Tyrese Haliburton on the floor in pain in the first quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals and will wonder what if the Pacers star point guard hadn't got hurt. Would Indianapolis be celebrating the Pacers' first NBA championship without the injury? We'll never know, but the longtime NBA writer said, "I don't know in 23 years if I've ever felt more personally affected by seeing something on the floor..." Haliburton had hit three 3-pointers midway through the first quarter and looked like he was ready to put the Pacers on his back at Paycom Arena. But Haliburton, who was nursing a strained calf from Game 5, suffered what his dad confirmed was an Achilles injury that will likely require a lengthy absence. 'I feel sick," Windhorst told Scott Van Pelt on 'SportsCenter.' "And I'm not recovered from seeing the slow motion of his calf, and even, they won the game in the third quarter with a classic Thunder run, with turnovers and the flurry and everything. But as the fourth quarter is happening and I'm watching the Thunder go through this dry spell... the Pacers get it down to 10, I'm thinking if they had Haliburton that this is going to go down to it. "I just feel sick about it... I hate it when anybody puts an asterisk on it because this is a celebration of not only tonight but the entire season, the full build and I really want to put a hard period, then a paragraph. But I don't know in 23 years if I've ever felt more personally affected by seeing something on the floor... 'The (Kevin) Durant injury was terrible. He was a two-time champion. He had gone to the mountain top. Paul George, I was in Vegas that night, I felt horrible about that. He was able to recover. I was in the building this year when (Jayson) Tatum got hurt. I was in the building for all of those. I felt different about this one. This was visceral. In all honesty, the air came out of the building. The Thunder's intensity level dropped.' Van Pelt added: 'Unless you're a fan in order, the Bucks, the Cavs or the Knicks, then the guy took fans on a joy ride with what he did and I understand if you're fans in Milwaukee, Cleveland or New York, you say, 'Maybe not so much us,' but to love the game, I don't know how you couldn't love the man who did it…' 'Scott, they were ahead at the half," Windhorst responded. "I feel like, first off, I just feel terrible for Tyrese and his family because he knew in that exact moment, you saw, he said, 'No, no, no' because he knew exactly what happened. He looks behind him for the person that kicked him like we see everybody that this happens to, and he knows what happens and he can't believe this risk. "He was tasting his moment. He's hit three 3-pointers, they've got the lead. He's having the moment of his life, and it comes with the worst moment of his life because the risk that he's taken. And so it's absolutely gutting, and I can't get past it right now. I'm not over it as somebody who watches the game. I have no skin in the game, and I can't get over it right now. The whole rest of the first half, my stomach is in knots. I've never felt that way about watching a game before, so I have a very mixed feeling about this, and I don't want to take anything away from the Thunder. They just need to be celebrated, they deserve to be celebrated.' "You feel cheated once you got to this stage of the competition that it wasn't all our good vs. all of your good," Van Pelt said. Windhorst added he's not sure, even if Haliburton hadn't been injured, if the Pacers make it back to the NBA Finals, and that made the injury even more devastating in his eyes. This was their moment, and they had it taken away.