Latest news with #Gilgeous-Alexander
USA Today
an hour ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Thunder's Game 6 loss to Pacers: 'We sucked tonight'
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is no stranger to sitting out fourth quarters. He's done that plenty of times throughout the season. But this time, it happened for all the wrong reasons. The MVP winner couldn't orchestrate the Oklahoma City Thunder out of one of their worst offensive performances ever. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, four rebounds and two assists. He shot 0-of-1 from 3 and went 7-of-8 on free throws. The Thunder couldn't clinch a championship in their 108-91 Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The 2025 NBA Finals is now squared at 3-3 with a decisive Game 7 up next. The stat line isn't too bad, but Gilgeous-Alexander got going too late. Considering what was at stake, you'd hope to see him play more aggressively. Especially when the Pacers began to run away on the scoreboard. The Thunder never looked comfortable. The turnover and outside shooting numbers reflected that. He coughed the ball up eight times himself. "The way I see it is, we sucked tonight. We can learn our lessons. We have one game for everything, for everything we've worked for, and so do they," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "The better team Sunday will win." Oh well. Got to shrug your shoulders and move. As bad as this loss was, it only counts for one. Gilgeous-Alexander will get a chance in Game 7 to cement his legacy as one of the greatest ever or go down as the face of one of the greatest collapses. No pressure. "One game for everything you ever dreamed of," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "If you win it, you get everything. If you lose it, you get nothing. It's that simple."
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 7: TV/stream info, date, time for 2025 NBA Finals
A new NBA champion will be crowned this Sunday, June 22, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head with Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. It all comes down to Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. RELATED: Resiliant Pacers will not go away, force Game 7 after 108-91 Game 6 win vs. Thunder The Indiana Pacers forced Game 7 with an aggressive 108-91 win on home court on Thursday night. Obi Toppin led the way for Indiana with 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17, and Pascal Siakam scored 16 points with a team-high 13 rebounds. Haliburton, playing through a strained calf injury, contributed 14 points. 'We did our job to take care of home court and we've got to be ready to compete in Game 7,' said Haliburton. The Pacers' defense forced 21 Thunder turnovers, including 8 from Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting. 'It was collective. It wasn't one guy. We were not where we needed to be on either end of the floor for much of the game. We have to be a lot better before Game 7,' said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. 'The way I see it is, we sucked [in Game 6]. We can learn our lessons. We have one game for everything — for everything we've worked for — and so do they,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'The better team Sunday will win.' RELATED: Pacers, Thunder players feel weight of Game 7: 'One game for everything you ever dreamed of' Kurt Helin, How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 7: Date: Sunday, June 22 Time: 8:00 PM ET Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma TV Channel: ABC When is Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Sunday, June 22, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. What channel is the Thunder vs Pacers game on? The Thunder vs Pacers series will take place on ABC. Thunder vs Pacers Series Scores and Schedule: *All times listed are ET Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110 Game 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107 Game 3: Pacers 116, Thunder 107 Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104 Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109 Game 6: Pacers 108, Thunder 91 Game 7: Pacers at Thunder - Sun, June 22, 8 PM on ABC Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for each game of the Thunder vs Pacers series! Oklahoma City Thunder's Path to the NBA Finals: The Thunder are seeking their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the franchise reached the Finals was in 2012, dropping their series against LeBron James' Miami Heat in 5. Here is how they advanced to the NBA Finals: Oklahoma City swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round, eliminated the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in 7 in the Conference Semifinals, and defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 in the Western Conference Finals. RELATED: Times, they are a changin' - Thunder vs. Pacers Finals highlights generational change sweeping NBA Indiana Pacers' Path to the NBA Finals: The Indiana Pacers are seeking their first NBA title. The team's last Finals appearance was in 2000, when they lost to the Lakers in 6. Here is the team's path to the Finals: Indiana eliminated the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games, before knocking out the No. 6 New York Knicks in 6 to advance to the Finals. Head to for the latest news, updates, and storylines!
The 42
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Pacers crush Thunder to force decisive game seven in NBA Finals
THE INDIANA PACERS, rallying around injured star Tyrese Haliburton, crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on Thursday to force a decisive game seven in the NBA Finals. Haliburton, cleared to play with a right calf injury only a couple of hours before tipoff, scored 14 points with five assists and two steals in a solid contribution to a comprehensive team effort. 'We just wanted to protect home court,' Haliburton said. 'We didn't want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. 'Backs against the wall, we just responded,' he added. 'So many different guys chipped in, total team effort. I'm really proud of this group.' Obi Toppin led the Pacers scoring with 20 points off the bench as Indiana's reserves out-scored Oklahoma City's bench 48-37. Andrew Nembhard added 17 points and Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Pacers, who had lost the last two games to stand on the brink of elimination, leveled the best-of-seven championship series at three games apiece. Haliburton, who said he'd do everything he could to play after limping through most of game five, showed virtually no sign of his injury as the Pacers grabbed the game by the throat in the second quarter and never let go. Indiana led by 22 points at halftime and by as many as 31 early in the fourth quarter. Advertisement 'Well, we were going home if we didn't come out and give everything we have and leave it all out on the floor,' said T.J. McConnell, who had 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists off the bench for Indiana. 'Obviously very happy, very proud, but we've got to flush it because we have another one on Sunday.' NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 21 points but had eight of the Thunder's 21 turnovers. Gilgeous-Alexander missed his lone three-point attempt while Jalen Williams — coming off a 40-point performance in game five — missed all four of his three-point attempts on the way to 16 points. The Thunder, winners of a league-best 68 regular-season games — pulled their starters after falling behind by 30 going into the fourth quarter. They'll be searching for answers as the series heads back to Oklahoma City for game seven on Sunday — the first game seven in the championship series since 2016. 'The way I see it, we sucked tonight,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We can learn the lessons and we have one game for everything, for everything we've worked for.' The Thunder are seeking their first title since the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, having won it all in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics. The Pacers, meanwhile, are in search of a first NBA title. They won American Basketball Association titles in 1970, 1972 and 1973 before joining the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. 'You know, we've got one game,' Haliburton said. 'All cards on the table. It's going to be a lot of fun.' For a few minutes, it looked like the Thunder might roll to the title. The Pacers missed their first eight shots and fell into a quick eight-point hole. But they settled in to connect on six straight attempts and took the lead on a three-pointer from Nembhard midway through the first quarter. Indiana piled on the pressure with a pair of three-pointers and a trey from Haliburton — his first basket of the night — pushing their lead to as many as nine points. Up by three at the end of the first, the Pacers exploded in the second quarter, stepping up the aggression on both ends of the floor on the way to a 64-42 halftime lead. With less than a minute to go in the first half Haliburton came up with a steal then found Siakam with a no-look pass for an emphatic dunk. Siakam followed up with a turnaround jump shot at the halftime buzzer. Toppin praised Haliburton as 'a soldier,' but Haliburton said the victory was down to the team effort. 'It's the Finals,' Haliburton said. 'All of us got to give everything we have.' – © AFP 2025
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Pacers thrash Thunder to stay alive in NBA Finals
LOS ANGELES: The Indiana Pacers, rallying around injured star Tyrese Haliburton, crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on Thursday to force a decisive game seven in the NBA Finals. Haliburton, cleared to play with a right calf injury only a couple of hours before tipoff, scored 14 points with five assists and two steals in a solid contribution to a comprehensive team effort. "We just wanted to protect home court," Haliburton said. "We didn't want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. "Backs against the wall, we just responded," he added. "So many different guys chipped in, total team effort. I'm really proud of this group." Obi Toppin led the Pacers scoring with 20 points off the bench as Indiana's reserves out-scored Oklahoma City's bench 48-37. Andrew Nembhard added 17 points and Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Pacers, who had lost the last two games to stand on the brink of elimination, leveled the best-of-seven championship series at three games apiece. Haliburton, who said he'd do everything he could to play after limping through most of game five, showed virtually no sign of his injury as the Pacers grabbed the game by the throat in the second quarter and never let go. Indiana led by 22 points at halftime and by as many as 31 early in the fourth quarter. "Well, we were going home if we didn't come out and give everything we have and leave it all out on the floor," said T.J. McConnell, who had 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists off the bench for Indiana. "Obviously very happy, very proud, but we've got to flush it because we have another one on Sunday." NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 21 points but had eight of the Thunder's 21 turnovers. Gilgeous-Alexander missed his lone three-point attempt while Jalen Williams – coming off a 40-point performance in game five – missed all four of his three-point attempts on the way to 16 points. The Thunder, winners of a league-best 68 regular-season games – pulled their starters after falling behind by 30 going into the fourth quarter. They'll be searching for answers as the series heads back to Oklahoma City for game seven on Sunday – the first game seven in the championship series since 2016. "The way I see it, we sucked tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "We can learn the lessons and we have one game for everything, for everything we've worked for." The Thunder are seeking their first title since the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, having won it all in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics. The Pacers, meanwhile, are in search of a first NBA title. They won American Basketball Association titles in 1970, 1972 and 1973 before joining the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. "You know, we've got one game," Haliburton said. "All cards on the table. It's going to be a lot of fun." For a few minutes, it looked like the Thunder might roll to the title. The Pacers missed their first eight shots and fell into a quick eight-point hole. But they settled in to connect on six straight attempts and took the lead on a three-pointer from Nembhard midway through the first quarter. Indiana piled on the pressure with a pair of three-pointers and a trey from Haliburton – his first basket of the night – pushing their lead to as many as nine points. Up by three at the end of the first, the Pacers exploded in the second quarter, stepping up the aggression on both ends of the floor on the way to a 64-42 halftime lead. With less than a minute to go in the first half Haliburton came up with a steal then found Siakam with a no-look pass for an emphatic dunk. Siakam followed up with a turnaround jump shot at the halftime buzzer. Toppin praised Haliburton as "a soldier," but Haliburton said the victory was down to the team effort.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
OKC Thunder ready to play for all the marbles: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam during the second half of Game 6. PHOTO: REUTERS OKC Thunder ready to play for all the marbles: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander INDIANAPOLIS – The Oklahoma City Thunder 'sucked' in a sloppy, lopsided NBA Finals Game 6 loss on June 19 to the Indiana Pacers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, but he is confident that they have what it takes to claim the title in Game 7. 'The way I see it, we sucked tonight,' Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, said after the Thunder's bid to close out the Pacers ended in a 108-91 defeat in Indianapolis. Averaging more than 30 points per game in the Finals, the star point guard scored just 21 to go along with four rebounds, two assists and eight of the Thunder's 21 turnovers. 'Some of them I think was carelessness, not being as focused, not being engaged,' the Canadian added of the Thunder's uncharacteristic turnovers. 'They played harder than us tonight as well. When a team plays harder, they turn the other team over.' Gilgeous-Alexander's eight turnovers were more than his seven baskets, but Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the defeat was on the entire team. 'First of all, credit Indiana,' he said. 'I thought they obviously earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes. That's the story of the game. They went out there and attacked the game. 'From our standpoint, it was uncharacteristic. It was disappointing. It was collective. It wasn't one guy. Just we were not where we needed to be on either end of the floor for much of the game.' The Pacers rallied around injured star Tyrese Haliburton, who was cleared to play with a right calf injury only a couple of hours before tip-off. He scored 14 points with five assists and two steals in a solid contribution to a comprehensive team effort. Obi Toppin led the Pacers scoring with 20 points off the bench as Indiana's reserves out-scored Oklahoma City's bench 48-37. Andrew Nembhard added 17 points and Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who had lost the last two games to stand on the brink of elimination. 'We just wanted to protect home court,' Haliburton said. 'We didn't want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. 'Backs against the wall, we just responded... So many different guys chipped in, total team effort. I'm really proud of this group.' The Thunder, winners of a league-best 68 regular-season games, pulled their starters after falling behind by 30 going into the fourth quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander admitted the chance of clinching the franchise's first title since it relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 – they won n 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics – was 'definitely in the back of our minds'. 'Now, we didn't play like it at all,' he added. 'That's why the night went the way it did. We got exactly what we deserved, what we earned. We have to own that.' But he did not think he and his Thunder teammates – who ousted the Denver Nuggets with a lopsided Game 7 win in their Western Conference semi-final series – needed to find something new. 'I don't feel like I have to do anything other than just be the best version of myself,' he said. 'I think that goes for everyone else in the room. We just have to bring what we bring to the table, what we've brought to the table all year. 'One game for everything you ever dreamt of. If you win it, you get everything. If you lose it, you get nothing. It's that simple.' The Pacers, meanwhile, are in search of a first NBA title. They won American Basketball Association titles in 1970, 1972 and 1973 before joining the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. The term 'one game' was also on their minds as they look towards Game 7 on June 22. 'You know, we've got one game,' Haliburton said. 'All cards on the table. It's going to be a lot of fun.' AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
