The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are ready for a huge championship clash on Sunday. The Thunder want to end their incredible season with a win, while the Pacers, who have surprised everyone, have pushed the series to a rare Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
“We have one game left,” said Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. “What’s happened before doesn’t matter. What happens after doesn’t matter. It’s all about this one game.”
The Thunder understand that clearly too.
“This is one game for everything you’ve ever wanted,” said Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named NBA MVP this season. He spoke after the Thunder suffered a heavy loss in Game 6. “If you win, you get it all. If you lose, you get nothing.”
The Thunder are still considered the favorites. A win at home on Sunday would cap off a fantastic season where they won 68 regular-season games and set a record for the highest average winning margin.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with an average of 32.7 points per game and could be the first player since Stephen Curry in 2015 to win both the MVP and the championship in the same season.
History also favors the Thunder—home teams have won 15 of the 19 Game 7s in NBA Finals history.
But surprises can happen. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, won Game 7 against the Warriors on their home court, proving anything is possible.
They started the season poorly, losing their first four games and falling to a 10-15 record early on. At one point, they were just 10th in the Eastern Conference.
But after recovering from a wave of injuries, the Pacers turned things around. From New Year’s Day to the end of the regular season, they had the best record in the East.
Now, both teams have one last shot. Everything comes down to this final game.
The Indiana Pacers were ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference. To reach the NBA Finals, they beat the Milwaukee Bucks (led by Giannis Antetokounmpo), the top-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers, and the third-seeded New York Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton, who was surprisingly named the “most overrated” player in a player survey this season, proved everyone wrong. He delivered many strong performances, including a game-winning shot in the Pacers’ 111-110 win in Game 1 of the Finals.
The Pacers won two of the first three games in the series. Then, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the next two games and had a chance to win the title in Game 6. But Haliburton returned from a calf injury and helped lead the Pacers to a big win, tying the series 3-3.
Now, Indiana has a chance to win its first NBA championship. The team had won three titles in the old American Basketball Association (ABA), but after joining the NBA in 1976, they faced financial struggles and an uncertain future.
Haliburton said, “At the start of the season, not many people believed in us. Even going into the playoffs, and each round after that, no one expected us to go far. But we stayed united as a team. I wouldn’t want to play with any other group of guys.”
FAQ
What is the NBA Finals Decider?
The Finals decider is the final and most crucial game of the NBA Finals series, which will determine the champion.
Which teams are playing in the decider?
The Oklahoma City (OKC) Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will face off in the final deciding game.
How did OKC Thunder and Pacers reach the Finals?
Both teams advanced through their respective conference playoffs and won enough games in the Finals series to force a decider.
Has OKC Thunder ever won an NBA title before?
The franchise won one championship in 1979 when it was known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
Have the Indiana Pacers ever won the NBA Finals?
No, the Pacers have never won an NBA championship, though they have reached the Finals before.