The final act of the NBA Finals: 2 teams, 1 game, 1 trophy. Pacers at Thunder will decide a champion
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — It started with 30 teams, most of them fairly optimistic about their chances when the season began eight months and 1,320 games and 35,543 3-pointers and 299,608 points ago.
Only two teams remain. For one game. Game 7.
The NBA season ends Sunday night when the Indiana Pacers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder to decide which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, take over for the Boston Celtics as champions and become the league's seventh different title winner in the last seven years. It's the first winner-take-all game in the NBA since 2016, when Cleveland beat Golden State.
'I'm very much looking forward to Game 7,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'The last time we've had one of these in the finals, I think, was '16. These are special moments certainly for both teams but for our league, for the game, for the worldwide interest in the game. It's a time to celebrate.'
Yes, but only one team will celebrate Sunday night.
For the Pacers, it would be a first NBA title and the capper to a season that started with Indiana banged up and getting off to a 10-15 record through the first 25 games. No team has ever been below .500 that deep into a season and went on to win a championship.
For the Thunder, it would be a first NBA title — kind of, sort of, Seattle won one in 1979 and even though the franchise moved to Oklahoma City from there, the Thunder don't recognize it as one of their own — and wrap up a season in which the team scored more points than any other club in NBA history and posted the best record.
'We have to understand the work is done and we have to trust the work,' Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said Saturday, the final practice day of the season. 'The muscle is built. We have to flex that muscle. That's what tomorrow will come down to for us.'
It has been the epitome of a back-and-forth series, with both teams having the lead at some point. Indiana led 1-0 and 2-1; Oklahoma City led 3-2 but got blown out in Game 6, its first chance at winning the title.
So, here we are, tied at 3-3, one game away from a decision.
'Grateful for the opportunity,' Thunder guard Jalen Williams said. 'That's one thing I can say is throughout the whole entire thing, you always have to remain grateful for where you are because there's a lot of NBA players that will trade their spot with me right now. That's how I look at it. But as far as history, I want to be on the good side of that, for sure.'
Oklahoma City has looked every bit the part of a championship contender all year; going 68-14 in the regular season cemented the Thunder into the favorite's role. Being the best team in the regular season is for this very privilege, to play host for Game 7.
The Pacers peaked at the right time and took the more circuitous route here. But they've already started this series with a win in Oklahoma City. They see no reason why it can't end the same way.
'I think we just have done a great job of just staying together,' Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. 'There's not a group of guys I'd rather go to war with. I'm really excited to compete with these guys in a Game 7, and it's going to be a lot of fun.'
Haliburton's health
The strained right calf is still an issue for Haliburton, but he played in Game 6 with the injury and — no surprise — he's going to play in Game 7.
'I'm pretty much in the same standpoint I was before Game 6,' Haliburton said. 'A little sore. Good thing I only had to play like 23 minutes. I've been able to get even more treatment and do more things. Just trying to take care of it the best I can. But I'll be ready to go for Game 7.'
Thunder in title shots
Counting all games this season, Oklahoma City's two lowest-scoring outputs were 81 points against Milwaukee and 91 points against Indiana.
The Bucks game was in the NBA Cup final.
The Pacers game was Game 6, when OKC had a chance to win the NBA title.
So, in the two 'championship' games the Thunder have played this season, they're averaging 86 points. In all other games, they're averaging 119.7 points.
'We obviously have to get better offensively,' Thunder guard and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'Last game, clearly, was not good enough and not going to cut it, and we know that. We watch film for those type of things. You have games like that. Now, it sucks to have it at that stage obviously, but we know we have to be better, for sure.'
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