Okla. City Thunder defeat depleted Indiana Pacers for first NBA title

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4 hours ago

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (C) holds the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award after beating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Photo by Manuela Soldi/EPA-EFE
June 22 (UPI) -- Blue-clad defensive demons haunted a depleted Indiana Pacers lineup, as the Oklahoma City Thunder revived their suffocating defense to secure their first title Sunday in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
The Thunder forced 21 turnovers, while logging just seven giveaways in the 103-91 triumph at Paycom Center, earning their first NBA crown since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
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The Pacers, who lost All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a first-quarter leg injury, initially kept the game tight, but faded in the second half.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled a game-high 29 points and a playoff-career-best 12 assists, with just one turnover in the win.
"It doesn't feel real," the NBA Finals MVP said on the ABC broadcast. "So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. It's crazy to know that we're all here. This group worked for it. This group put in the hours. We deserved this."
Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to win regular-season MVP, a league scoring title and NBA Finals MVP in the same season.
"This was a dream for everybody here at one point in our lives," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "There is one point where we didn't know if we would be in the NBA, from players to coaches to staff. It's a privilege and we are incredibility grateful for it."
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The Pacers recorded 32 points off turnovers, outscored the Pacers 40-26 in the paint and led by as many as 22 points. They trailed by one at halftime, but outscored the visitors 56-43 over the final 24 minutes.
"We had 24 minutes to go get it, 24 minutes to finish our season," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Neither team led by more than five points at any point through the first 26 minutes of the series finale, which had 10 lead changes and was tied nine times.
Haliburton made three 3-pointers in a 92-second span within the first five minutes of the night, but crumpled to the court about two minutes later after aggravating a previous calf issue, changing the trajectory of the game. His father later confirmed to ESPN that he sustained an Achilles injury. He was ruled out in the second quarter.
The Pacers leaned on their outside sharpshooting to stay afloat amid the All-Star's absence, but the Thunder led 25-22 through 12 minutes. The Pacers were just 8 of 21 from the floor, but 4 of 8 from 3-point range in the first frame, which featured three lead changes.
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The lead changed hands three more times through the first two minutes of the second quarter. The Thunder clung to a narrow advantage before the Pacers went on a 9-2 run to erase the deficit. Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard drained a long 3-pointer at the end of the half for a 48-47 lead at the break.
The Thunder made 3-pointers on three-consecutive possessions for a 9-0 surge early in the third quarter.
Veteran guard T.J. McConnell poured in 12-consecutive points for the Pacers in the quarter, but the Thunder shooters sizzled from outside, making five 3-pointers. Their defense forced eight turnovers, which led to 18 points in the frame. They outscored the Pacers 34-20 over those 12 minutes to carry an 81-68 lead the fourth quarter.
The Thunder poured it on over the final 12 minutes, pushing their lead to as many as 22 points. They fueled that advantage with a 20-2 run that stretched from the end of the third quarter into early in the fourth.
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Thunder forward Jalen Williams scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half. Big man Chet Holmgren scored 13 of his 18 over the final 24 minutes. Guards Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace scored 10 points apiece off the Thunder bench.
Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin poured in 24 points off the bench, including 16 in the fourth quarter. McConnell and Pacers forward Pascal Siakam scored 16 points apiece.