Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after making a three pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Tyrese Haliburton was ready for Game 6.

As were his Indiana Pacers teammates. The Pacers blitzed the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night in the first quarter and never looked back en route to a 108-91 Game 6 win in the NBA Finals.

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It was an overwhelming effort from the Pacers against what by most measures is the NBA’s best team. But don’t tell the Pacers that.

At a minimum, the win ensured that there would be no Thunder championship celebration on their home court. And it puts the Pacers alongside the Thunder, one win away from an NBA championship in a winner-take-all Game 7 for the title.

With Haliburton ailing with a strained right calf that in part limited him to just four points and a Game 5 Pacers loss, few picked the Pacers to win Thursday night. But few have picked the Pacers to reach multiple milestones in their playoff journey. In hindsight, it should be of no surprise that Indiana refused to relent on its home court with its season on the line.

But the manner in which the Pacers won was still stunning.

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The Thunder looked like a team ready to deliver a knockout blow in the game’s opening moments as the Pacers missed their first eight field-goal attempts and Oklahoma City seized a 10-2 lead. But the Pacers got aggressive on defense and caught fire from deep for a 24-7 run of their own to take control of the game at 26-17. They never gave it back.

Indiana extended its lead to 64-42 at the half with a second quarter-surge that ended with a poster dunk by Pascal Siakam and a halftime buzzer-beater from the Indiana forward on consecutive possessions.

The 13-point lead Indiana took earlier in the quarter was previously its largest of the Finals. By halftime, it reached 22. And the Thunder didn’t score their first bucket of the third quarter until 7:15 remaining.

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By the end of the third quarter, the Indiana lead has stretched to 90-60 as the Pacers held the Thunder to their lowest point total of the entire season through three quarters.

The fourth quarter was a celebration for a Pacers home crowd watching their team in person for the final team this season. They’ll get one last chance to watch them on TV on Sunday as the Pacers and Thunder play for an NBA championship. It will mark the 20th Game 7 in NBA history.

Haliburton produces, then rests for Game 7

And fortunately for the Pacers, it was a chance for celebration and rest for Haliburton. Haliburton went to the bench with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter and wrap around his torso and his ailing right calf. He didn’t play again.

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The margin of victory allowed Haliburton to rest his body for the remainder of the game and limit his risk of further injury ahead of Sunday’s Game 7. And it appears that a two-day break between Games 5 and 6 did him wonders after he sustained a strained calf in Game 6.

Haliburton’s status for Game 6 was in question until late on game day. When head coach Rick Carlisle announced that he was available, the question then became: How effective will Haliburton be?

The answer turned out to be plenty. In 23 minutes, Haliburton tallied 14 points, five assists and two steals. He shot 5 of 12 from the field and 3 of 7 from 3-point distance.

It was far from an overwhelming effort on a night where the signs of his limitations were evident. But it was more than enough as he found his spots to make an impact on the game. And now he has two more days to rest and get ready for Game 7.

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This story will be updated.