Indiana Pacers crush Oklahoma City Thunder to force Game 7 in the NBA Finals

• Pacers force a Game 7: The Indiana Pacers absolutely destroyed the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, 108-91. The series is now locked at 3-3.

• Game 7 is on Sunday: With the win, the Pacers have forced a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City.

• Pacers star: The Pacers used a balance offensive attack to outrun the Thunder. Obi Toppin scored 20 off the bench, Andrew Nebhard scored 17, Pascal Siakam added 16 and Tyrese Haliburton overcame a calf injury to score 14.

It was a game to forget for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who came into Thursday’s Game 6 needing one more win to bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy to middle America.

The Indiana Pacers played like a team with everything to lose after a blow out 108-91 win at an electric Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to force a Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The Indiana home faithful, in their last time seeing the team in person this season, were treated to a masterful performance.

Obi Toppin led the way with 20 points off the bench with Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton adding 17 and 14 points respectively.

Haliburton was questionable to play in the lead up to the game with a calf strain but looked like a man on the mission all game. And to make matters better for the hobbled star, he only had to play 23 minutes heading into Sunday’s decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder struggled in almost every facet, including shooting a measly 24.1% from 3-point range.

Haliburton said the Pacers wanted to “protect home court” when asked about the team’s dominant performance.

“We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor,” Haliburton told the ABC broadcast. “Backs against the wall, we just responded. Different guys chip in. Total team effort. Really proud of this group.”

Haliburton added his injured calf felt OK and that he played because it’s the “NBA Finals.”

“All of us got to give everything we have. I give everything I have for this group and locker room. Just trying to come out here and play the best to my ability. My guys have had my back all year and especially tonight and that means the world to me.”

Hali called it a “one game series now” and that the team “believes.”

“We got a lot of faith in this group,” Haliburton said. “Take care of our bodies and get ready and Game 7 of NBA Finals. … What more can you ask for?”

Hard to believe it’s been almost 10 years since LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the ever-so powerful Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

That was the last time there was a Game 7 in the Finals and only the fourth time in 30 years.

Sunday at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City will be electric as both teams face a win-or-go-home game at 8 p.m.ET.

FINAL SCORE: Pacers 108, Thunder 91

A small update as the game ticks into the final minute: The Pacers are still up huge.

Indiana hasn’t quite reached their magic number of 111 points yet, but they seem very likely to get there. Fifty-seven second remain in this one before a Game 7.

Score: Pacer 108, Thunder 87

This game is on cruise control as we head toward the final horn.

The Pacers are up by 25 as the backups are in and getting some game time in the Finals. We have 5:44 to go in the fourth.

Score: Pacers 100, Thunder 75

The Pacers are up 28 points with 10 minutes to go in the final quarter.

With that, both squads are putting in bench players to not run the risk of any injuries in a game that appears to over.

No one is more thankful for that than Tyrese Haliburton, who came into the game hobbled and has only played 23 minutes.

The Thunder will need to erase this game from their memory if they want to be successful in a possible decisive Game 7 on Sunday as both teams vie for a chance at the NBA championship.

Score: Pacers 93, Thunder 65

The Pacers went on a 15-3 run late in the third quarter with Ben Sheppard knocking down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to grow the lead to 30 points again.

The Thunder’s poor play continued in the quarter, scoring only 18 points.

Four Indiana players are in double-figures as they are 12 minutes away from forcing a Game 7 for the NBA title in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

This is truly a shellacking.

Score: Pacers 90, Thunder 60

Pacers center Tony Bradley was called for a flagrant foul after shoving Isaiah Hartenstein to the floor.

Isaiah Joe knocked down OKC’s second 3-pointer of the night.

But don’t look now – the Thunder are on a 8-0 run and now only trail by 18.

Score: Pacers 75, Thunder 57

The Pacers have extended their huge lead to 28 points as the Thunder’s first half play has carried over into the second.

It’s all zeroes for the NBA’s best regular season team as no one has found a bucket with 7:15 left to play in the third quarter. Their last bucket was with just over a minute left in the second quarter.

OKC calls their second timeout of the half after a Ben Sheppard jumper.

Score: Pacers 70, Thunder 42

Not the prettiest of starts for both the Thunder and Pacers to start the second half.

Indy started the quarter 0-8 from the field while OKC went 0-6 before Tyrese Haliburton laid in a 2-foot shot to break the scoring drought.

Pacers lead by 24.

Score: Pacers 66, Thunder 42

If the second half is anything like the first… BUCKLE UP!

We are back at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Score: Pacers 64, Thunder 42

As Indiana was stretching out its largest lead of the series, the fans in Gainbridge Fieldhouse sensed their Pacers will send this series to a winner-take-all Game 7.

As the atmosphere grew more raucous while Indiana knocked down shot after shot, Tyrese Haliburton, who had been quiet for Game 5 and the first quarter on Thursday, started to loosen up.

After just one field goal in the opening quarter, Haliburton’s shots began to fall in the second.

Playing with a strained right calf, Haliburton has been moving around the court just fine. He knocked down a pair of long-range threes, which seemed to provide a confidence boost for the 25-year-old.

And after he went lefty to sink a floater driving down the lane, Haliburton couldn’t help but flash a big grin.

In the signature play of the game thus far, Haliburton intercepted an Oklahoma City pass and whipped a no-look dime to Pascal Siakam, who threw down a monstrous dunk over Jalen Williams in the final minute of the first half.

The number to watch tonight: 111.

When the Indiana Pacers have scored at least 111 points in a game during the playoffs, they are 14-0. When they score fewer than 111 points, they’re 0-7.

That stat, weirdly, only applies to 111. They’ve lost games in which they’ve scored 109 points. But 111? Undefeated.

They’ve got 64 at halftime, so it appears they’re well on their way but the Thunder were the best defensive team in the NBA this year so they could possibly lock it down in the second half.

The Thunder are 1-11 from 3-point range and have 12 turnovers in a first half they’d like to erase from their memory “Men in Black” style.

The Pacers lead has only continued to grow, now at 22 points as both teams head to the locker room for halftime.

With the Gainbridge Fieldhouse ROCKING, Indy exploded in the final minute led by a Tyrese Haliburton no-look pass to Pascal Siakam who threw down a monster dunk.

And the cherry on top? Siakam then knocked down an 18-foot midrange jumper at the buzzer.

Siakam has a team-high 13 points, while Hali added 12 points and four assists.

Indiana is one more half away from forcing a decisive Game 7 for a chance to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Score: Pacers 64, Thunder 42

Indiana’s secret weapon in Game 6 also happens to be one of the oldest players in this series full of young guns on both teams.

With head coach Rick Carlisle trying to ration the minutes for starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who’s playing through a strained right calf, reserve guard TJ McConnell has picked up added minutes.

And it’s safe to say the 33-year-old guard is playing up to the moment.

In nearly 11-and-a-half minutes of playing time, McConnell has 8 points – tied for the second most on the team – and has scored or assisted on 17 of Indiana’s points.

McConnell has also been flying all over the court with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

Have yourself a first half, Pacers defense.

Indiana has the Thunder offense seeing ghosts out there, forcing them into 10 turnovers. It’s reminiscent of the opening game of this series when the Thunder kept forcing Indy into turnover after turnover (though the Pacers stole that game in the final second).

Aaron Nesmith hit two consecutive 3-pointers as Indy’s lead has grown even more, now by 13 points with under five to go until halftime.

Score: Pacers 48, Thunder 35

The Pacers are on a 7-0 run in the last 1:32 to grow the lead to eight points.

Just as the Thunder appeared back in it, two more turnovers and the second Haliburton 3-pointer of the game have ignited the squad and the crowd in Indianapolis.

OKC called a timeout to regroup themselves with just over seven minutes to go before halftime.

Score: Pacers 41, Thunder 33

The Thunder find themselves down one point as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on a tear since the late stages of the first quarter.

The MVP has 11 points while Jalen Williams has nine.

Despite the big plays, OKC finds themselves losing the turnover battle with six while the Pacers have one.

Oklahoma City need to clean it up to stay within reach of the fast-paced Pacers squad.

Score: Pacers 32, Thunder 31

Playing with a strained right calf sustained in Game 5 on Tuesday, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton played 8:21 of the opening 12 minutes, with Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle leaning on reserve guard TJ McConnell to allow Haliburton to get some extra rest early.

After failing to convert a field goal in Game 5, it took nearly eight minutes into the first quarter for Haliburton to knock down a shot in Game 6. During the Pacers’ sizzling first quarter run, Haliburton drained a rhythm three from the top of the key for his first basket since last Friday’s Game 4.

Earlier in the first quarter, Haliburton had a dynamic drive to the basket, but missed the layup. Wearing a sleeve on his right leg, the 25-year-old star appears to be moving well as he works to facilitate the Indiana offense.

Haliburton has 4 points through one quarter on 1-5 shooting. He also has 1 assist and 1 rebound.

One of the keys for the Indiana Pacers is Tyrese Haliburton looking engaged and attacking the rim.

So far, so good.

It has been a game of tug-of-war between both the Thunder and Pacers in the first quarter.

After the Thunder got off to a hot start, the Pacers caught fire to grab the lead.

As the quarter came to a close, the game slowed down and both defenses came out of hiding.

Indiana finds themselves with a three-point lead as the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, finally broke out of his shooting slump to cut the deficit.

Score: Pacers 28, Thunder 25

Finally, the ball has found the basket for the Pacers as Pascal Siakam scored five straight points to end a bucketless start for the squad.

That’s given the Pacers some life and they’ve gone on a big run to take the lead.

The Pacers have knocked down five 3-pointers to jump out in front.

What a turnaround for Indiana and the home crowd in Indy is feeling it. The Thunder called timeout to try and break the momentum after Haliburton’s big 3-pointer.

Score: Pacers 24, Thunder 17