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Here’s a rewritten version of the article titled:
Thunder Fall Flat in Game 6 Blowout, Pacers Force Game 7
By Tim MacMahon | June 20, 2025
INDIANAPOLIS — On the brink of securing an NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder delivered their most lifeless performance of the postseason.
“We sucked tonight,” said Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after a lopsided 108–91 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. “We’ve got one game left for everything. So do they. The better team on Sunday wins.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, typically a model of poise and efficiency, struggled mightily, finishing with 21 points, eight turnovers, and only two assists. The Thunder as a whole committed 21 turnovers, unraveling early and never regaining footing. With the game well out of reach, the starters were benched for the entire fourth quarter as Indiana led by as much as 30.
The eight giveaways by Gilgeous-Alexander marked a personal playoff high and tied the most in a Finals game in the past 40 years, per ESPN Research.
“Some of it was just me being careless and not locked in,” Gilgeous-Alexander admitted. “They definitely played harder than us tonight. When that happens, you usually get outworked and turned over.”
The Pacers, notably, didn’t apply their usual full-court pressure, yet still overwhelmed OKC with disciplined defense and hustle.
“It was uncharacteristic,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “Collectively, we weren’t sharp on either end. That’s disappointing, especially in a moment like this. We’ll need to be much better in Game 7.”
Shooting woes compounded the Thunder’s issues. Through three quarters, the team shot just 38.2% from the field and a dismal 3-of-20 from deep. Their offense lacked flow and rhythm.
“It just got sticky,” forward Jalen Williams said. “Our defense didn’t hold up either. When you’re always taking the ball out of the net, you’re constantly facing a set defense. That slows everything down.”
Williams ended the night with 16 points but had a game-worst plus-minus of -40 in 27 minutes — the lowest in a Finals game since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in 1997.
Asked whether the magnitude of potentially clinching the franchise’s first title since moving to Oklahoma City impacted their mindset, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t hesitate.
“It was on our minds,” he said. “But we didn’t play like it. That’s why tonight turned out how it did. We earned this loss, and we have to take responsibility for it.”
Game 7 shifts back to Oklahoma City, where the Thunder and Pacers will play for it all. One game. One trophy. No second chances.
Let me know if you want a more casual tone, social media-ready summary, or a version focused on the Pacers’ perspective.