INDIANAPOLIS \u2014\u00a0A closeout game that wasn\u2019t close.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Pacers delayed a Thunder<\/a> parade, routing OKC 108-91<\/a> on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.\u00a0<\/p>\n Game 7 here we come.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before that, though, let\u2019s get to the Game 6 grades.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Pre-order book on the Thunder’s journey to the NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n REQUIRED READING: After underdog Pacers extend NBA Finals against Thunder, it’s ‘one game for everything’<\/a><\/p>\n Ball security: F\u00a0<\/p>\n The Thunder got beat at its own game.\u00a0<\/p>\n OKC committed 21 turnovers to Indiana\u2019s 10. The Thunder lost the possession game, attempting 18 fewer field goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shai Gilgeous-Alexander almost had as many turnovers (eight) as the Pacers did as a team.\u00a0<\/p>\n Indiana outscored OKC 19-13 in points off turnovers. Could\u2019ve been worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n Too many live-ball turnovers for the Thunder led to too many fast-break buckets for the Pacers. Indiana doubled up OKC 22-11 in fast-break points.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that\u2019s what ignited them,\u201d Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Joe Mussatto, columnist\u00a0<\/p>\n MUSSATTO: Thunder subject to whims of NBA Finals Game 7 after Game 6 no-show at Pacers<\/a><\/p>\n Defensive intensity: D-<\/p>\n The Thunder defense just wasn\u2019t anywhere close to as locked in as it needed to be. Through three quarters \u2014 the game was decided then \u2014 the Thunder had forced only seven turnovers (to Oklahoma City\u2019s 16) while giving up 12 second-chance points (to OKC\u2019s four) and 19 fast-break points (to OKC\u2019s five).\u00a0<\/p>\n The Thunder didn\u2019t force the issue defensively, and the Pacers made it pay.<\/p>\n OKC wasn\u2019t good collectively as a defense or individually. Its best one-on-one defenders \u2014 Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace \u2014 were pedestrian. They combined for steal through three quarters and had a combined plus-minus of minus-66.<\/p>\n This team has won on bad offensive nights because its defense is so good, but Game 6 is proof that when the defense is bad, winning is nearly impossible.<\/p>\n \u2014Jenni Carlson, columnist<\/p>\n CARLSON: Thunder needs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to play like the MVP again to win NBA title<\/a><\/p>\n The -40 for Williams in the plus\/minus column is jarring.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams wasn\u2019t good Thursday, but he wasn\u2019t nearly as bad as that makes it seem.\u00a0<\/p>\n He had 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting with three rebounds, one assist and three turnovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams had the worst plus\/minus on the team followed by Alex Caruso (of all people) who was a -33. Lu Dort was a -28 in his 21 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Joe Mussatto, columnist\u00a0<\/p>\n 5 TAKEAWAYS: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers pummel Thunder to force Game 7 of NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n 3-point shooting: D-\u00a0<\/p>\n Rough shooting nights on the road have become the norm for the Thunder in this playoff run.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Thunder shot 3-of-20 from 3-point range in Quarters 1 through 3. OKC then shot 5-of-10 from deep in the fourth quarter, but the game was over by then.\u00a0<\/p>\n Indiana has done a terrific job all series of capping the Thunder\u2019s volume of 3-point attempts. Generating threes has been tough for OKC. Making them, even tougher.\u00a0<\/p>\n Aaron Wiggins was responsible for the Thunder\u2019s only made 3-pointer in the first half.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Thunder\u2019s starters combined to shoot 1-of-13 from three.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI thought the low volume and the accuracy was reflective of the way they guarded us and our inability to create a rhythm against that the way we’ve been able to do in some of the other games,\u201d Daigneault said. \u201cWe’ll look at it, learn from it. We obviously have to be a lot better on Sunday if we want to win the game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Joe Mussatto, columnist\u00a0<\/p>\n More: Where does Thunder scoring drought rank in NBA Finals history? Inside the Game 6 numbers<\/a><\/p>\n Capitalizing in the third quarter: D<\/p>\n The Thunder\u2019s one good, sustained defensive stretch in Game 6 was at the start of the third quarter. It held the Pacers without a point on their first six possessions, forcing seven missed shots and one turnover.<\/p>\n It was Oklahoma City\u2019s chance to get back into the game.<\/p>\n Yes, a 22-point halftime deficit was big, but score after four or five of those empty Pacer possessions, and the Thunder would\u2019ve gotten the lead back to 12 or 14 points and been right back in the game.<\/p>\n Instead, the Thunder had its own drought, going eight possessions without scoring to start the second half. By the time it got on the board again, the Pacers had extended the lead to 28 points and any chance at a comeback was gone.<\/p>\n \u2014Jenni Carlson, columnist<\/p>\n More: When is Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals Game 7? Time, TV schedule for OKC-Indiana<\/a><\/p>\n Haliburton wasn\u2019t Indiana\u2019s leading scorer \u2014\u00a0shoutout Obi Toppin \u2014\u00a0or Indiana\u2019s leading assist man \u2014\u00a0take a bow T.J. McConnell \u2014\u00a0but Haliburton was a team-best plus 25 in his 23 minutes Thursday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n Not bad for a guy whose availability was supposedly in jeopardy given his calf strain.\u00a0<\/p>\n Haliburton tallied 14 points and five assists. He turned it over once.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019m grading Haliburton on a curve given his health status, but this was a big-time performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Joe Mussatto, columnist\u00a0<\/p>\n