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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oklahoma City Thunder sign Jaylin Williams to multi-year extension after championship season
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) reacts after winning Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams greets fans as he carries the Larry O'Brien trophy during a celebration of the Thunder's NBA basketball championship Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams greets fans as he carries the Larry O'Brien trophy during a celebration of the Thunder's NBA basketball championship Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) reacts after winning Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams greets fans as he carries the Larry O'Brien trophy during a celebration of the Thunder's NBA basketball championship Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder signed reserve big man Jaylin Williams to a multi-year extension Sunday. Williams started nine games this past season and produced triple-doubles in three of them. He averaged 5.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 16.7 minutes per game for the championship-winning Thunder. Advertisement Oklahoma City took Williams with the 34th pick in the 2022 draft. ESPN reported that the deal for Williams is for three years and $24 million, with the third season a team option. ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Basketball: Tyrese Haliburton injury looms large for Indiana Pacers after NBA Finals loss
The playoffs are where stars rise and weaknesses get exposed. For every team sent packing, we've analyzed the standout players primed for growth and a major question mark that could impact the team's fantasy value ahead of the 2025-26 season. Now, we arrive at the Eastern Conference champs, the Indiana Pacers ... The Indiana Pacers' improbable, epic postseason run came to a close on Sunday night, with the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Game 7 and winning the first NBA championship in their franchise's history. Advertisement The Pacers were unbelievable, a fourth-seed that had countless unforgettable moments, paired with an insatiable resilience that saw them produce one of the most exciting playoffs ever. The Pacers defied expectations, going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 and finishing one win shy of hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy. The season was a success, and while they're the last loser of the postseason, Indy will also have to endure the next season without its star point guard. All the best to Tyrese Haliburton Haliburton was cooking seven minutes into the first quarter of Game 7 before the basketball gods intervened, ruining the game, the series and arguably next season for the Pacers. Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles injury, which will likely keep him out for the entire 2025-26 season. It's a brutal blow for fans and fantasy basketball managers, as we've lost three potential first-round talents (Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and now Haliburton) all to Achilles tears just in this postseason. Haliburton blossomed into a superstar during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, so to see him fall victim to a serious injury with a championship in reach was devastating. The Pacers have no shortage of roster depth, but not having their two-time All-Star in the lineup heading into next season is a massive gut punch. What's next for the Pacers Most of the Pacers' rotational players are under contract for next season, with Myles Turner being the exception. Turner's the longest-tenured Pacer and will officially be an unrestricted free agent in July. He will undoubtedly have suitors in the market for what he brings as a shot-blocker and floor-spacer. However, it appears that he and the Pacers could finalize a new deal before rival teams are given the chance. Time will tell, but bringing back Turner to anchor the backline of their defense is key. Advertisement He doesn't play like a traditional big. However, Turner remains one of the best shot blockers in the game and has become an asset for 3s in fantasy. Andrew Nembhard's ADP and fantasy stock will skyrocket ahead of next season. Nembhard averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists in eight games without Haliburton this season, and over his career, he's at 13/3/7 when Haliburton is out of the lineup. Pascal Siakam slightly underperformed relative to his fourth-round ADP, finishing 59th in 9-cat formats. I'd feel comfortable that he'll return to a top-50 player with a likely jump in assists and usage without Haliburton. Advertisement The Pacers were the surprise of the Eastern Conference, making consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and, this time, getting to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter century. The Pacers' depth and coaching were their differentiators, and they'll be leaning on that even more as they approach the 2025-26 season without their star player. The NBA and fantasy landscape will look significantly different without Tatum, Lillard and Haliburton, so we could see even more parity than we did this year.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Oklahoma City Thunder cap off incredible season with a hard-earned NBA title
On Sunday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder finished what they started back in late October and put the rest of the NBA on notice that there's a new sheriff in town. With an average age under 26, the Thunder capped off one of the winningest seasons in league history with a seven-game triumph over a pesky Indiana Pacers team to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. It was a tight affair in the early-going, indicative of the back-and-forth nature of the entire series, and then disaster struck for Indiana. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who had been instrumental in a string of incredible comeback wins for the Pacers this postseason, went down with a non-contact injury to his lower right leg. He writhed in pain, slapping the floor in a mixture of frustration, heartbreak and physical discomfort. His father later confirmed to broadcaster ESPN what many had suspected – it was an Achilles injury for the 25-year-old. With every excuse to throw in the towel, the Pacers instead rallied around their injured leader. Led by Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam and a hard-nosed defense, Indiana took a surprising 48-47 lead into halftime. As the adrenaline began to wear off though, the Thunder started to impose their will in the third quarter of the game. In the blink of an eye, the game went from tied at 56-56 to a nine-point OKC lead after three consecutive long range shots from the Thunder's 'Big 3' of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. The Thunder never looked back from that point. OKC, which boasted the league's best defense in the regular season, began swarming all over the short-handed Pacers. The Thunder held Indiana scoreless for the first 4:31 of the fourth quarter as Oklahoma City's lead grew to 22 points. The Pacers showed their trademark determination and never quit, trimming the deficit down to 10 points with two-and-a-half minutes left. But without their late-game hero Haliburton, the mountain was just too steep to climb for the Pacers, and the Thunder ultimately won the game 103-91. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said afterwards, 'The way this season started and everything, (the Thunder) may have had those buses painted up back in December. So they will have a great parade. They have great fans. This was a great series.' Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 29 points and earned Finals MVP honors, becoming the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to earn both regular season and Finals MVP awards. SGA also became just the fourth player in NBA history to win the league MVP trophy, the scoring title and win the Finals, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gilgeous-Alexander told ABC's Lisa Salters after the game when asked about accomplishing his childhood dream of winning an NBA title. 'So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. It's crazy to know we are all here. But this group worked for it and this group put in the hours and deserved this.' After looking listless at halftime, the Thunder closed their season in the same fashion that they had been playing since October: Intense defense, lightning quick runs and leaning on Gilgeous-Alexander's near-perfect basketball to take home the title.
New York Times
23-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Alex Caruso, Thunder won Game 7 — and how the NBA might copy it
OKLAHOMA CITY — A few hours before Thunder guard Alex Caruso hoisted his second Larry O'Brien trophy, the 31-year-old positioned himself in the right corner of Paycom Center on Sunday, both of his feet firmly planted in the ground. Technically, Caruso was only here to warm up and get shots up before Game 7. But the veteran was less concerned with the mechanics of his jump shot and more engrossed with the mechanics of his footwork. Advertisement Each sequence was the same; left foot back one step, right foot back two steps, catch, shoot. The motions Caruso made were deliberate, like he had been rigorously studying the latest TikTok dance. But more importantly, Caruso was present in the moment — away from the rising temperature in the arena and the anxiety building up to the biggest game of the Thunder's lives. Caruso was simply where his feet were. It's a mantra that Oklahoma City has adopted. Being cognizant of the moment, whatever moment it is, supersedes anything else. And it's especially pertinent to Caruso, the Thunder's most dependable two-way player, the happy medium between small ball and size and the X-factor to head coach Mark Daigneault's system. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the water that carries this organization on a nightly basis, but Caruso is the straw that stirs the drink. Without him, none of this works. The smartest players learn early on what their role is and maximize it to the fullest capacity. Caruso, now a two-time NBA champion, is that. 'I think just through my career, I figured out that I can do stuff that's not necessarily sexy or not necessarily the mainstream offensive or even defensive skill set that people recognize,' Caruso said. 'I just leaned into it. I practiced being great at the stuff that nobody else does, carving a role for myself in the league. I think through the years, I've just kind of perfected that stuff.' The veteran's selfless approach and unusual skill set — as well as the other talent 6-foot-6 and shorter on the roster — make it possible for Daigneault to enact his mad-scientist plans. En route to its first title, Oklahoma City consistently trotted out lineups that featured four guards and a lone big, contrary to the belief that their biggest strength was a Chet Holmgren-Isaiah Hartenstein tandem. Advertisement For most teams, this would be a risky approach. But the pairing of Hartenstein and Holmgren works so well because they're dominant even when separated from one another. According to Cleaning the Glass, Oklahoma City played 2,644 regular-season possessions with Hartenstein on the floor and Holmgren off, with a plus-11.7 net rating. The inverse, Holmgren on and Hartenstein off, played 1182 possessions, with a plus-16.1 net rating (98th percentile). That security blanket allows Daigneault to get creative with his pairings, seen in the possession below. Indiana trotted out multiple zone looks in Game 7, a wrench thrown on a night where Tyrese Haliburton exited the game with a right leg injury. The approach from Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was smart — the Thunder's offensive efficiency during the finals had been far below their regular-season standards. But Oklahoma City, which had gotten through three rounds already, was used to shape-shifting zones at this stage of its season. Caruso's inclusion is important because it opens up guard-to-guard screening, a Daigneault favorite. Pound for pound, Caruso is one of the better screen-setters in the league, being strong enough to connect with a defender and quick enough to slip — the best counter to an aggressive defense. Caruso is off to the races before a Pacer can even compute what's going on. It's an added bonus that Hartenstein is an adept playmaker and knows how to hit cutters on time. Caruso equals speed, speed equals optionality. Pay attention to the screens being set by guards, setting up some fancy Spain action (screening the screener). Gilgeous-Alexander coming over to set a pindown for Jalen Williams, who in turn has a back screen set for him courtesy of Caruso. The defense is so focused on Gilgeous-Alexander receiving a handoff from Hartenstein — and also having to commit a man to his dive — that they forget about Caruso, a 42.1-percent shooter. At the other end of the floor, the Thunder's small-ish ball allows them to cover the entire halfcourt while maintaining their defensive integrity. The combination of Caruso, Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Luguentz Dort allow Oklahoma City to zip around screens and cut off driving lanes. Just look how much ground these defenders cover in the span of seconds, Hartenstein included. Even a gamble is masked by crisp rotation and recovery. There is no breathing room for an offensive juggernaut and a late shot ends up being an airball. Oklahoma City's belief in its approach is so pure that as long as Caruso and a big are on the floor, a seldom-used wing like Kenrich Williams can be inserted and the Thunder can produce similar positive results. When both bigs have been on the floor, Indiana has attempted to drag them out, extending Oklahoma City's defensive shell well beyond their intended shape. When they play small, like below, their shape is compact — with multiple defenders having at least one foot in the restricted area. The Pacers coughed up the ball 23 times against the Thunder, turning those turnovers into 32 points at the other end. When Oklahoma City strikes as fast as lightning, like below where Caruso's aggression meets Hartenstein's length, solutions are few and far between. Attempting to set high ball screens, like Tony Bradley below, is just asking for trouble. 'I'd say it's all about tradeoffs,' said Holmgren, who finished Sunday night with five blocks, the most in Game 7 history. 'For as many compliments as I have for myself and Hart, we don't move our feet quite like some of these guards. The guards we have are special on defense with their ability to climb up in the ball, play in passing lanes, really cover distance, cover ground quickly. So when you have an extra person out there doing that, we're able to kind of really turn up the heat.' Because of the uniqueness of the Thunder's style at both ends of the floor — and its success — there's a very real chance that rival NBA teams will look to adopt some of their practices. Basketball is a continuum, and the mere idea of small ball can shift depending on which organization you look at. A good portion of teams aren't fully entrenched in the four-guard, lone-big style (most use just three) but could it trend in that direction? Advertisement The Pacers' most-used lineup, with Haliburton (6-5), Aaron Nesmith (6-6) and Andrew Nembhard (6-4), use three guards in tandem with Myles Turner. Same with Boston, with Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown all 6-foot-6 or under. Denver's second-most used lineup features Russell Westbrook, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun, none taller than 6-foot-6. The NBA is a copycat league and there's no better template than the world champions. Small-ish ball might be here to stay.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Sport
- CNN
The Oklahoma City Thunder win the NBA championship after defeating Indiana Pacers in winner-take-all Game 7
Update: Date: Title: Thunder cap off incredible season with a hard-earned NBA title Content: The Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night finished what they started back in late October, and put the rest of the NBA on notice that there's a new sheriff in town. With an average age under 26, the Thunder capped off one of the winningest seasons in league history with a seven-game triumph over a pesky Indiana Pacers team to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. It was a tight affair in the early-going, indicative of the back-and-forth nature of the entire series, and then disaster struck for Indiana. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who had been instrumental in a string of incredible comeback wins for the Pacers this postseason, went down with a non-contact injury to his lower right leg. He writhed in pain, slapping the floor in a mixture of frustration, heartbreak and physical discomfort. His father later confirmed to broadcaster ESPN what many had suspected - it was an Achilles injury for the 25-year-old. With every excuse to throw in the towel, the Pacers instead rallied around their injured leader. Keyed by Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam and a hard-nosed defense, Indiana took a surprising 48-47 lead into halftime. As the adrenaline began to wear off, the Thunder started to impose their will in the third quarter of the game. In the blink of an eye, the game went from tied at 56-56 to a nine-point OKC lead after three consecutive long range shots from the Thunder's 'Big 3' - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. The Thunder never looked back from that point. OKC, which boasted the league's best defense in the regular season, began swarming all over the short-handed Pacers. The Thunder held Indiana scoreless for the first 4:31 of the fourth quarter as Oklahoma City's lead grew to 22 points. The Pacers showed their trademark determination and never quit, trimming the deficit down to 10 points with two-and-a-half minutes left. But without their late-game hero Haliburton, the mountain was just too steep for the Pacers, and the Thunder ultimately won the game 103-91. The Thunder's centerpiece, Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 29 points and earned Finals MVP honors, becoming the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to earn both regular season and Finals MVP awards. SGA also became just the fourth player in NBA history to win the league MVP trophy, the scoring title and win the Finals, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. After looking listless at halftime, the Thunder closed their season in the same fashion that they had been playing since October: Intense defense, lightning quick runs and leaning on Gilgeous-Alexander's near-perfect basketball to take home the title. Update: Date: Title: Isaiah Hartenstein's sleeping child steals hearts Content: The lasting image from the celebration tonight will not be remembered by its focal point. Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein was on the stage, celebrating with his teammates and holding his son who was absolutely zonked out. Lil Hartenstein is slumped 😂😂😂 congrats Okc. The little Hartenstein is a little more than a year old and truly must not be used to late nights because even amid the raucous cheering in the Paycom Center, he was sleeping hard. Hartenstein said he wanted the crowd to make a little noise to wake up his son but it was to no avail. Sometimes, you just gotta sleep. Update: Date: Title: Pacers coach on Haliburton injury: "All of our hearts dropped" Content: An emotional Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle talked about his star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who went down with an apparent Achilles injury in the first quarter. 'What happened with Tyrese, all of our hearts dropped. But he will be back. I don't have any medical information about what may or may not have happened, but he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery,' Carlisle told reporters. Haliburton's father told the ABC broadcast that the injury was to his son's Achilles. 'So, he authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA with dramatic play after dramatic play. It was just something that no one's ever seen and did it as 1 of 17. You know, that's the beautiful thing about him. As great a player as he is, it's always a team thing. And so, our hearts go out to him.' Carlisle also congratulated the Thunder for their NBA championship win. 'The way this season started and everything, they may have had those buses painted up back in December,' Carlisle said. 'So they will have a great parade. They have great fans. This was a great series.' Update: Date: Title: SGA on winning title: "It doesn't feel real" Content: 'It doesn't feel real,' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told ABC's Lisa Salters after the game when asked about accomplishing his childhood dream of winning an NBA title. 'So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. It's crazy to know we are all here. But this group worked for it and this group put in the hours and deserved this.' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander The Finals MVP said 'the fun' he had tonight with his family is what he will remember the most of the NBA Finals first Game 7 in almost decade. 'The moment was amazing,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'The fans were amazing. It was so much fun. Exactly what I expected.' Update: Date: Title: Tears and hugs for the Pacers after coming up just short in championship quest Content: As Paycom Center erupted in joy after Oklahoma City clinched its first NBA title, there was also an outpouring of emotion from the Indiana Pacers, who game up just short in this seven-game rollercoaster of an NBA Finals. Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers' late game hero so many times this postseason, was waiting on crutches in the tunnel to welcome his teammates after a reported Achilles injury ended his night in the first quarter. The injured star exchanged consoling handshakes and hugs with all of the Pacers' players, coaches and basketball staff as they filtered through the tunnel. Pacers' royalty Reggie Miller was also seen in the tunnel to offer words of encouragement to the dejected Indiana players. The five-time All-Star and hall of famer Miller was part of the only other Pacers team to reach the Finals in 2000, when Indiana fell to the Los Angeles Lakers. Reserve guard TJ McConnell, who stepped up with 16 points off the bench in Game 7 and a whopping 84 points in the series, was inconsolable as the emotion poured out in the wake of the heartbreaking loss. Update: Date: Title: To no one's surprise, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is named the Finals MVP Content: Who else could it be? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the regular season MVP and now he can call himself the NBA Finals MVP as well. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the @okcthunder is the recipient of the Bill Russell Trophy as the MVP of the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV. SGA becomes just the fourth ever player to win the scoring title, regular season MVP and NBA Finals in the same season, joining Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Not bad company. Update: Date: Title: The Thunder were reeling at halftime. Then they got back to being who they are Content: Truly a game of two halves for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a mostly listless opening two quarters in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – surely the MVP of these Finals – was the only player on the team in double figures, the Thunder returned to what makes them great. The suffocating defense, the breakneck speed on the offensive end and SGA playing an exquisite game of basketball was more than enough to put away the Pacers. It's been a truly remarkable Finals – most pundits expected the Pacers to be swept or maybe go down in five games – and a second-half blowout and Tyrese Haliburton's devastating injury wouldn't have been on anyone's wishlist for how it would end. But no one can argue the Thunder don't deserve this title, putting together one of the most complete seasons the NBA has seen in quite some time. Update: Date: Title: OKC HAVE WON THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP! Content: Oklahoma City outlasted a potential signature Indiana fourth quarter comeback to win the NBA championship. The Thunder beat the Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to bring home the franchise's first title since moving to 'The Big Friendly' in 2008. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 29 points and 12 assists to lead the Thunder to the franchise-altering win. The major key of the game for the Thunder was the defense. OKC forced Indiana to commit 23 total turnovers, scoring 29 points off of them. The Thunder, who finished with the NBA's best regular season record, become the second straight team to win the title and have the best regular season record after the Boston Celtics did last year. Update: Date: Title: With 32 seconds left, the Thunder are on the brink Content: The Thunder are on the verge as the bench is emptied and the starters exit to a huge ovation. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle does the same and it's just about done here. Score: Thunder 103, Pacers 87 Update: Date: Title: The celebration is starting in Oklahoma City as Thunder look to close this game out Content: The Paycom Center is rocking as the Thunder are closing out this Game 7 over the Indiana Pacers. It's now a 14-point game with a minute to go. Score: Thunder 101, Pacers 87 Update: Date: Title: Time running out on the Pacers Content: There were hints that the Pacers maybe had one last miraculous comeback in them, but it's looking increasingly unlikely. The Thunder have a 13-point lead and we are under three minutes to go. Score: Thunder 94, Pacers 81 Update: Date: Title: The Thunder's defense has been the key to this second-half surge Content: Somewhere, Nico Harrison is smiling because it does seem like defense is about to win a championship. The Thunder were the league's best defensive team in the regular season, leading the NBA in defensive efficiency. In the opening game of this series, they forced Indiana to turn the ball over an insane 25 times, making the Pacers' win in that game even crazier. But in this game, the Pacers no longer have Tyrese Haliburton. And they appear to have run out of miracles. The Thunder have forced the Pacers into 19 turnovers and scored 28 points off those turnovers. Particularly in the second half, the Pacers shooting has been disappointing and they're under 40% from the field for the game. It seemed at halftime like this game was going to be a rock fight until the end. But the Thunder opened up the third quarter like a team that remembered what got it here – defense, defense, defense. Oh, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who leads the game with 25 points. Score: Thunder 93, Pacers 80 Update: Date: Title: Pacers cut into deficit as final quarter ticks down Content: Just like that, the Pacers have cut the lead down to 14 points with 4:45 remaining the game. Indiana are currently on an 11-1 run behind two players off the bench – TJ McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin, who both have 16 points. Can the Thunder hold on to the lead or are the Pacers due for another improbable fourth quarter comeback? Score: Thunder 93, Pacers 79 Update: Date: Title: It's been all Thunder in the fourth quarter as they open up a 21-point lead Content: Oklahoma City has all the momentum and they lead by 21 points with under nine minutes to go in the game. The Thunder are firing on all cylinders – offensively and defensively. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a game-high 25 points while Chet Holmgren is defending the boards with six rebounds and three blocks. The Thunder can start to see their first title for the franchise since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008. Score: Thunder 89, Pacers 68 Update: Date: Title: TJ McConnell's 3rd quarter heroics keeping Indiana within shouting distance Content: With star point guard sidelined for the rest of the game with a reported Achilles injury and the game seemingly beginning to slip away in the third quarter, the Pacers once again released its secret weapon – veteran reserve guard TJ McConnell. Just as he has time and time again for the Pacers this postseason, the 33-year-old guard came of the bench with a huge shot in the arm for his team. McConnell caught fire for the Pacers coming out of halftime, pouring in 12 points in the third quarter and suddenly leading Indiana in scoring with 16 points in the game. The high-energy reserve also has 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot. Update: Date: Title: Thunder one quarter away from hoisting Larry O'Brien trophy Content: Twelve minutes is all that separates both these teams from being NBA champions. The Thunder take a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter after a huge frame from the NBA's best regular season team. Shai Gilegous-Alexander has a game-high 22 points while TJ McConnell is doing his best Haliburton impression off the bench with 16 points. But the Pacers' turnovers are killing them and it seems like the Thunder rediscovered their identity at halftime. Can the Thunder keep this momentum in the final quarter? Score: Thunder 81, Pacers 68 Update: Date: Title: Defense turning to offense for OKC as they open up a double-digit lead Content: The Paycom Center is rocking with electricity as the Thunder lead by 11 points with under two minutes to play in the third quarter. It isn't the offense thats propeling OKC to the lead, it's their defense. The Thunder have been all over Indiana, forcing them into eight turnovers in the quarter alone. The even more impressive part… they have 25 points off Indiana turnovers. The Pacers have 17 total turnovers while the Thunder have five. Score: Thunder 79, Pacers 68 Update: Date: Title: Thunder starting to pull away? Content: For a second there, it looked like the Pacers finally woke up after halftime. Indy tied the game at 56 on a Myles Turner 3-pointer. But since it's again been all Thunder. And it's not just their MVP that's doing the work. OKC went on a 3-point barrage - three consecutive long range shots from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. SGA's teammates are stepping up after a quiet first half and that could be the deciding factor in this one. The Thunder hold a nine-point lead – the largest of the game so far. Indiana has had a response to each Thunder run in this game. Do they have a counterpunch ready or is this going to be one of those trademark Thunder runs that breaks the game open? Score: Thunder 65, Pacers 56 Update: Date: Title: Thunder come out of half scorching hot Content: The Thunder look like a different team to start the second half. OKC took the lead on a Chet Holmgren two-point shot and have not looked back since. Luguentz Dort has been one of the few Thunder players shooting the ball well from 3-point land and knocked down a crazy long range Hail Mary as the shot clock expired to expand the lead. Game 5 hero Jalen Williams finally looked himself as he drove to the rim to extend the lead to five points. There is still 9:20 to play in the third quarter. Score: Thunder 56, Pacers 51 Update: Date: Title: How are the Pacers hanging with the Thunder minus their injured star? Content: When Indiana point guard Tyrese Haliburton went down midway through the first quarter with a reported Achilles injury, conventional wisdom would have suggested that the already-difficult prospect of defeating the Thunder in their raucous home arena might have just become an impossible task for the Pacers. But somehow the Pacers are hanging with the NBA's winningest team of the season. Indiana's MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, Pascal Siakam, is leading the way for the Pacers with 10 points at halftime. The Pacers' tandem of guards Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin have scored 9 points and 8 points respectively playing extra minutes. The Pacers' secret weapon at the midway point might just be its in-your-face defense. In the absence of the team's most streaky scorer, Indiana as slowed the game down with its defense grinding on Oklahoma City on every possession. The results speak for themselves, as the Pacers held one of the NBA's most dynamic offenses to just 47 first-half points and took a 1-point lead to the intermission. And in a way, Tyrese Haliburton himself has a big role in the successful first half for Indiana. Before his injury, Haliburton knocked down a trio of 3-pointers, scoring 9 points in just seven minutes played - tied for second most points for Indiana in the first half. His 9 points were already more than he mustered in Indiana's Game 5 loss where he strained his right calf - the injury that precipitated his Achilles injury Sunday night.
