Indiana Pacers Oklahoma City Thunder set to clash in Game 7 for NBA supremacy

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams said the thought of a Game 7 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals “makes the hair on your arm stand up a little bit”.

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle called it “a time to celebrate”.

On June 22 (June 23, Singapore time),the Thunder and Pacers will square off in Oklahoma City in a decisive game to end a back-and-forth series.

The Thunder are looking for their first title since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008. The franchise won the 1979 title in Seattle and last reached the Finals in 2012.

Indiana are seeking their first NBA championship. Their only previous Finals appearance was in 2000, though the Pacers won three American Basketball Association titles, the most recent of which came in 1973.

This will be the 20th NBA Finals Game 7 in league history and the first since the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors on the road in 2016.

“As you go on in your competitive life in sports, what you learn is that these moments are rare and trying to duplicate this kind of situation is something that you look to do in everyday life,” said Carlisle, who coached the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 title. “It’s not easy to do that. I’m very much looking forward to Game 7.”

Home teams are 15-4 in the previous matchups.

“You’ve got to be able to weather the storm with those momentum-swinging plays, try to create momentum-stopping plays when you’re on the road,” Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton said.

The Pacers enter with momentum after the 108-91 win in Game 6 in Indianapolis on June 19.

Haliburton was a big reason for that, with 14 points and five assists after a calf strain left him as a game-time decision.