It all comes down to this.
For the first time since 2016, a Game 7 will decide the NBA Finals.
In Game 1, it was Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winner that prevailed, while Oklahoma City responded with a vintage blowout to even the series.
As the series shifted to Indiana, Bennedict Mathurin had a masterclass performance off the bench. Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander willed Oklahoma City down the stretch in Game 4 to tie it all up.
In Game 5, Oklahoma City’s defense put on a clinic, but Indiana’s balanced attack in Game 6 kept their season alive.
Let’s review the film of the Thunder’s Game 5 win and the Pacers’ Game 6 avalanche.
NBA Finals Game 5: Duck and cover from the Thunder D
In Game 5, it was Oklahoma City’s defense and their ability to cover for one another that led to 15 steals and 12 blocks.
- The first part of this play: OKC puts two on the ball to keep Haliburton out of the lane.
- The second part: on the weak side of the floor, Isaiah Hartenstein splits the shooters and closes out on Aaron Nesmith in the corner. That’s not an easy task for a seven-footer to move his feet and cover ground on the perimeter.
- The last part: Jalen Williams has his eyes on the ball and steps in front of the bail-out pass to finish the defensive possession.
After Williams jumps on Obi Toppin’s pump fake, it’s Holmgren who blows up the play. Chet Holmgren splits the space between Toppin’s drive and Pascal Siakam’s corner cut.
Holmgren shows his ability to eliminate the drive and recover back to his man to protect the rim. Lu Dort also converges on the cup and provides backside help.
Keep an eye on Aaron Wiggins’ feet. He positions his feet on Mathurin’s right hip, funneling him into his help defense. Funneling a ball handler means sending him in a certain direction.
Wiggins trusts Hartenstein to provide support, and that’s exactly what Hartenstein does. Mathurin forces a wild flip shot that Hartenstein swats away.
Williams gets caught behind on the play while fighting over a screen.
Dort does two things here: briefly sinks on Myles Turner’s roll to cover for Williams, and then closes out on Nembhard to prevent an offensive advantage.
As Andrew Nembhard drives, Williams shows help in the gaps, and Gilgeous-Alexander shows another play where, yet again, Oklahoma City displays its ability to cover ground.
Gilgeous-Alexander pins down to cover Turner and then jumps out in the passing lane intended for his original assignment (Nesmith) to steal more cookies.
For the Thunder to win Game 7, it’s instrumental that their communication on defense stays intact.
NBA Finals Game 6: McConnell magic and INDY picks their poison
McConnell provided another spark off the bench in Game 6, and Indiana, led by Nembhard, slowed down the MVP and dared the others on OKC to beat them.
They held the scoring champ to 21 points, seven made field goals, and eight turnovers.
Nembhard goes over a screen, and while there is marginal contact, Nembhard quickly gets back in front of the ball.
The nail defender is the defender nearest to the free-throw line and is responsible for helping on drives toward the middle of the floor.
In this case, it is Tony Bradley, who helps on Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana forces Holmgren to beat them.
Holmgren scored four points in Game 6, and he must knock down these open shots.
Once again, the nail defender, Turner, shows a body on Gilgeous-Alexander while Nembhard walls off a driving lane.
Gilgeous-Alexander hits Dort in the shooter’s pocket, and Turner recovers back to Dort to challenge the 3-point attempt.
Nembhard chases over the screen again to put two defenders on Gilgeous-Alexander. He does a good job recovering back to the open Cason Wallace, only to jump on a pump fake.
Wallace gets his feet under him, takes a rhythm dribble, and misses a clean look.
The key theme for Indiana: they are forcing the MVP to pick up his dribble early and daring someone not named Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them.
TJ McConnell’s brilliance has led Indiana’s bench production. He scored 12 points and collected four steals in Game 6.
He’s been terrific scoring in isolation as OKC never shades help towards him.
As McConnell brings the ball up the floor, notice him putting his left hand up, as if he doesn’t know what set play to run.
Seeing the defender turn his head away from the ball, McConnell then blows by his man, touches the paint, and cans the pull-up jumper.
On this play, McConnell is the nail defender:
McConnell aggressively helps off his man, and with Gilgeous-Alexander’s back turned, McConnell seizes on his chance to rip him clean and does.
It’s an incredible sequence. McConnell continues to run the floor and flies in over Hartenstein for the offensive board.
This was the sequence of the night.
Haliburton (literally) jumps into the passing lane, saves the basketball to find Turner, and starts the fast break.
Indiana goes four passes without the ball touching the floor, and they generate a wide-open corner three for Nesmith to catch, fire, and swish a shot that he usually shoots on a line drive. This shot had significantly more arc.
Bang.
One final nugget
Heading into a winner-take-all Game 7, one thing to note is that Haliburton only needed to play 23 minutes on a strained calf. Every rested minute counts for Indiana’s star going into the final game of the season.
This is it.
The two best words in sports: Game. Seven.
The 2025 NBA Finals conclude on Sunday night.
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