Finals Twist of Fate After Key Injury

By
Lenn Durant
June 20, 2025
6
 minute read
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Finals Twist of Fate After Key Injury

By
Lenn Durant
5 min read
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After a shocking opening to the NBA Finals, the upper hand has shifted back to the original favorites, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Indiana Pacers held the lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, taking the home-court advantage in the opener. But after losing Game Four at home, the Pacers surrendered their lead and lost two in a row to go down in the series 3-2. With the series returning to Indianapolis for Game Six, the Thunder can close out the series on the road in the elimination game on Thursday.

Complicating matters for the Pacers was the calf injury that Pacers’ star guard Tyrese Haliburton sustained in the Game Five, 120-109, victory for the Thunder. The injury required an MRI, and the Pacers will not decide until game time whether Haliburton will return to the lineup.

Haliburton, averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.0 turnovers through five games in the finals, was able to stay in the game but was not that effective. He had also been struggling with injuries to his lower right leg for much of the series. Without Haliburton, winning two consecutive games for the championship will be monumental.

“I mean, it’s the NBA Finals,” Haliburton said Monday. “It’s the finals, man. I’ve worked my whole life to be here, and I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates in any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means, but it’s not really a thought of mine to not play here. … If I can walk, then I want to play. They understand that. And it is what it is. Got to be ready to go for Game 6.”

Haliburton finished Game Five with a meager 4 points in 34 minutes. It was the lowest output of the five starters on the Pacers’ team. He’s not 100%,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said before adding, “There’s a lot of guys in the series that aren’t.” Pascal Siakam led the way for the Pacers with 28 points in 33 minutes, followed by T.J. McConnell with 18 points.

Jalen Williams turned in the game-high performance for the Thunder with 40 points, which was a playoff career high. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points with 10 rebounds for the double-double and was the only other starter to score in double digits. Aaron Wiggins contributed 14 points off the bench.

“It’s something more that I’ll look back on later than worry about what kind statement it makes,” said Williams of his career night. He also had six rebounds and four assists in the win. “I think the only statement we have right now is we’re up 3-2 and we have to still go earn another win.”

For SGA, it was his 15th career playoff game with 30+ points, a total exceeded during a single postseason by only Michael Jordan in 1992 and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1995. If a Game Seven is needed after Thursday’s Game Six in Indianapolis, it will be in Oklahoma City at 6:00 PM MT, Sunday night.

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