With their season on the line, the Indiana Pacers have no choice but to win two straight games to win the championship — and they start by taking care of business at home in Game 6.
Tyrese Haliburton limped into the press conference room with his right calf heavily wrapped and his voice steady — not because the pain had faded, but because the stakes hadn’t.
“It’s the Finals. If I can walk, then I want to play,” the banged-up star said.
That’s the tone the Indiana Pacers are carrying into a do-or-die Game 6 of the NBA Finals — down, but not out.
Trailing 3-2 in the series after back-to-back losses, Indiana returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, June 20 (PH time), with its season on the line against the OKC Thunder. Tipoff is at 8:30 a.m.
After taking a 2-1 lead in the series, the Pacers have dropped consecutive games for the first time in three months — their latest setback a 120-109 loss in Game 5 that pushed them to the brink of elimination.
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Pascal Siakam led the charge with 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Backup guard T.J. McConnell added 18 points, including 13 in a spirited third-quarter run that trimmed a 14-point halftime deficit to single digits entering the final frame.
But Indiana couldn’t complete the comeback — and now faces its biggest challenge yet in these playoffs.
Haliburton aggravated a lingering right calf injury early in the Game 5 loss, forcing him into the locker room in the first quarter. He returned in the second with his leg heavily taped and played through visible discomfort, finishing with just four points — matching the lowest output of his playoff career — and missing all six of his field goal attempts.
His status is the central storyline heading into Game 6 as head coach Rick Carlisle reveals his star point guard is a game-time decision for tomorrow.
[ALSO READ: Rick Carlisle says Tyrese Haliburton a game-time decision for Pacers in Game 6 vs Thunder]
The Pacers haven’t faced elimination since Game 4 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. They hadn’t trailed in a playoff series this year — until now.
Still, there’s belief.
With a 7-3 home record this postseason, The Pacers are hoping to summon one more inspired effort to extend their season — and force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]