Thunders Unstoppable Momentum: Can They Defy Odds and Win Game 6 Against Pacers in 2025 NBA Finals?
As the Indiana Pacers' head coach Rick Carlisle described it, containing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals has been a "daunting" task. The Thunder, who entered the Finals as heavy betting favorites, have proven to be a formidable opponent with their historic performance in various areas and the presence of the MVP. The Pacers, who led the series 2-1 at one point, felt that the series was more like six games than three. Now that the series is headed to a Game 6, it is clear that Carlisle's words were not exaggerated. The Thunder have won two straight games, taking a 3-2 lead in the Finals. It is the first time the Pacers have lost consecutive games and the first time they have trailed a series this postseason. The Thunder's dominance is not just limited to their record-breaking 68 wins and second-highest net rating in NBA history during the regular season. They are a juggernaut, especially on the defensive end. Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 71 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, showing their unmatched ability to create opportunities and score. The Thunder's success can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, they have found ways to get their two best players, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, going toward the rim and into the paint as much as possible. To do this, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reinserted Isaiah Hartenstein into the starting lineup, who is a brick wall on defense and can set screens 30 feet from the rim, giving SGA a full head of steam to beat the switch and create 4-on-3 opportunities against a defense without its rim protector. Secondly, Daigneault has called for more two-man actions between his two best players, especially to close out games. This has resulted in clean finishes in Games 4 and 5, where the Thunder forced 23 turnovers and created more driving opportunities in transition before Indiana's defense could ever get set. A quarter of the Thunder's points came off those turnovers. Lastly, Oklahoma City has finally started making its shots after struggling in Game 4. The team ranked top-10 in both attempts and efficiency during the regular season and connected on 14 of their 32 attempts in a more lopsided Game 5 win. This shows that with simple adjustments and finding themselves again as both a turnover-happy defense and a quality shooting team, the Thunder feel inevitable at this point. What is even scarier is that the Thunder truly believe they can play even better. "It wasn't a perfect game at all," said Daigneault. "There's a lot of room for growth, but our improvement from Game 4 to Game 5 was critical. We're gonna need a similar approach if we want to go on the road and win Game 6." To some that may sound like coach-speak, but it sure rings true, especially when you consider how daunting the task of slowing down the Oklahoma City Thunder has been for the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder's unstoppable momentum and unwavering belief in their ability to improve only adds to their already formidable status as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
