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INDIANAPOLIS — After a 108-91 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of elimination. With the best-of-7 series tied, 3-3, heading back to Oklahoma City, head coach Mark Daigneault gave Pacers credit for outplaying the Thunder before Williams discussed his team’s mindset heading into an opportunity to clinch an NBA title at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
For Williams, it was the Pacers’ fight that kept the Thunder at bay throughout the night. Williams, for the first time in his career, felt an opposing team’s effort in a do-or-die situation at home on the biggest stage.
“I think we had the right mindset coming into it,” Williams said. “I think there was different things that we didn’t do in the game that hurt us. Closing out in the Finals is different from a playoff game because it’s the end of the season. You play for so long that it just has more weight to it. Obviously, you want to win a championship. You don’t want to feel like it was all for nothing. That’s been the biggest difference between closing out now as opposed to the Denver series or Minnesota.
“I’m sure they felt that way, too. For them, being down 3-2, knowing that your season is on the line and you’re in the Finals just has more weight to it,” Williams concluded.
Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams finished with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, three rebounds, and one assist.
Mark Daigneault’s immediate reaction to Thunder losing Game 6
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Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is confident his team can bounce back in a Game 7 at the Paycom Center. It’s what his team’s done throughout 2024-25. Still, Game 7 of the NBA Finals is uncharted waters, while the Pacers gave their best punch in the best-of-7 series with their backs against the ropes. But can the Pacers do it on the road?
Daigneault shared his disappointment in his team’s effort in Game 6.
“First of all, credit Indiana. I thought they, obviously, earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes, and that’s the story of the game,” Daigneault said. “They went out there and attacked the game. From our standpoint, it was uncharacteristic. It was disappointing, but it was collective. It wasn’t one guy. We were not where we needed to be on both ends of the floor for much of the game, and we have to be a lot better before Game 7.”
The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday.
