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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers kept their season alive in a 108-91 win against Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. After the loss, Daigneault gave the Pacers credit for a dominant performance. However, when a reporter asked about Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coughing up eight turnovers in the 17-point loss, he wouldn’t single out the MVP for Oklahoma City’s shortcomings.
Despite the Thunder blowing an opportunity to close out the Pacers and avoid a do-or-die Game 7, Daigneault has redirected his focus to the best-of-7 series finale on Sunday.
“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.”
Gilgeous-Alexander committed nearly half of the Thunder’s 21 turnovers against the Pacers. He finished with a team-high 21 points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists. Jalen Williams added 16 points, and Isaiah Joe’s 11 points led the bench. Andrew Nembhard’s 17 points led six Pacers in double figures, including Pascal Siakam, who finished with a double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds), and Obi Toppin (16 points).
Mark Daigneault’s honest outlook for Thunder’s Game 7
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Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is looking forward to Game 7.
“It’s a privilege to play in the Finals. As disappointing as tonight was, we’re grateful for the opportunity, and we put in a lot of work this season to be able to play that game at home,” Daigneault said. “We’re just excited to be able to do it in front of our fans.”
The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday.
