1 day Ago
“The brink of winning is not winning,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, stressing that the job is not done. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault felt the same way and he reminded his team that it needs to play the game methodically and one possession at a time.
Pacers Aim to Stretch Series After Surprising Heat Inconsistencies
Indiana is on the brink of elimination, though they will have a raucous home crowd at Bainbridge Fieldhouse for their final game of the season. Pacers The Pacers don’t know the status of Tyrese Haliburton, who’s got a right calf strain. Forward Pascal Siakam is trying to remain positive, calling it “a great opportunity” for the team and its fans.
Coach Rick Carlisle would like to see fewer turnovers and better rebounding after Indiana committed 23 turnovers that led to 32 Thunder points in Game 5. He has faith in the team’s ability to bounce back, circling back to an event last year for his rationale: when the Red Sox came back from a 3-2 deficit against New York by winning Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road.
Key Performances and Stats Heading into Game 6
Thunder guard Jalen Williams scored a playoff career-high 40 points in Game 5 but did not get caught up in distractions. “I try to stay off my phone as much,” Williams said, mentally locked in on the intensity of the series.
Teams in position to close out the N.B.A. finals are 25-13 in those games since 2000. Oklahoma City wants to add to that stat and join an elite company. That would be their 84th win of the season (if they are victorious in Game 6 or a potential Game 7), which would put them in rarefied air.
Only the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors (88 wins), 1995–96 Chicago Bulls (87 wins) and 1996–97 Bulls (84 wins) have record 12-game streaks.
The Thunder might be close, but their message is clear: the job isn’t done yet.
