Game 7 NBA Finals Preview

CoachDay
Jun 22
2 min read

The end of what many have considered to be the best overall NBA playoffs in years is tonight. It’s finishing in fitting fashion, with a Game 7 winner being crowned NBA champion. Both the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder are looking for their first banner.

The Thunder, heavy favorites throughout this playoff run, find themselves in another Game 7 situation against a just-won’t-die Pacers squad. For basketball fans, we’re all just hoping for a fantastic finish tonight.

The Thunder will win if...

For OKC, it’s going to come down to the supporting cast. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly crowned MVP, will need the likes of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Hartenstein to pack a punch. When they get scoring from their core, they become very hard to beat.

Chet, who has been consistent all series with his rebounding and rim protection, has, on the other hand, lacked reliable scoring. He’s started strong in some games or hasn’t gotten going until it’s too late. Williams has been the best Robin to SGA this series, and the expectation is for him to be there again tonight. Together, they’re a deadly combo, but a third consistent option will open up the floor beyond what the Pacers can defend.

With that formula, this could become an easy ride to the confetti drop for the Thunder on their home court.

The Pacers will win if...

The Pacers have done it all playoffs by committee, with different guys stepping up each game. That needs to be the trend again tonight if they want any chance to stick with the home Thunder.

They also need a fast start, something that has eluded them most of this series. If they let OKC get rolling, it may be impossible to stop.

Tonight, they need Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard to be efficient and aggressive on the offensive end. They become so much more free-flowing and harder to stop when these two are controlling the offense.

On the defensive side, they need to force Dort, Hartenstein, and others to be the ones taking the shots. You don’t want to be sitting in a locker room hearing a trophy presentation because SGA, Williams, and Chet combined for 100 points.

Make the other guys beat you...plain and simple.

The NBA, in my opinion, has gained a lot of new viewership with these playoffs, new teams, new names to learn and love. What could take it over the top is a fantastic finish in a Game 7 NBA Finals tonight.

The feeling is leaning toward an OKC win with some ease, but as we’ve seen over the past few months, it’s been the Pacers’ continuous defiance...they just won’t go away and keep finding ways to pull it out.

Will tonight be their grand finale? Or will the Thunder be the ultimate show stoppers?