We’re almost at the end of the 2024–25 NBA season, with just one game left to play. But it’s set to be arguably the most exciting and anticipated of them all, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers get ready to battle it out in a Game 7 showdown. It’s the first time an NBA Finals series has gone the distance since the iconic Cavaliers vs. Warriors clash in 2016 — and we all remember how electric that was. With all the excitement, though, comes a sense of responsibility for the players, especially the home team, the Thunder, and its star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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OKC will need to go all guns blazing one final time, standing at the edge of either making history… or suffering colossal heartbreak. They were on the wrong end of a 108–91 stomping by Indiana in Game 6, and understandably, fans are nervous. Their shot at a first-ever NBA championship might be slipping away.
Famed analyst Brian Windhorst weighed in on the situation during an NBA on ESPN broadcast earlier today. Windy began by addressing the rumor that OKC won’t be making any changes to its starting lineup — the same one they’ve used throughout the entire postseason.
“I understand the return to zero, the return to neutral,” Windhorst stated. “It’s hard for me to fault anything with the Thunder because they were 18-2 after losses, and they probably shouldn’t change anything.”
Even though he said he understood the decision, Windy still offered the young Thunder team, led by MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, some unsolicited advice on how they should approach this do-or-die Game 7. And it wasn’t exactly tactical. “They, in my view, need to play with some more emotion. This is going to be a Game 7. For many of them, this could end up being the most important game they ever play.”
Windhorst isn’t wrong, and the Pacers are a prime example. Indy surged through the East thanks to a deep bench full of guys unafraid to show emotion and bring energy in big moments. “Whoever they start, they need to play with that feeling,” added the 47-year-old analyst.
“I did not see that last night, that these guys were playing for a trophy, and it’s because that’s not who they are. It’s not how they’ve operated for nine months. I understand that. But this situation is different,” he continued. Windhorst then pointed to the passionate Thunder fanbase, emphasizing that he believes their energy can fuel the OKC squad, if the team allows it to. “The crowd is going to be giving it to them. They need to play and channel through that. That’s how you win a Game 7 at home,” he concluded.
The good news for the Thunder is that they have Gilgeous-Alexander, a player who stays unplugged from pressure and locked in on what he does best: putting points on the board. But can the rest of the squad step up and match that greatness? Or will Tyrese Haliburton and the dark magic Pacers find a way to finish their Cinderella Story? All eyes will be on Game 7 on Sunday. Let’s hope it’s a game for the ages.
