The Pacers' path to stealing Game 7 of the NBA Finals has never been clearer

Few expected the 2025 NBA Finals to go the distance, but here we are. The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder are locked in an epic series that will be headed for a seventh game.

The Pacers were the big underdogs but have largely outplayed the Thunder for most of the series, with them forcing a sixth game, let alone a Game 7. Still, the Pacers will have their work cut out for them.

They will have to play a near-perfect game to upset the Thunder on their home floor, but if they follow this blueprint, then they could soon be crowned NBA champions.

3) The Pacers must keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off the line

Keeping SGA off the free-throw line is easier said than done, with him ranking second in throws per game during the regular season. However, in the three games that the Pacers won, he attempted fewer than 10 free throws each time.

When he isn't racking up easy points, he is having a tough time scoring against the Pacers' defense. There has been controversy about how he is officiated, with him allegedly foul hunting and tricking the referees.

There is some truth to that, though superstars often get the benefit of the doubt. Even so, the Pacers must keep SGA off the foul line and dare him to score over their set defense. Jalen Williams has been the only other semi-consistent offensive presence for the Thunder this series.

Making life harder on SGA will put more pressure on Williams to help carry the offense. He could go off for 40 like he did in Game 5 or underwhelm like he did in Game 1 when he had 17 on 19 shots and Game 6 when he scored just 16 points. The Pacers have a better chance of forcing others to beat them.

2) The Pacers must get a good game from Myles Turner

Turner has been an important part of the Pacers' success defensively in this series, with them looking nearly as good as the top-ranked Thunder, who lead the league in defensive efficiency. Offensively, let's be honest, Turner's been a mess. He's 5-25 from three, drilling just 20% of his threes.

That is a big part of his offensive game, with his ability to space the floor a useful weapon against a team that is trying to force the ball out of Haliburton's hands. Having Turner knock down even a couple of threes would be huge for the Pacers, who have struggled to score at times against the Thunder, especially on the road in Oklahoma City.

He won't have to score 20 to have an impact, but if he can muster 15 points, crash the glass, and keep Chet Holmgren in check, then he will fully redeem himself for a rough series.

1) The Pacers must take care of the ball

The Pacers have struggled to take care of the ball on the road, playing against the Thunder in this series. In Game 1, they coughed up the ball 25 times, and in Game 5, they had 23 turnovers.

Ironically, they won Game 1 and stormed back from a 20-point deficit to cut it to four in the fourth quarter before ultimately losing in Game 5. Simply taking better care of the ball would maximize their chances of winning.

It's not always that simple, with the Thunder putting pressure on the Pacers and forcing turnovers, but having closer to only 10 turnovers as opposed to 20+ turnovers would likely result in a far closer game.

Overall, the Pacers are up against a historically strong Thunder team on the road in Game 7. However, many expected the series to go just five games, so they have exceeded expectations and have a chance for an upset. Especially if they follow the aforementioned blueprint to steal Game 7 of the NBA Finals.