It has been said that the two greatest words in sports is Game 7.

For the first time in nine years, there will be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals as the Indiana Pacers showed their signature grit that we’ve been accustomed to throughout the playoffs with a 108-91 blowout win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

As the game began, the Pacers got off to a slow start, missing their first eight shots, and they quickly fell behind 10-2. However, they would go on a 21-11 run, and their blistering defense held the Thunder to 91 points, their fewest points scored in a game since April 2022.

Much of the talk surrounding Tyrese Halliburton was the calf strain he sustained in Game 6. Although he was listed as questionable, there was no way that Haliburton would miss the crucial game.

"I just look at it as I want to be out there to compete with my brothers," said Haliburton. "These are guys that I'm willing to go to war with. We've had such a special year. We have a special bond as a group. I'd beat myself up if I didn't give it a chance."

In a total team effort, the Pacers' bench outscored Oklahoma City's reserves, 48-37, a closer margin because both teams emptied their benches in the fourth quarter.

Scoring 14 points and dishing out five assists in only 23 minutes, Haliburton spoke about the importance of the winner-take-all game.

"We've got one game," Haliburton said. "One game. Nothing that's happened before matters. And nothing that's going to happen after matters."

"The narratives are going to be almost poison," Haliburton continued "To talk about what this would mean to our city and our organization and legacy talk, and we played so well and now the pressure is on [OKC]. ... There's going to be narratives that we can't really pay attention to.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, league MVP, was not at his best. He scored 21 points, had two assists, and committed eight turnovers. 

"We sucked tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said.

For Haliburton, the Pacers must focus on performing at their best as they attempt to complete their championship mission. It will be a daunting task as OKC hasn’t lost back-to-back games in the playoffs.

"We've got to control what we can. So much of these games has come down to who is going to start the fight from a physicality standpoint, take care of the ball better, and rebound the ball better,” Haliburton said. “Those are the important things that we need to focus on. I don't even want to say, celebrate this one tonight, and move on. It's done with. We did our job to take care of home court, and we have to be ready to compete in Game 7."

Game 7 takes place on Sunday, June 22, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.