INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� The Indiana Pacers did not let another home-court opportunity slip away Thursday night.
Not with a raucous crowd on its feet almost from start to finish, not with Reggie Miller and nearly a dozen former Pacers cheering them on and certainly not with the first NBA title in franchise just two wins away.
So the Pacers dug down, fought through injuries and finally played their way. They knocked down 3-pointers, forced turnovers and had the heavily gold-clad crowd doing high-fives between the third and fourth quarters as Indiana extended its season
The winner-take-all Game 7 is Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
鈥淭hey rallied and got behind our group and here's a do or die game and and see a celebration on our floor, our fans didn't want to see that either,鈥� Tyrese Haliburton said after finishing with 14 points and five assists in 23 minutes on a strained right calf.
Haliburton saw it himself last year when he watched helplessly from the sidelines for the Games 3 and 4 of last season's Eastern Conference final sweep by eventual champion Boston. He was there again for Game 4 when the Pacers blew a seven-point, fourth quarter lead to blow the home-court edge they earned courtesy of Haliburton's last second shot to beat the Thunder in Game 1.
Those results made this more than a win-or-go-home scenario for the Pacers.
This time their boisterous crowd made sure it wasn't close.
鈥淭his is the loudest I've ever heard Gainbridge (Fieldhouse) or Conseco (Fieldhouse),鈥� coach Rick Carlisle joked, referring to the only other time the finals were played in Indy in 2000. 鈥淭he crowd was absolutely tremendous and we're playing the best team on the planet.鈥�
The Pacers found inspiration everywhere they looked after suffering their first back-to-back losses since March 10.
First, Haliburton had to convince trainers he could play 鈥� and play effectively. Then after missing eight straight shots to open the game, Indiana made eight of its next 10 to take the lead. And then, as usual, it was off to the races though that's been far more difficult in this series.
. By the time the third quarter ended, Indiana led 90-60 as the smattering of Oklahoma City fans inside the arena watched glumly as Pacers fans traded high-fives in the home finale.
鈥淲e came here with the energy we needed, and we had an amazing crowd,鈥� Obi Toppin said after leading the Pacers with 20 points. 鈥淎mazing fans, best fans in the world who helped us throughout this game. We went out there and did what we had to do to get this win.鈥�
Haliburton made it clear back in September the goal was not just to get back to the conference finals and not just to reach the finals. After winning an Olympic gold medal last summer, he wanted to give the city of Indianapolis the kind of celebration it would never forget. And now the Pacers are one win away from making it really happen.
鈥淚 don't even want to say, you know, celebrate this one,鈥� Haliburton said. 鈥淲e did our job to take care of home court, and we've got to be ready to do it again in Game 7.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Michael Marot, The Associated Press
