OKC Thunder Must Execute in Clutch Moments of Game 7

Oklahoma City is 48 minutes away from a championship, but it might come down to the final seconds.

The Thunder and Indiana Pacers are preparing for the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016. When the game tips off on Sunday, players will be fighting for a title and looking to create a legacy that will last a lifetime.

Neither team has ever won a championship, making the stakes even higher for the NBA’s winner-take-all spectacle. Throughout this series, there have been twists and turns, with momentum shifting after almost every matchup.

One of the key consistencies through all the struggles has been clutch play being a deciding factor. While winning close games is always a massive part of a championship series, that was taken to another level in the opener, when Tyrese Haliburton stole Game 1 for the Pacers, nailing a jumper with 0.3 seconds left.

While the Pacers won a tight Game 3, the Thunder got an all-time clutch performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to grab Game 4 and tie the series. Considering both teams have had incredible finishes in this series already, it would be no surprise to see a classic final few minutes in Game 7.

Throughout NBA history, a classic finish has been the typical outcome in Game 7 of the Finals, with the 6.9-point average margin of victory marking the lowest of any Finals game. The past six NBA Finals have also had a margin of seven points or fewer, making way for another tight game on Sunday.

Considering both teams’ playoff runs, a tight finish would seem to benefit Indiana, which has had an unbelievable stretch of clutch play throughout the postseason. However, the Thunder have the league’s top defense and the MVP, a pairing that could swing things into Oklahoma City’s favor. 

Of course, the Thunder’s defense will be the anchor of any clutch minutes on Sunday. However, if the Thunder are unable to force turnovers and create easy looks in transition in the final moments, they will need to execute much better.

Sure, Gilgeous-Alexander has already shown his ability to take over in the clutch, and Oklahoma City only needs him to have one more performance like that. However, the Thunder’s lack of ball movement throughout this series could be a serious concern if the game gets tight in the final minutes.

The Thunder will need to find ways to zip the ball around and create good looks in various spots on the court. The previous Thunder era fell short in big moments time and time again because of a focus on isolation play, so this Oklahoma City team could easily make those bad memories disappear for fans if it can ensure everyone is involved offensively.

But if everything slows down and the Thunder need one guy to take the defining shot in Game 7 of the Finals, they can rest assured that Gilgeous-Alexander is ready for the moment.