Thunder's Dream Shattered: Hartenstein's Nightmare in the Face of Pacers' Dominance
Hardenstein's Thunder Experiences a Crushing Defeat, Forcing an All-or-Nothing Approach
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The Oklahoma City Thunder's dream of snatching the NBA title crumbled like a house of cards, succumbing to a dismal 91:108 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the sixth game of the NBA Finals. The series is now on the brink of an exciting conclusion, with the do-or-die game set for Monday (02:00 CEST, ProSieben MAXX) in Oklahoma City.
German center Isaiah Hartenstein stands on the verge of joining an unenviable club—the second German, after Dirk Nowitzki, to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the NBA. However, OKC, with Hartenstein leading the charge, faltered repeatedly throughout the game.
Okies had taken the lead in the Finals for the first time on Monday night, winning 120:109 to take a 3:2 lead. Hartenstein scored the first points of the game, but OKC quickly found themselves trailing 10:2 (4th minute) and never managed to recover, trailing 17:26 (9th minute) at the end of the first quarter.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, questionable due to calf issues, took center stage, performing much better than in the previous game (4 points). Indiana rained down three-pointers in the first half, while OKC struggled, allowing the Pacers to build an impressive lead. Hartenstein and OKC, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the regular season MVP, were already behind 42:64 at halftime.
OKC seemed to lack the drive to win in Indianapolis, with 17,274 spectators watching. Hartenstein entered the second half as a substitute and scored first for his team, but it took over five minutes for him to score again. Indiana maintained control of the game, always managing to answer when OKC tried to close the gap.
It was clear early on that the Thunder would not be celebrating their first NBA title since moving in 2008, or their second since 1979 (as the Seattle SuperSonics). Going into the final quarter, they were down 60:90, with a dismal 15% three-point shooting (3 of 20). Coach Mark Daigneault benched his starters before the final quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander topped the score sheet for OKC with 21 points, but he was also responsible for eight of the team's 21 turnovers. Hartenstein scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds. Obi Toppin was the top scorer for the Pacers, who displayed an impressive team effort, with 20 points.
Four Germans have previously failed to win the NBA Finals: Detlef Schrempf (1996), Nowitzki (2006), Daniel Theis (2022), and Maximilian Kleber (2024). Hartenstein now has a chance to prevent a similar fate with Oklahoma City in their home game.
Source: ntv.de, ter/sid
- NBA
- Basketball Playoffs
In this sixth game, the Pacers delivered a crushing blow, winning 108-91. The Pacers dominated the contest from the start, leading by as many as 31 points, effectively sealing the win by halftime. Despite Tyrese Haliburton's calf injury, he contributed significantly to the victory, with Obi Toppin and five other Pacers scoring in double figures. The Pacers' collective effort on both offense and defense was too much for the favored Thunder to handle, especially given their strong regular season and resting advantage[1][3].
For Isaiah Hartenstein, this decisive game serves as a game-changing opportunity and a formidable challenge. As a key player for the Thunder, Hartenstein must step up defensively and offensively in the final game to help the team overcome the Pacers. Given the Pacers' impressive performance and momentum, Hartenstein's contributions may be instrumental in the Thunder's attempts to secure the championship on their home soil[1][3].
The sixth game of the NBA Playoffs witnessed a devastating 108-91 victory by the Pacers over the Thunder, disheartening the Oklahoma team's hopes of securing the NBA title. In this basketball playoffs clash, the Pacers dominated from the beginning, leaving the NBA title contenders reeling. Now, with the championship on the line, Isaiah Hartenstein, a crucial member of the Thunder, faces a pivotal moment in the upcoming final game to steer his team against the Pacers' dominance in the NBA.
