Now or never

MANILA, Philippines — It’s down to one last dance to decide whether Oklahoma City or Indiana will hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at the Paycom Center this morning (8 a.m. Manila time). OKC is determined to defend homecourt but the Pacers are coming off a 108-91 demolition in Game 6 last Thursday to bring momentum into a hostile building.

Game 7 is a rarity in NBA Finals history where only 19 of 77 series went the distance. Of 19, only four were clinched on the road with Cleveland the last to do it at Golden State’s expense in 2016. No Game 7 has been played in the Finals since the Cavs’ feat. So the probability of OKC becoming the seventh different team to claim the championship since 2019 is likely, considering 15 home teams took a Game 7 in the Finals or a 79 percent chance.

But Indiana is the playoffs’ winningest road team with seven of 15 wins away from home. If there’s a team that can win a big game on unsympathetic soil, it’s the Pacers who did it thrice against the Eastern Conference No. 1 team Cleveland, including the closer in Game 5. OKC, however, is no slouch at home. The Thunder has won nine of 15 playoff games at the Paycom Center and ending the Finals before a home crowd would be monumental.

OKC appeared to take the night off in losing Game 6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 21 points, a drop from his Finals clip of 32.4. Taking two steps backward to move one step forward seems to be in OKC coach Mark Daigneault’s playbook. In Game 6 of the Denver series, OKC lost by 12 then rebounded to close out in Game 7, 125-93, at home. In Game 3 of the Minnesota series, OKC lost by 42 then stormed back to win the next two encounters, 128-126 and 124-94 to settle it in five.

Indiana was unstoppable in Game 6, treating the hometown fans to a blowout. The Pacers had more assists, 23-14, steals, 16-4, offensive rebounds, 11-4 and field goal attempts, 92-74. OKC trailed by 31 but didn’t seem too perturbed with one more try to wrap it up at home. The danger is Indiana’s bench was awakened to fire 48 points to OKC’s 38. But the big news was Tyrese Haliburton’s reemergence from a four-point disappointment and a right calf strain in Game 5 to compile 14 points and five assists in 23 minutes.

Pacers tactician Rick Carlisle, 65, has won NBA titles as a player and coach while Daigneault, 40, is chasing his first crown. If OKC clinches, it will be the second-youngest NBA title team ever after Portland whose average age was 24.2 years in 1976-77. The Thunder’s average age is 24.9 compared to Indiana’s 26.7.