No one thought that we’d be seeing a Game 7 in this NBA Finals, but here we are! Many believed that this was the Oklahoma City Thunder’s year, and to be honest, it looked like that until Thursday night. Injuries are apparently for us mere mortals, as Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam ran riot in front of a sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana to force a Game 7.
“Expect the unexpected.” This is what we’ve learned from this NBA series after going back and forth for six games. Now, all eyes are on one final battle, a game for immortality. But who’ll take it home?
Well, the Indiana Pacers have defied all odds to be here, but despite making their bones in this postseason by making clutch plays, the majority of people believe that the Thunder will take the crown on Sunday. Why? Of course, their star-studded roster is a huge reason, but a few also think that having home-court advantage will be the real game-changer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. However, someone who’s experienced what it’s like to be a part of a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, Draymond Green, thinks otherwise.
Do you remember the 2016 NBA Finals? The Cavaliers against the Warriors? That iconic Kyrie Irving shot? Draymond Green was on the court as his heart sank with Irving’s game-winning shot. Did the home court advantage matter then? We don’t think so, and neither does the Warriors superstar.
Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA: Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the hoop past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second quarter of game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
“I think the only game seven of my career, I played at home was the 2016 NBA Finals game seven, and what I’ll tell you is the home court don’t mean anything,” Green said on his podcast.
The Warriors veteran believes the Pacers can do something similar at Paycom.
“Because if you can get the crowd involved, great. But you know how loud Oracle was when Kyrie Irving hit that shot? It was super loud, like you know how quiet it was after he hit that shot? The whole court don’t mean anything because again, this is a one-game series. So one guy this March Madness… This is single elimination. One guy can get hot and go berserk, and that’s just, that you know what I’m saying, like. So, I don’t think game seven (home court advantage) means anything.”
The four-time NBA Champion shut out all the people claiming that the OKC Thunder has the home-court advantage, as he sent a stern warning to the SGA and the rest of the Thunder roster. He bluntly stated that getting the crowd involved is great, but that doesn’t mean anything, because the game is played on the hardwood.
We mean, Draymond Green does have a strong point, given both teams and their entire season’s hard work have boiled down to a single game. At this point, nothing matters; every analysis is out the window is what Green wanted to convey.
Meanwhile, it seems not just Draymond Green, but the Indiana Pacers are also not holding back before this epic battle
T.J. McConnell sends out a powerful message before Game 7 of the NBA Finals
If the Indiana Pacers win the NBA Championship on Sunday, Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch moments and Pascal Siakam’s resilience will dominate headlines. However, T.J. McConnell’s contribution that should be viewed in a similar light as well. In Thursday’s Game 6, the veteran point guard showed everyone why he’s been in the league for these many years despite being an undrafted player. With the hosts on the brink of being eliminated, desperation was creeping in. However, the Pacers’ backup point guard remained calm.
Then, he proceeded to play arguably the biggest game of his career, scoring 12 points along with nine rebounds, six assists, and four incredible steals. These stats surely seem stunning, don’t they? However, they don’t do justice to one quality that the 33-year-old displayed: Hard work, something he believes should be counted as a stat.
Why? You might ask. “Because if it was easy, everybody would do it. Obviously said it’s a skill. I really mean it. I think if playing to exhaustion and playing incredibly hard was easy to do, like I said, everybody would do it, but I just try to do it as much as I can.” McConnell said.
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The veteran point guard is one of those guys who believe ‘hard work beats talent every time talent doesn’t work hard’. And why shouldn’t he? We mean, he was a skinny point guard who went undrafted, and look at him now!
T.J. McConnell sent out a powerful message to not just his team, but to all the hoopers dreaming of playing in the NBA one day. It’s great to see a hard-working guy like him finally get the respect and recognition he deserves. Now, he and the Pacers will be hoping to be on the right end of things on Sunday at the Paycom Center.
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