The Indiana Pacers faced an uphill battle in Game 6 as they headed into the game down 3-2. While the Oklahoma City Thunder came out to battle in Game 5, the same couldn’t be said about the Indiana Pacers. Granted, their star Tyrese Haliburton came down with an injury, but it was Thunder’s defense that suffocated Haliburton’s supporting cast and secured the lead heading to Indiana.
As doubts mounted over Haliburton’s availability for Game 6, pressure continued to build on the players. And while others were busy obsessing over the game plan, Obi Toppin decided to relieve some of that pressure through the most important thing of all. Family.
Oziah Toppin Steals Pre-game Headlines With Wholesome Moment
Before the game in Indiana tipped off, forward Toppin was seen sitting on the sidelines and soaking in the moment with his son Oziah. After all, the game had the potential to be their last this season. And while the Pacers would look to dominate a weakened East next season, a trip to the Finals is never guaranteed.
As a nervy atmosphere could be felt in the arena, that wasn’t the case for Toppin, who was playing with his son who donned a Pacers jersey in support of dad. As Toppin continued to smile and revel in a potential once-in-a-lifetime moment for him and his son, his mother and wife stood right next to them witnessing the delightful moment.
Obi Toppin having fun with his son ahead of Game 6 💛 pic.twitter.com/iITay5zeLN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 19, 2025
Oziah, who is Toppin’s third child, was born last year on October 3 and is barely a year old. While Oziah does have two elder siblings, Daniel and Remiel, Daniel is only their half-sibling. Oziah and Remiel’s mother, Magdalena Bellinger, has been Toppin’s partner since 2020, and the two welcomed their second child last year.
While the moment with his family was made even more special, considering the stakes and the stage. The Toppin family has come out and supported Toppin throughout this historic Playoff run and he would hope to cap it off with a championship.
MORE: Try Our Free NBA Mock Draft Simulator
After the Pacers went down 10-2 to start Game 6, they bounced back almost immediately as they closed the first half with a 22-point lead. While the Pacers would tell you themselves that it doesn’t take long to obliterate a 20-point deficit, that wasn’t the case for OKC as the team simply couldn’t recover from Indiana’s blows.
With the series now moving back to Oklahoma, Toppin and the Pacers will need all the support they can get as they head into a hostile environment with fans who have been hungry for a chip too long now. And although the Thunder remain favorites, that has been the case with every opponent Indiana has faced this postseason.
A fairytale ending awaits the Pacers in Oklahoma, but if they don’t grab the bull by the horns from the jump. There are too many deciders in that OKC side to spoil the Pacers’ party.
