What was supposed to be a celebration turned into a wake-up call for the Oklahoma City Thunder. On Thursday, June 19, in a highly anticipated Game 6 clash against the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City hoped to close out the 2025 NBA Finals and win its first-ever NBA championship.
Despite a strong fourth-quarter surge that saw them drop 31 points, the Thunder fell short, losing 108-91. Now it all comes down to a do-or-die Game 7 on Sunday, June 22, and Chet Holmgren is teasing something big.
Chet Holmgren Stated There Will Be Changes in Tactics in Game 7
In a recent post-practice interview, Holmgren was asked what key adjustments he and the Thunder plan to bring into this Game 7. Without hesitation, he offered a cryptic-but-confident response.
“You guys will see that tomorrow when the ball tips up,” said Holmgren during the interview.
While he didn’t reveal any specific strategies, Holmgren hinted that Oklahoma City has been focused on sharpening both offense and defense while tweaking their in-game tactics.
“A few X and O things, some tactical things that we can do better, execute better, both ends of the floor,” Holmgren said. “And simply, there’s some plays that the X’s and O’s don’t matter if you don’t want to make a play.
“Either you’re going to make a play or you’re going to watch the play be made,” he said. “I feel like we watched a lot of plays be made in Game 6, and we have to turn that around.”
Holmgren’s statement carries weight but so does the pressure. The 7-footer has had an up-and-down NBA Finals. With the NBA championship hanging in the balance, he’ll need to elevate his performance.
One statistic in particular has fans concerned. Holmgren has hit just 11.8% of his three-point attempts during the NBA Finals. That’s a massive drop-off from the 37.9% he shot from beyond the arc during the regular season.
Through the NBA Finals so far, Holmgren is averaging 11.3 points, nine rebounds, and one block per game. That’s not a game-changing impact that the Thunder desperately need. His presence will have to be felt on both sides of the court if Oklahoma City hopes to beat Indiana.
Beating the Pacers won’t be easy as Indiana has proven to be a formidable NBA Finals opponent. Indiana is led by \the dynamic duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Haliburton is averaging 14.8 points in the series, while Siakam is putting up 19.8 points per game.
For the Thunder, Game 7 will require a collective effort. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander must continue to lead on offense, while Jalen Williams needs to bring his trademark intensity and shot-making. Every possession matters and every player must be locked in for Oklahoma City.
