“We Didn’t Want These Guys to Celebrate” – Tyrese Haliburton Fires Up Pacers in Game 6 Win Over Thunder, Cheeky Response Leaves Fans Amused

Akash Vaishnav

Last updated: June 20, 2025

2 min read

Tyrese Haliburton lit a fire under the Indiana Pacers with a blunt post-game message after a dominant NBA Finals Game 6 win.

Image Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers registered a massive victory in game six of the NBA Finals followed by top performance from Obi Toppin. Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith also played key roles for the Pacers, bringing energy and defensive grit throughout the Thunder matchup.

While talking about the Pacers’ mindset going into game 6, Tyrese Haliburton didn’t hold back after the win, making it clear the Pacers were motivated to stop OKC from celebrating a title on their floor.

Tyrese Haliburton said, “We just wanted to protect the home court. We didn’t want these guys to celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backed against the wall, we just responded (in game 6). So many guys chipped. It was all a team effort and we are proud of this group.”

WHAT A SEQUENCE 👀

Tyrese Haliburton picks it off and sends a spinning no-look dime cross-court to Pascal Siakam, who absolutely PUNISHES the rim 😱 pic.twitter.com/JNJ4FwyeAc
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 20, 2025

The OKC Thunder were on the verge of winning it all in the NBA Finals game 6 after a dominant performance in the previous game. Despite entering as favorites at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Thunder were outmatched by a Pacers squad determined to protect home turf at all costs.

Haliburton, Toppin Star as Pacers Cruise

Obi Toppin was the superstar of the game for the home side in the Pacers vs. Thunder game. Although the game 6 performance was more of a team effort, Toppin’s presence in both halves of the court helped the Pacers dominate early.

Tyrese Haliburton followed suit, scoring 14 points, a big bounce-back from his four-point outing in Game 5. He scored an efficient 5-12 from the field. The Pacers’ early domination gave them a breather in the second half.

Tyrese Haliburton and Reggie Miller embrace after tonight's win 💙 pic.twitter.com/K5UfQBaaSx
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 20, 2025

This also gave head coach Rick Carlisle a chance to rest his starters and give rotation players valuable minutes in the final quarter. The Indiana Pacers came out victorious against the OKC Thunder by 108-91 on Thursday.

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NBA Finals

NBA Finals 2025

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Tyrese Haliburton

Akash Vaishnav

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I cover NBA at the Playoffs. I specialize in covering breaking news, Previews, in in-depth analysis (breaking down numbers, complex stats, nuances of the game, and converting them into reader-friendly content). Furthermore, I got into the sports media while looking for an entry into the media industry. I love International Relations, and since entry without majoring in the subject was difficult, I got into sports. Now, while majoring in International Relations on one side, I also like covering sports as part of the journey as a young Journalist.