Thunder and Pacers are tied at 1 apiece

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The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are tied at one game apiece following the first two games of this year’s NBA Finals.

The Pacers stormed back from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to steal game one by the final score of 111-110, as All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-winning shot with .03 left in regulation, bringing total silence to the shellshocked Oklahoma City capacity crowd.

It was the fourth time this NBA postseason that the Pacers rallied from double-digit deficits in the fourth quarter — the first three against the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks — to gain climactic playoff victories. “Devastating loss” were the words of Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “But we expect to respond in game two.”

Thunder Guard Aaron Wiggins races past two Indiana defenders. PHOTO: CREDIT OKLAHOMA THUNDER/NBA

A jubilant Pacer coach, Rick Carlisle, credited his team with “being mentally tough and sticking together when things are not going our way” as the key reason for his team’s historic triumph.

The Thunder had two long days to think about how they blew a 17-point lead, suffered a devastating loss in game one of the best of seven NBA Finals, and gave away the homecourt advantage that they had fought all season to gain. Significantly, the Thunder have lost to an Eastern Conference team only once this season and have only one playoff loss. Keeping all that in mind, they came out enraged for game two.

Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA regular season Most Valuable Player and unquestioned leader of this young and talented team, the Thunder eliminated all thoughts of a Pacers win in the first quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 of his team’s 26 first-quarter points as the Thunder took charge and didn’t look back. They raced to an 18-point lead by halftime and kept a double-digit advantage throughout the second half.

The Pacers’ Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket. PHOTO: CHRISTINE TANNOUS

While the Thunder’s tough team defense kept constant pressure on the Pacers’ offense, forcing them into multiple turnovers which led to easy scores, Gilgeous-Alexander got offensive help from teammates Jalen Williams, who had 19 points and solid all-around play, and Chet Holmgren, who had 15 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots following a miserable six points in game one, along with strong performances from substitutes Alex Caruso, who scored 20 points, and Aaron Wiggins, who scored 19 points, to run the Pacers out of the building.

“This is more of who we are as a team,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, adding, “We had a couple of days to look at the mistakes we made in game one and were determined to fix them in game two. We accomplished the one goal we had for this game, and that was to win. We will continue to make adjustments as this series moves on to game three in Indiana. They have a tremendous crowd that will be loud and boisterous. We expect that. We have played well on the road this entire season and expect to continue to do so.” 

Mark Daigneault, the Thunder’s head coach, said, “I just thought we were the aggressor tonight for much of the game, even when we had a lead. I thought the guys did a really good job of keeping the foot on the gas, especially defensively. I thought we really amped it up on that end of the floor.”

The Pacers are looking forward to game three on their home court.

“The playoffs are all about making adjustments on a game-to-game basis,” said Tyrese Haliburton. “We’ll be ready for game three in our building.”

Oddly, the Pacers had seven players in double figures, but it was the 17 turnovers that was their undoing in Oklahoma. Haliburton agreed: “I have to do a better job of figuring out where I can be better. I think through the course of the series or through these first two games, I’m learning where my spots are and where I can be better.”

Except for Haliburton’s game-winning shot in the opening contest of this series, it has been the Thunder’s MVP point guard who has been the predominant star.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points in game one, followed by 34 points in game two, to go along with eight assists, five rebounds and four steals, as he continues to etch his name in NBA playoff lore. He has scored 30 plus points in nine straight home playoff games, tying the record held by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain; his 72 points in his first two NBA Finals games are the most in league history. And his 11th 30-point, five-assist game ties him with LeBron James and Michael Jordan on the all-time playoff list.

The Pacers gave in with four minutes left to go in the game by putting in all their subs. Rick Carlisle, the Pacers’ head coach, said that this choice made sense, adding, “Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. That was an easy one.”

Games three and four of the best of seven NBA Finals series are going to be at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. These two games will be critical in deciding who will take control of this series.