Melissa Rohl
FOX Sports activities NBA Author
The NBA Finals are right here, with West No. 1 seed Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and the East No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers squaring off with the hope of lifting their first-ever Larry O’Brien trophy on the finish of the highly-anticipated collection.
That is the Pacers’ first Finals look since 2000, after they ultimately fell to the Lakers in six video games. The Thunder final made the Finals in 2012 and misplaced to LeBron James and the Miami Warmth in 5 video games.
Here is what has stood out from Sunday’s Sport 2 and what to anticipate from Sport 3 on Wednesday:
Sport 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107
What stood out for the Thunder: The Thunder discovered their lesson from Sport 1 and performed all 48 minutes of Sport 2 after blowing a 15-point fourth-quarter lead within the Finals opener. The Thunder outscored the Pacers 33-21 within the second quarter to steer by as a lot as 23 factors, entered the fourth quarter with a 19-point lead and stored a large benefit via the ultimate buzzer. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one other 30-plus level efficiency within the championship spherical, ending with 34 factors, 5 rebounds, eight assists and 4 steals. However this time round, he had far more assist, with the Thunder’s reserves outscoring the Pacers’ bench, 48-34. The Thunder’s top-rated protection suffocated the Pacers’ offense. 4 Thunder gamers scored not less than 18 factors, whereas nobody on the Pacers scored greater than 17 factors.
What stood out for the Pacers: The Pacers had been outrebounded, 43-35, and outscored in factors within the paint, 42-34. Tyrese Haliburton had simply 17 factors, together with solely scoring three factors within the first half on 1-for-5 taking pictures from the sphere. The Pacers merely seemed out of kinds towards a Thunder group that was surprised in Sport 1 and made positive to return out with their foot on the gasoline on each ends of the courtroom in Sport 2. Each run the Pacers went on was thwarted by the Thunder, who made positive to not enable the come-from-behind group to take a 2-0 collection lead on their house courtroom.
Tyrese Haliburton had a game-high 5 turnovers in Sport 2. (Photograph by Matthew Stockman/Getty Photographs)
What to anticipate in Sport 3: For the Pacers, right here’s to betting Haliburton and Co. come out far more aggressive in Sport 3. There’s no method the Pacers’ star participant can end with simply two extra discipline objectives (seven) than turnovers (5) and the Japanese Convention Finals MVP, Pascal Siakam, can have 15 factors on 3-for-11 taking pictures and this group can count on to have an opportunity to win. The Pacers must pound the boards and work out methods to seek out their lanes towards the Thunder’s swarming protection. As for the Thunder, they should attempt to replicate this wall-to-wall effort in Sport 3, understanding that no lead is ever secure towards the Pacers, particularly on their house flooring. The Thunder did a fantastic job getting a number of gamers concerned, together with reserve Alex Caruso, who shined on each ends of the courtroom with nice protection in addition to being the group’s second-leading scorer with 20 factors, making 4 3-pointers.
Sport 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
What stood out for the Thunder: Oklahoma Metropolis discovered an important lesson in Sport 1 of the Finals. No. Lead. Is. Secure. In opposition to. The. Pacers. Ever. The Pacers, who’ve had a number of historic comebacks this postseason, pulled off the inconceivable once more, storming again from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to take their first lead of the sport with 0.3 seconds left after Tyrese Haliburton made a 21-foot pullup jumper to stun the Thunder and their sold-out crowd at Paycom Heart. This was the final word wake-up name for the Thunder, who held management for over 47 minutes, behind a 38-point efficiency from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored twice as many factors as every other participant on the courtroom. However Haliburton, who has made a reputation for himself this postseason with three buzzer-beaters and go-ahead buckets heading into the Finals, made the Thunder his newest sufferer.
What stood out for the Pacers: Whereas Haliburton’s late-game heroics have already change into playoff lore, it will be good if he and his group weren’t in that place. The Pacers had a whopping 25 turnovers whereas the Thunder solely had seven. Additionally they had 16 fewer discipline objective makes an attempt than the Thunder. For a lot of the sport, the Pacers struggled to generate a lot offense towards the swarming Thunder protection, with no participant on Indiana even scoring 20 factors. Despite the fact that the Thunder solely led by as a lot as 15 factors, it appeared as if their lead was twice as giant for a lot of the sport — till the fourth quarter when the comeback kings did what they do finest.
Tyrese Haliburton capped off yet one more inconceivable postseason comeback for the Pacers. (Photograph by William Purnell/Getty Photographs)
What to anticipate in Sport 2: For the Thunder, they’ve clearly realized that they should play all 48 minutes towards this Pacers group, which has made it very clear that they by no means give up. They cannot enable the Pacers to go on heaters late within the sport, resembling after they went on a 12-2 fourth-quarter run to chop their 15-point deficit to simply 4 factors. If the Pacers are inside placing distance, the opposing group is in bother. As for the Pacers, whereas Haliburton is as soon as once more the hero of the playoffs, he solely scored 14 factors. He must be far more aggressive offensively for the Pacers to keep away from needing to depend on a buzzer-beater. In the meantime, the Pacers did a fantastic job dominating the boards, the place they’d a 56-39 benefit. If they will get fewer turnovers and Haliburton will get going early, they might be in a unique place in Sport 2.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the league for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Occasions, the Bay Space Information Group and the San Antonio Categorical-Information. Observe her on Twitter @melissarohl.
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