The Oklahoma City Thunder stated all the appropriate issues heading into Recreation 6 of the NBA Finals. They knew they have been one win away from an NBA title, however they could not get forward of themselves. They knew that Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was questionable with a strained proper calf, however they ready as if he’d play and anticipated his staff to place up a struggle regardless.
“One factor we all know is you do not underestimate nice gamers,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault instructed reporters Wednesday. “So within the case that he performs, we’re anticipating his greatest punch. Indiana is a superb staff. We do not underestimate nice groups. In both case, whether or not he performs or not, we’re anticipating Indiana’s greatest punch, particularly at residence.”
The Finals had adopted the identical sample as OKC’s second-round sequence towards the Denver Nuggets: a heartbreaking loss within the opener, then a bounce-back win, a loss on the street and two straight victories to go up 3-2. That sequence went seven video games, however wing Jalen Williams stated they’d discovered a lesson from dropping the sixth one.
“We did not come out able to play, frankly,” Williams stated Wednesday. “And sustaining our power by that sequence, we’ll attempt to perform a little bit higher with this one.”
A lot for all that. With its season on the road on Thursday, Indiana ran the Thunder off the ground.
The Pacers led by as many as 31 factors of their 108-91 win, organising a winner-take-all state of affairs on Sunday in dominant style. Indiana went on a 24-7 run within the first quarter, then went on a 36-9 run that spanned many of the second quarter and a number of the third. At one level, the Pacers received 11 consecutive stops, which brought about Daigneault to name two timeouts in lower than a minute.
I do not know if the Thunder subconsciously took their foot off the fuel, however I know that Indiana caught to its plan.
“I believe we have got to cease turning the ball over as a lot, that is the principle factor,” guard Andrew Nembhard instructed reporters Wednesday.
Coach Rick Carlisle echoed that sentiment, including that Oklahoma Metropolis’s offensive rebounding had additionally been “actually bothersome and difficult for us.” Within the first three quarters on Thursday (i.e. the aggressive portion of the sport), the Pacers dedicated solely two live-ball turnovers (to the Thunder’s 12) and surrendered solely three offensive rebounds (whereas grabbing 10 themselves).
“It is concerning the margins,” Haliburton stated in his walk-off interview with ABC’s Lisa Salters. “It is about caring for the ball and rebounding. These are an important issues.”
To earn a lopsided win like this, Indiana needed to crush Oklahoma Metropolis in nearly each means. By three quarters, the Thunder shot 3 for 20 (15%) from 3-point vary and the Pacers shot 14 for 35 (40%). Indiana had a 31-6 benefit in bench factors and a 21-6 benefit in assists. Usually talking, although, this sequence has been concerning the possession recreation and the flexibility to show protection into offense. OKC is a traditionally nice staff by any statistical measure, however, whether it is pressured to play towards a set protection again and again — and its opponent isn’t — then it’s susceptible.
After the loss, the Thunder have been left to lament their turnovers, identical to Indiana had completed three days earlier.
“I believed that is what ignited them,” Daigneault stated, calling it an “uncharacteristic” and “disappointing” displaying.
Like they did all season, the Pacers ran off makes and misses. After they discovered some early factors in transition, their power picked up within the halfcourt. Oklahoma Metropolis’s Alex Caruso credited them for being energetic and aggressive, however stated that the Thunder had “performed into their palms” by making an attempt to go one-on-one too typically. The distinction between the 2 groups’ ball motion and shot profile has been stark for a lot of the sequence, however by no means extra so than in Recreation 6.
With alumni like Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Derrick McKey, Dale Davis, Mark Jackson, Lance Stephenson and Metta World Peace within the constructing, Indiana cleaned up its act and delivered probably the most Pacers efficiency doable. Regardless of his harm, Haliburton made deep 3s and each hit-ahead cross that he may. Pascal Siakam did an entire lot of every thing. T.J. McConnell received within the paint at will and made a bunch of his patented midrange jumpers. Nembhard gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander every thing he may deal with on one finish, and, on the opposite, it appeared like neither Nembhard nor Obi Toppin may miss. Indiana did not even press Oklahoma Metropolis’s ballhandlers as a lot because it did earlier within the sequence, nevertheless it executed nearly every thing it wished to with its explicit model of all-out depth.
“I believe we performed to exhaustion,” McConnell stated. “However we have now to do it once more on Sunday.”