2025 NBA FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Indiana Pacers (IND leads 2-1)

[bisme37]

Game 3: Wednesday June 11, 8:30pm ET on ABC





Continued from here: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2462406

[bisme37]

From NBA.com:

The Thunder entered Sunday with an NBA-best 16-2 record following losses this season, including a 4-0 mark in the Playoffs.

In those four wins, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.5 ppg.

With OKC staring down a 2-0 hole at home — something no team has ever overcome in Finals history — the Kia NBA MVP answered again.

Thunder 123, Pacers 107: In another all-around clinic, SGA dropped 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting (52.4%), along with eight dimes, four steals and one block, igniting an emphatic OKC win in Game 2 to even the series 1-1.

In a game that history said OKC couldn’t afford to lose, its star remained steady. Never rattled. Never rushed. And now he's reaching heights never seen before.

Standing Alone: With 34 on Sunday and 38 in Game 1, SGA has totaled 72 points through his first two career Finals games – the most in NBA history

Elite Efficiency: The only other player to hit 70? Allen Iverson, who did it in 70 shots compared to Shai’s 51

All-Around Excellence: SGA’s just the fourth player ever to total 30+ points and 3+ steals in back-to-back games in the same Finals

His Company? LeBron James in 2016, Dwyane Wade in 2006 and Rick Barry in 1975 – all of whom won Finals MVP en route to a title



SGA Elevation: From winning the scoring crown and Kia MVP to leading OKC to a franchise-record 68 wins and its first Finals trip in 13 years, Sunday was just the latest stage for Shai’s unshakeable brilliance to steer the Thunder forward.

Only 12: With his Game 2 performance, SGA became just the 12th player in NBA history to reach 3,000 points in a single season (reg+post)

Only Eight: It also marked his 13th 30-piece this postseason, a feat only achieved by eight previous players

Only Greatness: But only three players have recorded 11 games of 30+ points and 5+ assists in a single Playoff run: LeBron James (3x), Michael Jordan (2x) – and now – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Read on Twitter

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Pacers really haven’t played well yet.

OKC is so good.

Pacers really need to show more to have a chance in this series. They are turning the ball over like Monta Ellis is still on the team.

[Statlanta]

All OKC needs is one of them Gainsbridge games and then the pressure is on Indiana, right now no one is under pressure.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

All OKC needs is one of them Gainsbridge games and then the pressure is on Indiana, right now no one is under pressure.

It’s the finals. Everyone is under more pressure than anyone else can possibly be in the sport of basketball.

[Jailblazers7]

That OKC defense will travel well but the question will be if their offense can remain consistent. If we get something like game 1 - disorganized and bad shooting - then Indy has a chance for sure.

[boomershadow]

That OKC defense will travel well but the question will be if their offense can remain consistent. If we get something like game 1 - disorganized and bad shooting - then Indy has a chance for sure.

OKC defense by the numbers actually doesn't travel that well.

[Jailblazers7]

That OKC defense will travel well but the question will be if their offense can remain consistent. If we get something like game 1 - disorganized and bad shooting - then Indy has a chance for sure.

OKC defense by the numbers actually doesn't travel that well.

Home/Away defense rating looks a little strange for them but I wonder how much of that is driven by the one game 40 point blow out in Minnesota. We’re talking about a 7 game sample size after all.

[Chuck Everett]

That OKC defense will travel well but the question will be if their offense can remain consistent. If we get something like game 1 - disorganized and bad shooting - then Indy has a chance for sure.

OKC defense by the numbers actually doesn't travel that well.

Home/Away defense rating looks a little strange for them but I wonder how much of that is driven by the one game 40 point blow out in Minnesota. We’re talking about a 7 game sample size after all.

If you're going to remove the 40 point loss at Minnesota, you have to remove the 50 point win over Memphis in Game 1 of the first round. Otherwise, you're just manipulating statistics.

[316Hornets]

Pacers Cinderella run seems over. OKC is just built to win over the long run. Think they'll be running at top speed with all this rest and win easily.

[GiannisAnte34]

Defended the Pacers ability to win vs the Cavs and the Knicks. I don’t think I can defend them against this OKC team, barring some major shakeup on who OKC has available to play

[SA37]

Pacers really haven’t played well yet.

OKC is so good.

Pacers really need to show more to have a chance in this series. They are turning the ball over like Monta Ellis is still on the team.

They need Haliburton and Siakam to play better. Siakam has been ultra disappointing, but in fairness to him, I think the Pacers have done a poor job of getting him the ball in spots where he can take his guy.

Haliburton has been passive to the point you have to wonder if he even knows where he is.

[jkvonny]

I sense a split here in Indianapolis.
Games 3 and 4.

The Pacers crowd is loud, vocal. That arena will be rockin!!

[guynumber45]

OKC hasn't been all the great of a road team these playoffs. They were getting the doors blown out in Memphis before the Ja injury. They struggled in Denver and probably should have lost game 4, but Jokic was bad by his standards. Game 4 against Minnesota was probably their most complete game on the road, but they were still taken to the wire.

My point is if Indiana wants to take this series, they gotta win all their remaining home games. OKC is just another beast when they play in front of their electric home crowd and I can't see the Pacers stealing another game in that building.

[Doranku]

JDub is so corny man. Talking about how he'd fry Caruso in the post-game... brother, you're in the finals and your team lost HCA because you haven't shown up. Same thing happened in the Denver series. Overrated frontrunner.

[bluemj32]

Hali is due for a good game. And that arena is going to be crazy.

For OKC to win JDub has to show up both games bc Indy will play better at home.

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[Dadouv47]

Don't think Indiana is so much better at home from what i saw in those playoffs but OKC is way worse on the road so it's gonna be tough (played only one good game on the road all postseason). We won't win if Jdub can't step up.

[Castle Black]

All OKC has to do is split here and this series is over (which they will, and it is). Realistic chance they take both though. They're simply the better, deeper team with by far the best player in this series.

[Jailblazers7]

OKC defense by the numbers actually doesn't travel that well.

Home/Away defense rating looks a little strange for them but I wonder how much of that is driven by the one game 40 point blow out in Minnesota. We’re talking about a 7 game sample size after all.

If you're going to remove the 40 point loss at Minnesota, you have to remove the 50 point win over Memphis in Game 1 of the first round. Otherwise, you're just manipulating statistics.

For sure, although that game happened at home so it wouldn’t impact their road Def Rating. I was mostly attempting to point out that it’s hard to draw conclusions from such a small sample.

[Little Lupe]

People have been sleeping on the Pacers all year. Pacers have played terribly the first two games and they are tied 1-1. I don't see them continiuing to play this badly. I believe they will take both games in Indy and then we will see what's what.