Pacers, like Panthers, might have big regrets about blowing Game 4 of finals
Just like the Florida Panthers, the Indiana Pacers might end up deeply regretting wasting a chance to take a stranglehold on a championship series.
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If the Edmonton Oilers or Oklahoma City Thunder eventually win it all, the Panthers and Pacers will long be thinking about the one that got away.
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While Indiana was never as comfortably ahead Friday as Florida was in its Game 4 (up 3-0 after a period), only leading by as many as 10 points in the game, they had the double digit edge late in the third quarter and should have beaten a Thunder team playing nowhere close to its regular level.
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Oklahoma City only hit three three-pointers, handed out just 11 assists — both season-lows — their bench got outscored and their decision to go back to the double-big man starting lineup failed early, plus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was again being hounded and hadn't dominated and the crowd in Indianapolis was going berserk. And yet, the Thunder, the NBA's best team this year proved it once again, rallying to regain control of what has been a damn good NBA Finals so far.
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We've seen the Pacers pull off one of the biggest late shockers ever in Game 1; The Thunder respond by looking like a well-oiled machine; Indiana showing they belonged here too with a tremendous Game 3 and then Friday OKC sent the message once again that while they might bend, it's hard to break them.
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In the West semifinal against Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder lost the opener at home by two points.
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They then fell behind again with an overtime loss, only to win two straight.
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And when the Nuggets rallied to force Game 7, with Gilgeous-Alexander looking out of gas, Oklahoma City cruised to a decisive victory.
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They don't seem to get rattled and always maintain belief in their capabilities, even if things aren't working.
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Williams and Alex Caruso consistently kept the Thunder within range of the Pacers when nothing else was working. He got into the paint at will and got to the line (11 attempts, a new high), while playing with an aggressiveness and purpose that few others on the court matched.
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Williams made All-NBA for a reason, but he's still one of the more underrated second-level stars in the league. Without his 12 points in the first Game 4 might have been an early rout. And he just kept coming.
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Winnipeg Free Press
18 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pacers, Thunder getting set for a pivotal Game 5 in an NBA Finals that has been back-and-forth
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National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Edmonton Oilers have no answers for Stanley Cup snipers Bennett, Marchand
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Oilers dealing with Stanley Cup Final goalie debate. Panthers, 1 win from repeating, have Bobrovsky
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