Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder bench ensure no Pacers comeback in Game 2, even series with 123-107 win
OKLAHOMA CITY — There would be no comebacks, no end-of-game drama in Game 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure of it.
Gilgeous-Alexander put up 34 points (his 13th 30+ game of the playoffs) and eight assists, but raw numbers undersell how good he was Sunday night. With the Thunder setting his picks up higher on the court, he was able to get downhill but was never out of control — he orchestrated the game. He found open shooters as well as his midrange game again, shooting 9-of-16 from there, plus getting 14 points in the paint. Defensively, he was blowing up Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers' pick-and-roll all night.
ANOTHER FINALS 30-PIECE FOR SGA ‼️
⚡️ 34 PTS
⚡️ 8 AST
⚡️ 5 REB
⚡️ 4 STL & 1 BLK
72 PTS through his first 2 Finals games, THE MOST in NBA history 🌟 pic.twitter.com/kdUtf5iqcq
The result was a comfortable 123-107 Oklahoma City win that evens the NBA Finals at 1-1 as the series heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday.
This was the performance Thunder fans — and most of the NBA world — expected from them in Game 1.
Oklahoma City was the aggressor from the opening tip, and much of what didn't work for Oklahoma City in Game 1 did in Game 2. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren started out shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and finished with a combined 34 points and 11 rebounds. It wasn't just SGA, the Thunder as a team shot 21-of-36 (58.3) from the midrange in Game 2. OKC got 26 of its 59 first-half points in the paint (and finished with 42 from there).
Then there was the bench, led by 20 points from Alex Caruso — more than any Pacer — and Aaron 18 from Aaron Wiggins, giving them a huge lift.
19-2 THUNDER RUN IN THE 2Q ⛈️⛈️
ALL-OUT EFFORT LOOKING TO EVEN THE FINALS! pic.twitter.com/2ruQb1PRN3
Thanks in large part to that bench, the Thunder extended their lead to as much as 23 and, thanks to another strong defensive performance, never let the Pacers get back in it.
As good as Gilgeous-Alexander was, it was a rough night for Haliburton. He spent three quiet quarters trying to get his teammates going in the face of the Thunder's pressure defense, but when that didn't work, he became a scorer in the fourth with an impressive 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The problem was that it was too late. Back home for Game 3, the Pacers need him to put his scoring stamp on the game earlier, draw the defense, then find shooters.
Myles Turner gave the Pacers a little boost with a dozen second-half points (16 for the game) and he let loose his frustrations with this dunk.
OH. MY. GOODNESS. MYLES. TURNER. 🤯
He's got 16 points on 6-11 shooting! pic.twitter.com/CwYB9f7uhe
Indiana needs to find a lot of things with its home cooking: Through two NBA Finals games, theThunder have led for 91:22 and the Pacers 1:53. Indiana got the split on the road, but they are going to have to be much better at home, the Thunder have proven they can win on the road.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
17 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Knicks denied permission to interview Kidd, Udoka and Finch in coaching search, AP sources say
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks were denied permission to speak with coaches Jason Kidd of Dallas, Ime Udoka of Houston and Chris Finch of Minnesota in a slow start to find Tom Thibodeau's replacement. All three coaches are under contract and their organizations declined to make them available for interviews with the Knicks, two people with knowledge of the details said Thursday. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the interview process was to remain private. The Knicks fired Thibodeau on June 3, despite reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. They reached the playoffs four times in Thibodeau's five seasons and had won at least 50 games in each of the final two. They appear to be trying to find out if any coaches they like who currently have jobs might be added to their list along with the ones who are currently available. The Mavericks confirmed Thursday that a request was submitted and denied. ESPN first reported on all three decisions. Knicks president Leon Rose interviewed Kidd and Udoka in 2020 before hiring Thibodeau. Both also played for the Knicks, with Kidd ending his Hall of Fame career on the team that reached the 2013 playoffs — which was the Knicks' last appearance before Thibodeau's arrival. Kidd led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals, Finch has guided the Timberwolves to back-to-back trips to the West finals and Udoka took a young Rockets team to the No. 2 seed in the West this season, so none of the organizations is interested in searching for a new coach. Thibodeau thanked the organization, players, coaches and fans in a New York Times ad on Wednesday, saying the experience with the Knicks was 'something I will never forget.' ___ AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Indianapolis contributed to this report. ___
Newsweek
38 minutes ago
- Newsweek
BetMGM Bonus Code NW150: Claim $150 US Open, NBA Finals Game 3 Promo
Use the BetMGM bonus code NW150 to get a $150 bonus offer or a $1,500 first bet safety net when you sign up for a new sportsbook account. You can redeem this promo on the NBA Finals, U.S. Open or any other market on BetMGM Sportsbook. Click here to start the registration process and claim this offer today. Place a winning $10 bet on the NBA Finals or U.S. Open in CO, MI, NJ, PA or WV to get $150 in bonus bets. Or get a $1,500 first bet if you are in another state. BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 For NBA Finals, U.S. Open BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 New User Offer Bet $10, Get $150 Bonus (CO, MI, NJ, PA, WV Only) $1,500 First-Bet Offer In-App Promos U.S. Open Odds Boost Token, Daily Boost Tokens, MLB Daily Swing, etc. Terms and Conditions 21+ and Present in Participating States Bonus Last Verified On June 11, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek Sports Betting Staff The $1,500 first bet safety net is easy to use, so let's start with that. You can wager up to that amount knowing that BetMGM will give you your stake back if you lose. As an example, you could bet something like $1,000 on the Pacers moneyline for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. If the Pacers win, you will secure a large cash payout. If the Thunder win, you will receive that $1,000 stake back in the form of a bonus. If you get the $150 offer, you will have to place a winning $10 bet to secure the bonus bets. As an example, you might want to bet on a golfer for a particular round of the U.S. Open to make sure you have a good chance of getting the bonuses. This could be better than betting on the winner of the tournament, as it gives you less wait time, and you will have better odds of getting your $10 bet right. BetMGM In-App Offers For NBA Finals, U.S. Open Now is a good time to start up a new BetMGM Sportsbook account, as you will be able to capitalize on various in-app promos for the NBA Finals and U.S. Open. There are similar offers for both events. You can claim an odds boost token and a second-chance promotion for both sports. The odds boost tokens can be used for same game parlays, and the second-chance token gives you a chance to get your money back on a lost bet. Register With BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 To start the sign-up process, just click here or on any of our other links on this page. From there, you will want to enter the bonus code NW150 to secure the welcome offer. Enabling location settings on your device will ensure you secure the welcome offer you are eligible for. Use a secure payment method, like a credit card, to make an initial deposit that will cover your first wager with BetMGM. From there, all you need to do is follow the steps to take advantage of the welcome offer that you qualify for. Any bonuses you receive will expire one week after they are credited to your account. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Forbes
38 minutes ago
- Forbes
2025 NBA Finals: Series Back In Focus For Thunder Entering Pair Of Games In Indiana
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 08: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is ... More defended by Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers during the third quarter in Game Two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 08, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The NBA Finals have shifted to Indianapolis, as the Pacers are set to host the next two games. On Wednesday night, a tied series will be broken, and either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Indiana Pacers will take a commanding 2-1 lead. Game 2 was a pivotal contest in its own right, as the Thunder faced a potential 0-2 hole if that game didn't fall in OKC's favor. But Oklahoma City put together a dominant performance that had the home crowd roaring the entire game, as the Thunder ultimately controlled the majority of the contest. Although the Thunder lost Game 1 on a heartbreaking buzzer-beater, it was a game that OKC controlled for the vast majority of the minutes, but it all slipped away late and was capped off by a Tyrese Haliburton buzzer-beater. There weren't many major adjustments that Oklahoma City needed to make in Game 2, given the overall success of Game 1, but tweaks needed to be made in order to ensure a victory. That's exactly what happened, as the Thunder's overall game plan and strategy resulted in a dominant Game 2 victory. 'I just thought in a lot of areas it would be easy to just say that one thing looked better tonight. But that would be oversimplifying,' said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. 'I think we were just a little bit better in a lot of different areas of execution, of pace to your point, organization, decision making in the paint, aggressiveness at the basket, gathering the ball. We just were a tick forward in all those areas.' In both of the NBA Finals games thus far, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has by far the best player in the series. His 72 points through the first two games are the most for any player in an NBA Finals debut ever. But to him, winning is all that matters. Despite all the hype that has been surrounding Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA Finals, it doesn't matter unless Oklahoma City wins. 'I would trade the points for two Ws, for sure,' said Gilgeous-Alexander after Game 2. 'But this is where our feet are. This is where we are. You can't go back in the past, you can only make the future better. That's what I'm focused on.' Leading the way for Indiana is Haliburton, who has largely struggled outside of his game-winner in the opening contest. Before that shot, he only had 12 points on 12 shots and had turned the ball over three times. In Game 2, he notched 17 points, but 12 of those came late after the game was already out of hand. He also had five turnovers in that second game. But even then, he's been very impactful overall and likely will turn things around at home in Game 3 and Game 4. 'He's a good player. He's going to affect the game, even if he has an off night,' said Jalen Williams on Sunday night. 'Him being on the floor, he's going to have some type of impact on the game. A lot of it is trying to make it really hard for him to get to spots, understanding what he likes to see, try to turn that off.' Outside of the head-to-head battle of superstars with Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton, each team's supporting cast will likely have an even more important role. The team that has won the bench battle generally has been very successful in the postseason thus far. Furthermore, as it relates to OKC, when Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are playing well offensively, the Thunder is extremely difficult to beat. Game 3 will be a fascinating one, as these squads match up for the first time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in these playoffs. The Pacers are 0-3 in Game 3's in the postseason and the Thunder is 1-2 in Game 3 scenarios this postseason. Furthermore, Oklahoma City has led in all but 113.3 seconds of the NBA Finals, but the series is still tied at 1-1. That's how razor-thin the margins are in the playoffs and why every single possession matters. Wednesday night's Game 3 action will tip off at 7:30 p.m. CST on ABC.
