Thunder find themselves in familiar territory in NBA Finals, trailing 2-1 in another series
INDIANOLIS — Game 1, a loss on the opposition's final shot. Game 2, an easy win. Game 3, another loss to fall behind in the series again.
This formula is not the one that would be considered optimal by the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially in the NBA Finals. But if there is some consolation for the overall No. 1 seed in these playoffs, it's this: the Thunder have been in this exact spot before and found a way to prevail.
That resiliency will be tested yet again, after the Indiana Pacers beat the Thunder 116-107 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead in these finals. Game 4 is in Indianapolis on Friday night.
There are uncanny similarities between the first three games of this series and the first three games of the Western Conference semifinal matchup between Oklahoma City and Denver.
— In Game 1 of the West semifinals, Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer with about 3 seconds left to give the Nuggets a win in Oklahoma City. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton hit a jumper with 0.3 seconds left to give the Pacers a win in Oklahoma City.
— In Game 2 of the West semifinals, the Thunder evened things up with an easy win. In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Thunder evened things up with an easy win.
— In Game 3 of the West semifinals, Denver — at home for the first time in that series — played from behind most of the night before fighting into overtime and eventually getting a win for a 2-1 series lead. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Indiana — at home for the first time in the series — trailed for much of the first half before eventually getting a win for a 2-1 series lead.
The Thunder dug their way out of that hole against the Nuggets. And now, the same task awaits — with an NBA title at stake.
NBA: /hub/NBA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has a stern message for Tyrese Haliburton and company he dubbed OKC Thunder as a "daunting challenge'
Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has a stern message for Tyrese Haliburton and company he dubbed OKC Thunder as a "daunting challenge' (Image Source: Getty) Indiana Pacers' coach Rick Carlisle has been facing intense pressure to create history as the heated NBA Finals are on. The team is up against the Oklahoma City Thunder and none of them are baking down. For Carlisle, this is his sixth NBA Finals, and he believes his team needs to focus only on how they're performing now, and it doesn't matter how they performed in the past. The Pacers have put their heart and soul into the game, and it can only get exciting from here. Carlisle praised Oklahoma City Thunder and how they have been great historically. Coach Rick Carlisle says Oklahoma City Thunder is a daunting challenge for Indiana Pacers Rick Carlisle has had a fantastic career. He made it to the NBA Finals as a player, as an assistant and also as a head coach. Now, his entire focus is on the Indiana Pacers and how he could strategize the team better, and focus on maintaining a solid score. — sixfivelando (@sixfivelando) On Thursday, according to Carlisle said, 'There's no looking forward, We study some of the things that have happened leading up to this. Beyond that, I'm not talking about anything having to do with series standings or any of that kind of stuff. It would be foolish.' The Indiana Pacers are pretty strong, nevertheless. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Even as coach Carlisle doesn't address previous games, his ability to ensure the team feels confident is impressive. The team knows how to bounce back. He said, 'The magnitude of the challenge with Oklahoma City is daunting because of the kind of year that they had and how great they are. They're historically great in so many different areas…It takes nothing less than everything we possibly have together. But we need everybody. We need everybody to put everything they have into it. That's how we've gotten to the Finals.' Also Read: Pascal Saikam Sends Inspiring Message To Indiana Pacers To Seize Rare NBA Finals Opportunity Ahead Of Game 3: 'Don't Know When You're Going To Get The Opportunity Again' The Indiana Pacers' game has been a brilliant example of what teamwork looks like. Each player has been able to contribute wholeheartedly to the brilliant scores the team has managed to maintain.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Stephen A Smith gets special shout-out from Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson after his appearance on First Take
NBA icon Magic Johnson lit up ESPN's 'First Take' set in New York this week, joining longtime friend Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim for a spirited conversation during the ongoing NBA Finals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Fresh off Game 3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers showdown, Johnson delivered strong takes on key basketball storylines. The Los Angeles Lakers legend also shared his appreciation for his media colleagues. Magic Johnson praises Stephen A. Smith and ESPN hosts Magic Johnson made a dual appearance Thursday morning, first on Get Up! with Mike Greenberg and Jay Williams, then on First Take. The Lakers legend relished every minute of it. 'I always have the best time when I'm on First Take with my great friend Stephen A. Smith and the super talented Molly Qerim! We covered a range of topics this morning and it was such an amazing time! @FirstTake,' Magic wrote on X. His shout-out didn't end there as the NBA Hall of Famer went on to extend his appreciation to the Get Up! crew as well, tweeting, 'It's always great to visit my boy Mike Greenberg and Jay Williams on Get Up! I want to thank them both for having me on this morning to talk the NBA Finals OKC vs. Indiana, the Lakers, and my championship mindset. @GetUpESPN.' Johnson brought championship knowledge and an unmistakable presence to both ESPN platforms. During his First Take moment, Smith asked Johnson to define a 'superstar,' and the response was classic Magic. 'A person who can go on the road and sell the building,' Johnson declared. 'You gotta be box office… Larry Bird — people running home. Charles Barkley — people running home. Shaq — people running home. Kobe — people running home. And of course, the greatest to ever play — . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now People running home to see him, or doing everything they can to get into the arena to watch him play. That's a superstar.' T hough Johnson has long been an admirer of LeBron James, especially since the King joined the Lakers, he didn't hesitate when naming Michael Jordan as the GOAT. Johnson and Jordan famously faced off in the 1991 NBA Finals, a series that marked the passing of the torch as the Bulls began their dynasty. Beyond legacy debates, Johnson also gave his take on the New York Knicks' disappointing postseason exit. On Get Up, he pointed to one trade that, in his view, shifted the team's identity. 'The swagger left the Knicks when [DiVincenzo] got traded, and they don't have that swagger again,' he said, referring to Donte DiVincenzo's move to Minnesota as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal. Also Read: 'See, they got nice guys, but they don't have tough, mean guys, and that's what Donte brought to the table.' Johnson highlighted DiVincenzo's grit and scoring touch, noting his 22.7 points per game in last season's playoffs as a critical missing piece. 'New York Knicks fans loved him because he was tough, he was mean, but also he could score,' Johnson added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Pascal Saikam sends inspiring message to Indiana Pacers to seize rare NBA Finals opportunity ahead of Game 3: 'Don't know when you're going to get the opportunity again'
Pascal Saikam sends inspiring message to Indiana Pacers to seize rare NBA Finals opportunity ahead of Game 3 (Image Source: Getty) Pascal Saikam made a stunning victory back in 2019, which has typically been for the history books. Now that all eyes are on Game 3, Saikam sent out an inspiring message for his teammates, ensuring that this golden opportunity that has led them to Finals, shouldn't be missed — at all. For Indiana Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton, it has been a significant player during the current NBA Finals, where he has led the team to a solid game this season. But Haliburton has paced up to this level, thanks to his teammate Pascal Saikam. Pascal Saikam's encouraging message for his teammates ahead of Game Pascal Saikam managed to win the NBA Championship in his third year, when he was playing for Toronto Raptors. But now, Saikam is back, and he's going to play with the Indiana Pacers, and while he knows getting to Finals is not an easy task and requires hard work and dedication, he shared an inspiring message with his teammates, ahead of Game 3. As per Saikam said after Indiana Pacers clinched towards the Eastern Conference, 'I was telling the guys, for me, I got there when I was in year three, and I thought I would get back there a lot. It didn't happen, You don't know when you're going to get [this opportunity] again. So I think we have to have a mindset of going out there and just giving everything that we've got knowing that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo ' For Tyrese Haliburton, playing NBA Finals is an opportunity he won't ever forget. But for his teammate, Pascal Saikam, it is a moment he is able to recall again. Now that Siakam has been sharing his learnings with Haliburton, According to Haliburton said, 'He might be a little annoyed by me at this point with all the questions I ask of those Finals runs, It's been that way since he's gotten here. I consistently ask questions. ' Reacting to the same, Pascal said, 'I'm not annoyed with him. That's funny, He's a student of the game, he wants to learn…To me, I just try to keep him just levelheaded, understanding there's going to be times where it doesn't go as planned. We have to find a way to overcome that.' Also Read: American rapper Jay-Z lost millions after Indiana Pacers defeated Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Finals Game 3 Now, all eyes are on Indiana Pacers Vs Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 3 of NBA Finals. The Pacers are in need of two solid wins to secure the championship in their favor.
