
NBA Finals: OKC vs Pacers Game 2 takes first hit from tornado warning in Oklahoma - Here's what's happening
NBA Finals: Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers was affected by a tornado warning affecting the Paycom Center area on Sunday. The game wasn't canceled, but the ABC and ESPN broadcast was shifted to remote locations, meaning broadcasters will not be at the venue for the big game.
ESPN/ABC were forced to produce the broadcast remotely, according to the Athletic's Andrew Marchand. He said that Mike Breen and company will still be at the courtside.
'ESPN/ABC may have to produce Game 2 of the NBA Finals remotely because of a tornado warning in OKC. Mike Breen & company will still be commenting from the court side, but the production trucks outside the arena may not be available. ESPN would control the pictures and productions from either Bristol or LA,' Marchang posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Read More: Tyrese Haliburton claps back with brutal comeback after NBA Finals heroics, sheds 'most overrated' label
On Sunday, forecasters issued a tornado warning for Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, with severe thunderstorms, large hail, and possible embedded tornadoes. The warning, active during game preparations, followed a similar event on June 3 that diverted the Pacers' flight to Tulsa.
Paycom Center implemented safety protocols, directing fans to shelters if needed. No reports indicate player evacuations at the moment.
Oklahoma City will look to avenge the close loss in Game 1 vs the Indiana Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is on the brink to reach the 3000-point mark this season, would like to get his first finals win.
'I said this so many times, I don't play for the individual stuff,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'I don't play for anything else besides winning. I never have in my whole life.'
The Thunder, the NBA's top overall seed entering the playoffs after going 68-14 in the regular season, lost Game 1 to the Pacers on Thursday night 111-110.
If the Pacers win Game 2, they'll likely become overwhelming favorites. The series will shift to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday.

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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
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Wednesday night was 'good night' for the Indiana Pacers, who took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals with a 116-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 11. The victory is a big one, as after a long wait of 25 years, the Gainbridge Fieldhouse atmosphere looked absolutely bonkers, but the camera person caught the attention of Caitlin Clark in the audience, whose 'choke' gesture during the match is now doing the rounds on social media. The Indiana Fever star, currently injured, is recovering from a quad injury that kept her out of the last few games. The injured WNBA star was spotted sitting with Fever teammates Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston as the Indiana Pacers. Well, as it has been the same case throughout the Pacers' playoff run, the cameras continued to Clark for in-game reactions to the action. Earlier to this, she mocked Knicks player Jalen Brunson's chin-stroking 3-point celebration following the Pacers' upset of New York in the Eastern Conference Finals. But on Wednesday, Clark went with the 'choked sign'. Credit: Reddit What is the significance of the 'choke' sign? In a playful tribute to franchise icon Reggie Miller's legendary 1994 taunt aimed at the Knicks and superfan Spike Lee, as well as a nod to current star Tyrese Haliburton, Clark mimicked the well-known gesture, although unlike her predecessor, she was seen smiling. According to the Daily Mail, Miller famously flashed a choke sign to the award-winning director, Lee, during the Game 5 rally in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. While the Hall of Fame guard, sitting courtside at Wednesday's game, famously scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to put the Pacers ahead 3-2 in the series, though the Knicks came back to win the next two games and move on to the NBA Finals. Fans react to the viral 'choke' sign by Caitlin Clark As soon as the particular clip from the game surfaced on the internet, it quickly went viral, and fans shared their reactions on the same. One wrote on Reddit, "How is it choking if you never have a commanding lead in the second half?" "She needs to be there Friday," another added. Comment byu/Gina_Bina from discussion inCaitlinClark "If we win the title, they need to retire her courtside seat lmao," another wrote. Comment byu/Jedi_Sith1812 from discussion inpacers "How does anyone find a way to seriously hate on this woman. She's so much fun" To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Caitlin Clark's Viral ‘Choke' Gesture Ignites Pacers in NBA Finals—Indiana Takes 2-1 Lead
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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Resilient Mathurin stars in Pacers win
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