NBA Finals: Pacers and Thunder battle for edge in Game 5 showdown

Time of India

7 hours ago

With the best-of-seven series tied 2-2, the
Indiana Pacers
and
Oklahoma City Thunder
head into a pivotal Game 5 showdown, each looking to seize control of the
NBA Finals
.
The Thunder will rely on their dynamic duo of
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
and
Chet Holmgren
to protect home court, while the Pacers look to
Tyrese Haliburton
and
Pascal Siakam
for leadership on the road.
Both teams have traded momentum throughout the series, making Monday's Game 5 a critical swing game. With the title hanging in the balance, expect high-intensity action as both squads aim to take a decisive step toward championship glory.
— NBA (@NBA)
The Thunder find themselves in a familiar position, tied 2-2 in a
playoff series
for the second time this post-season. They previously overcame the Denver Nuggets in seven games during the second round after splitting the first four matchups.
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"Two wins and you get the job done," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "That's what I felt like I was focused on in the Denver series and we were able to do so, and same thing for this series."
Unlike the Thunder, the Pacers are in uncharted territory this post-season. They had taken a 3-1 lead in each of their previous three series, never facing a 2-2 tie after four games till date.
Veteran guard Alex Caruso is the only member of the Thunder with prior NBA Finals experience, having won a championship with the LA Lakers in 2020. His leadership and postseason poise have become invaluable as Thunder sits just two wins away from its first title since relocating.
Caruso played a limited role during the regular season, appearing in only 54 games with three starts and logging 30 or more minutes just once. But in the playoffs - especially in the Finals - his impact has grown significantly.
Averaging 14.8 points, 2.5 steals, and 29.5 minutes per game in the series, Caruso has become a fixture in crunch time despite not starting.
After failing to score more than 19 points in the regular season, he's hit the 20-point mark three times in the playoffs, including twice in the Finals. Most recently, he scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Oklahoma City's 111-104 Game 4 win in Indianapolis.
"I want to win," Caruso said. "I don't care if it's (a) pickup (game) in September before training camp. I don't care if it's Game 45, 50, before All-Star break. If it's the Finals and you're down 2-1, I want to win. That's what I'm focused on."