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Pacers Struggle to Compete as Thunder Tie the Series
Pacers Struggle to Compete as Thunder Tie the Series originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Game 2 of the NBA saw the Oklahoma City Thunder jump out on the Indiana Pacers early and never look back. The Thunder tied up the series, taking a critical win in Game 2 by a score of 123-107. The Thunder were led in scoring by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 34 points, while the Pacers were topped by Tyrese Haliburton with 17 points.
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The first quarter started off with the Thunder being very aggressive and attacking the rim. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seemed determined to not let a repeat of Game 1 take place. Their sheer defensive pressure caused Indiana to play very sloppily for the first few minutes.
Andrew Nembhard turned up the intensity on both sides of the ball. He played defense on Shai very physically, causing the league's MVP to work a bit harder for his buckets. On the offensive end, Nembhard would continue to look for his shot, either from three or getting to his mid-range game.
The Thunder were bolstered in the first quarter by their star big man Chet Holmgren. In Game 1, Holmgren only had 6 points for the entire game. In the first quarter of this game, Holmgren came out blazing, dropping nine points. He was aggressive and shooting with confidence, and it could be felt. The Thunder led by six points at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw the Thunder go on a 19-2 run and extend their lead out to over 20 points. The Pacers would ride the shoulders of Pascal Siakam to try and bring them back by attacking mismatches, but ultimately, the Thunder would carry an 18-point lead into halftime.
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The story of the Pacers' comeback in Game 1 was the unlikely production from their bench, specifically Obi Toppin, who contributed 17 points to help the effort. The same held true in the first half for the Thunder.
Aaron Wiggins came in off the bench and hit some big threes. He would drop eight points in the first half, while veteran big Kenrich Williams would also push the pace for the Thunder. His effort for the team cannot be seen on the stat sheet, but was undeniable.
The Pacers started the third quarter with a focused effort to get Myles Turner involved. The Thunder went back to their two-big lineup with Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, and it caused some problems for the Pacers.
This approach with Turner was definitely an attempt to counter that lineup. The Pacers would cut the lead down to 14 at the halfway point of the quarter. However, the lead remained at 19 at the end of the third quarter.
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The Pacers struggled all game to adjust to the defensive pressure being applied by the Thunder. Tyrese Haliburton really struggled to get going offensively and had several turnovers. If the Pacers are going to have a chance in this series, he is going to have to get going offensively earlier. They cannot continue to play from behind against the top team in the Western Conference every game.
Again, the Thunder take Game 2 by a score of 123-107. Game 3 will be played on Wednesday, June 11, back in Indianapolis.
Related: Tyrese Haliburton Describes Pacers Team in One Word After Game 1 Win
Related: Pacers' Rick Carlisle Reveals Honest Thoughts on Colleague Being Fired
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
