The strain is on the Thunder, however Oklahoma Metropolis has been right here earlier than
Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals may have been an particularly crushing defeat for a younger Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder crew had they not handled almost the very same state of affairs earlier in these similar playoffs.
On Thursday, the Thunder led by as many as 15 factors within the fourth quarter earlier than they turned the newest group to succumb to an unbelievable Indiana Pacers comeback, shedding by advantage of a Tyrese Haliburton pull-up jumper that fell by means of the web with 0.3 seconds remaining.
The loss was eerily much like Recreation 1 of the second spherical, when Oklahoma Metropolis led the Denver Nuggets by as many as 13 factors within the fourth quarter, however in the end misplaced due to an Aaron Gordon 3-pointer that sank with 2.8 seconds remaining.
Each video games had been largely dominated by the Thunder. And each instances they misplaced after subpar late-game execution and game-winning pictures approaching damaged performs.
“The playoffs take you to the restrict,” Oklahoma Metropolis coach Mark Daigneault stated after Recreation 1 when requested if Thursday’s loss was paying homage to the Nuggets recreation. “They put your again in opposition to the wall, in video games, in collection. Should you make it this far, you must endure to do this. It offers you wealthy experiences you can draw on.”
Thunder ahead Jalen Williams put it extra bluntly: “It sucks, however we’ve got been right here earlier than.”
He added: “Regardless, if it’s the finals or Spherical 1, Spherical 2, you continue to should win 4 video games. We’ll take that and be prepared for Recreation 2.”
How Oklahoma Metropolis adjusts for Recreation 2 will likely be attention-grabbing.
The Thunder, significantly defensively, did many issues proper Thursday. They compelled the Pacers into 25 turnovers. They restricted the scoring and help alternatives for Haliburton, who was quiet earlier than his closing basket, ending with 14 factors and 6 assists.
Even while you concede that Oklahoma Metropolis was not crisp offensively (the crew shot solely 39.8% from the sphere and assisted on solely 13 subject targets), the Thunder nonetheless didn’t path till 0.3 seconds left within the recreation.
One adjustment is a lever groups pull within the postseason on a regular basis: Play higher, particularly when determined.
Oklahoma Metropolis isn’t any stranger to this. The Thunder haven’t misplaced back-to-back video games within the playoffs, they usually adopted up that Denver loss with a 43-point victory within the collection’ subsequent recreation.
An alternative choice for Oklahoma Metropolis will likely be to return to its regular beginning lineup.
Notably, the Thunder pre-adjusted to Indiana on Thursday, swapping out beginning heart Isaiah Hartenstein for guard Cason Wallace to match up higher with the smaller, faster Pacers. Consequently, each Hartenstein and large man Chet Holmgren had smaller roles within the rotation, every taking part in fewer minutes than their playoff common to this point.
“We’ve been fairly fluid with the lineup all through the course of the season,” Daigneault stated. “Cason began 40-something video games. We modified the lineup one million instances. We haven’t within the playoffs. That’s why we do it throughout the common season, in order that it’s not earth-shattering once we do it.”
He added: “We’ll see how the collection goes. We have now a whole lot of optionality. We’ll take a look at every thing. We’ll take a look at something we will to attempt to give ourselves the most effective probability to win.”
Oklahoma Metropolis’s new beginning 5 in the end outscored the Pacers by solely 2 factors in 16 minutes in Recreation 1. In the meantime, Hartenstein and Holmgren didn’t share the ground collectively for a single possession.
Regardless of the Thunder resolve to modify up (if something) for Recreation 2, they didn’t appear overly distraught after such a surprising defeat Thursday night time. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander even supplied an analogous chorus to what he stated after the Recreation 1 loss to Denver.
“The collection isn’t first to at least one, it’s first to 4,” the MVP stated, earlier than including: “It’s that straightforward. It’s not rocket science.”