Thunder level to ‘unforced errors’ in Sport 3 loss to Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS — Jalen Williams swished a tricky pull-up 3-pointer on the third-quarter buzzer to provide the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder a five-point lead. Not a lot went proper for them after that.

“We simply had lots of unforced errors,” Williams mentioned after Oklahoma Metropolis’s 116-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Wednesday’s pivotal Sport 3 of the NBA Finals. “They capitalized on them as a result of they seem to be a good crew.”

The Thunder had been outscored 32-18 within the fourth quarter. It was the second time this postseason that Indiana outscored Oklahoma Metropolis by a double-digit margin within the closing body. That’s the distinction within the collection, because the Pacers, who’re up 2-1, rallied from behind within the fourth quarter in each of their wins.

“Within the fourth quarter, I simply thought they actually outplayed us on each ends,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “I believed they had been in character when it comes to their physicality, their stress on protection. Then they had been in character when it comes to their tempo on offense.”

The Pacers improved to 9-1 in clutch video games this season, probably the most clutch wins in a single postseason for the reason that Miami Warmth went 11-3 in such video games in 2020, in response to ESPN Analysis.

This can be a acquainted predicament for the Thunder, who fought again from a 2-1 deficit towards the Denver Nuggets within the Western Convention semifinals, ultimately profitable in seven video games.

“We now have an amazing alternative right here,” mentioned Oklahoma Metropolis heart/energy ahead Chet Holmgren, who scored 20 factors however struggled within the fourth quarter, when he was 1-of-5 from the ground and had his shot blocked by Pacers massive man Myles Turner thrice. “The nice factor is we now have one other sport developing, Sport 4. We won’t be fascinated by frustration or something. Regardless of how good it is going, how unhealthy it is going, the main focus cannot be in your feelings. It needs to be on what we’re attempting to perform, the duty at hand.”

Oklahoma Metropolis, typically taking part in towards full-court stress after permitting the Pacers to attain, missed 9 of its closing 10 photographs from the ground. That ugly stretch began after a Williams floater pulled the Thunder inside a degree of the Pacers with 5:58 remaining.

The Thunder’s solely bucket down the stretch was a midrange pull-up by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, however that was the MVP’s solely subject aim within the fourth quarter. He was held to a few factors on 1-of-3 capturing with no assists within the closing body.

“They had been aggressive,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned of the Pacers’ protection. “They had been heavy within the crowd. I am unsure what number of factors they’d, nevertheless it felt like after they scored, we’re going towards a set protection, and it is at all times tougher towards a set protection.”

Gilgeous-Alexander completed with 24 factors on 9-of-20 capturing, his lowest-scoring efficiency since a lopsided Sport 3 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves within the West finals. He had 4 assists and 6 turnovers, the primary time this postseason that he had a detrimental assist-to-turnover ratio.

“It goes again to somewhat bit extra drive,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “If we’re extra aggressive within the pick-and-roll and setting it up, then we get a greater angle. Issues like that often comes all the way down to who throws the primary punch.”

The Thunder’s two losses within the Finals have come all the way down to the Pacers touchdown a flurry of punches on the finish.

“To win video games of this magnitude, at this stage, we now have to be higher,” Holmgren mentioned. “We have to shut video games, shut quarters, shut possessions. It would not simply come all the way down to the top of the sport. We acquired to determine put ourselves in a greater place for the entire 48 minutes.”

Sport 4 is Friday in Indianapolis (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).