Thunder goes back behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, bench to take match 2, even the NBA final with a 123-107 victory

Oklahoma City – There would be no return, no end-of-game drama in match 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure.

Gilgeous-Alexander collected 34 points (its 13th match of 30+ for the playoffs) and collected eight assists, but the gross figures underestimated how it was in control of the match on Sunday evening. With the Thunder which is preparing higher on the field, he was able to descend and find space, but was never out of control – he orchestrated the game. He found passage to open shooters as well as his mid -range game, pulling 9 out of 16 from there, and obtaining 14 points in the paint. Defensively, he exploded Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers pick-and-roll overnight.

The Thunder applauded match 2 and the result was a comfortable victory of 123-107 Oklahoma City which talks about the NBA final at 1-1 while the series heads for Indiana for match 3 on Wednesday.

It was the performance fans Thunder – and most of the NBA world – expected from OKC in match 1.

Oklahoma City was the aggressor of the opening point, and a large part of what did not work regularly for the Thunder in match 1 in match 2. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren began to shoot 6 on the ground and finished with 34 combined points and 11 rebounds. It was not only SGA, the Thunder as a team fired 21 out of 36 (58.3) from the mid-range in match 2. OKC obtained 26 of its 59 points in the first half in the painting (and finished with 42 from there), and the ball touching the paint led to 3 chicken points and a good ball movement. Coach Mark Daigneault went to the two Big range from Holmgren and Isiah Hartenstein – something he did not use in match 1 – and it was +4 in 4:32 on the field.

Then there was the marking 48 -point bench, led by 20 points by Alex Caruso and 18 from Aaron Wiggins – both more than any Pacer – giving OKC a huge elevator.

Thanks largely to this bench, the Thunder extended its advance at 23 years and, thanks to another solid defensive performance, never let the Pacers come back to it.

“I just thought we were the attacker this evening for a large part of the match, even when we had an advance,” said Daigneault. “I thought the guys had done a very good job to keep the foot on the gas, especially defensively. I thought we had really amplified at this end of the ground. ”

As good as Gilgeous-Alexander, it was a difficult night for Haliburton and the Pacers.

“Another bad first half. Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played badly,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “A little better in the second half, but you cannot be a reactive team that expected you to succeed or have consistency.”

Haliburton spent three quiet districts trying to bring his teammates in the face of defense of Thunder pressure, but when it did not work, he became a marker in the fourth with an impressive 12 points on the shooting of 5 out of 6. The problem was that it was too late (The other problem to monitor is the slight box with which it worked with the post-match). Back home for match 3, the Pacers need him to put his scoring stamp on the match earlier, draw the defense, then find shooters.

Myles Turner gave the Pacers a boost with a dozen points of second half (16 for the game) and he dropped his frustrations with this dunk.

Indiana must find a lot with its home kitchen: thanks to two games from the NBA final, the Thunder led for 91:22 and the Pacers 1:53. Indiana has obtained the split on the road, but they will have to be much better at home, the Thunder has proven that they can win on the road.