Now that was a lead that was safe.
After dropping the first game of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder thoroughly controlled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Game 2, 123-107.
Indiana, which has posted five comebacks this postseason of at least 15 points, could never seriously threaten Oklahoma City, which had five players score at least 15 points.
NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all players with yet another 30-point showing, this one an efficient 34-point, eight-assist night on just 21 shot attempts.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton did finish with 17 points, though he had scored just five through three quarters.
Here are the winners and losers from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:
NBA FINALS GAME 2 WINNERS
Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins
It wasn’t just his defense, Thunder backup guard Alex Caruso also poured in 20 points — including four drained 3-pointers — in just 27:04 of playing time. He was steady and aggressive on the offensive end, cutting into the lane when gaps opened up.
Throw in fellow backup guard Aaron Wiggins, whose 18 points — including 5-of-8 from 3 — in just 20:32 also lifted the Thunder. That Caruso and Wiggins accounted for nearly 65% of Oklahoma City’s 14 made 3-pointers, is a testament to the Thunder’s depth.
Chet Holmgren
This was exactly the bounce-back game that the Thunder needed from center Chet Holmgren. Three nights after scoring just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Holmgren got to work, though most of his production came early. Nine of his 15 points came in the first quarter.
OKC Thunder go big
After opting to play mostly small in Game 1, Oklahoma City leaned much more on its double-big lineup with its pair of centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, on the floor at the same time. The result was instant, with the Thunder dominating points in the paint in the first half, 26-12.
“It takes discipline, but we try to really use these early games in the series to learn what our options are and what our trade-offs are — not assume anything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “That was the intent tonight: just to get a little more information.”
NBA FINALS GAME 2 LOSERS
Tyrese Haliburton waits way too long
Through the first three quarters, the most important player of the Pacers had scored just five points on just 2-of-7 shooting. Through the first three and a half minutes of the fourth, Haliburton had scored nine points, making all four of his attempts.
While Haliburton’s rep as a closer cannot be questioned, his inexplicably slow starts could become costly. The Thunder will clog the paint and game-plan to slow Haliburton’s attacks into the paint. He needs to find ways to score regardless.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle downplayed Haliburton’s sluggish production, saying Indiana’s team is an “ecosystem” and it doesn’t matter where points come from.
“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring,” he said after the game. “Everybody’s got to do more.”
Regardless, Haliburton is the team’s most gifted player and the one who can score easiest.
Pacers have no answer for OKC Thunder’s intensity, physicality
After the game, Carlisle was asked his thoughts on how the Pacers responded to Oklahoma City’s ramped up defensive intensity. Carlisle’s answer was curt and straightforward.
“Not well,” he said.
The Thunder excel at crowding the paint when opposing players attack, collapsing, swarming and swatting at the ball. That is magnified particularly when Oklahoma City uses its double-big lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein roaming down low. In the regular season, the Thunder ranked first in opponent points in the paint per game (42.5).
Indiana’s inability to attack the paint hurt its spacing and hurt its ability to get open looks from 3.
“The paint is our emphasis and the paint is our friend. The more that we’re able to attack the paint, usually better things happen for us,” Carlisle said.
Key players on Pacers bench no-show
Obi Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1. Thomas Bryant had five. Both players combined in Game 2 to score four on 1-of-9 shooting.
Guards T.J. McConnell and Benedict Mathurin did combine for 25, but the Pacers will need much more balance from their contributions.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Finals Game 2 winners, losers: Thunder go big, Tyrese Haliburton waits too long
Reporting by Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
