2025 NBA Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers

That’s kind of baked into the Carlisle system of playing 10 guys, though. If somebody gets it rolling, you ride it. If somebody doesn’t have it, you set him down and find another guy that night. Only a disappearing act by Tyrese or Pascal seems not survivable.

Mathurin can get you 30 or get you 6
Nesmith can get you 30 or get you 6
Siakam can get you 30 or get you 12
Haliburton can get you 30 or get you 10
Nembhard can get you 25 or get you 6
Toppin can get you 25 or get you 6
Turner can get you 25 or get you 6
McConnell can get you 15 or get you 4
Bryant can get you 10 or get you 0
Sheppard can get you 10 or get you 0

You won’t get everybody’s best (230)
You won’t get everybody’s worst (56)

But you find the guys for THAT night.

 

Looking at his box scores, Mathurin has a couple games a series where he gets over 20 points and the others are duds. But it was also the efficiency he had tonight. That TS% is rare for him.

I get that Turner, Nembhard, and Nesmith had poor offensive games that are capable of getting their 15. It truly is a committee by the Pacers. Turner shot poorly and the ANs were in foul trouble trying to keep Shai contained.

The Pacers starters will have to do better in game 4 or OKC is probably gonna go home tied 2-2. Siakam is pretty consistent. Haliburton can be if he's aggressive enough. Turner can't have another stinker, he's gotta hit his jumpers.

 

This. It gets frustrating

Rocket River

 

i heard that in the early 2000s, 56 may get you a win against the spurs

 

Should have drafted Mathurin. Like I wanted.

I think Mathurin is harden on okc, if he goes to his own team. It’s over.

 

So again, where are the people who said that one win was just luck and now OKC will stomp the Pacers? Pacers are legit and this is again with Turner disappearing for most of the game, Siakam unable to dribble with his left and barely getting past anyone, Halliburton not at top of his game.

Mathurin with the Sam Cassell like game and McConnell with the energy and great defense. If Reed can be like that with a deadly 3pt shot, then we got something. And has been pointed out, wtf is up with these refs? Granted it was pretty fair overall, OKC got the favourable whistle for most of it. It’s like the 2 quick fouls first minute was to basically pretend they were going to call it fairly.

This finals has been great though. Knicks certainly got away with a lot too in 93-94 so I feel like these Pacers are like the Rockets, also with anyone able to show up on any given night for the most part. We had no consistent factor outside of Dream.

 

Most coaches stick to their best 7 or 8 players they trust. But these are NBA players. Even the end of bench guys can have a hot hand and explode in any game. You'll never find out if you don't play them.

 

yeah definitely works in Pacers’ favour. The 3 fouls on several players played a part for sure, but still,Carlisle using and trusting his bench fully 9-10 guys is just beautiful. Imagine if Walker could play when Turner cannot turn it on like today. He made up for it with that 4th quarter defense though.

This series really shows also that trust and being clutch is a huge advantage. I’m not counting the Pacers out in any game. They can take this series with a win Friday.

 

The Pacers have pretty consistent "anomalies" in the last 8 games or so.

 

- "I agree".
Ime Udoka

 

Serious Jim Carrey needs a lot of credit for what's happening here. He already has the 2011 Heat on his mantle, now he can add the 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder. Have the Knicks requested an interview with him? Maybe they have to wait until after the Finals.

He also has a lot on his resume that did not lead to championships. From his work with the Pistons to close series losses with undermanned Dallas teams.

 

I'm so glad I'm not the only person who sees Jim Carrey every time I look at him haha. He's coaching up a storm right now though, this Pacer team's shocked everybody I think.

 

Thinking out loud looking at OKC,

Before G3, my instinct was to believe if the Pacers won, OKC would roar back and win G4 out of desperation. But if they had fatigue problems with 2 days off, how much more of a problem on Friday? LOL, I've never seen this OKC squad gassed before. They have clobbered teams all season with their depth. The way they lost G3 has to be very humbling and should create doubts in their minds.

SGA failed in the 4th because the constant pounding and hounding by several different, fresh defenders took a toll. Pacers also helped whenever he got too close to the basket. That strategy should continue to work. I seriously doubt he scores 34 or 38 points Friday unless the Pacers loosen up because they have a big lead.

J-Dub's gotta figure it out. He definitely made some plays and his stat line looked good, but the Pacers are relentlessly attacking his dribble and he's gotta slow down and play within himself. It also seems like he's rushing his pull-up jumper. That is a shot he has to make.

Chet's shelf-life at this point in the season (game 102) might be ~25 mins. His early burst last night was great, but the nosedive the rest of the way was embarrassing. 35 mins was clearly too much. He was The Walking Dead in the 4th quarter. Daigneault should adjust.

WIggins and Caruso nuked the Pacers bench in G2 but the Pacers bench returned the favor in spades last night. Somebody better step up huge in G4 or it's 1-3 going back home.

 

SGA may suffer from not being able to rest at the foul line
otherwise he will suffer

Rocket River

 

OKC should not be gassed. They had two days rest. They are young. The average age of their top 7 players is 25, oldest guy Caruso only 30. And they are supposed to be a deep team. Last night, nobody not named Shai played more than 36 minutes. That's a pretty reasonable amount for a healthy NBA player.

But Indy played more fresh bodies so that they can play fast and play high intensity defense especially in Q4.

I am rooting for the Pacers and I am still holding my breath even though they are up 2-1. It is clear to me that OKC is the better team. You can tell when two teams meet, one team plays with confidence right out the bat and the other team has to play extra hard to keep up. OKC is the former and Indy is the latter. (I had the same feeling when the Rockets played GS in the playoffs back in the days.)

The difference between this OKC team and other dominant teams in the past is that they are young. They lack the poise to get the job done when they aren't dominating the opponent. So if it's a close game down the stretch, Pacers will have the advantage. They just need to hang within the striking distance and deliver the knock out blow toward the end.

 

The Thunder curb stomp predictions seems to be more national media, including lot of the people from the Athletic. Decent number of People here seems to be pro Pacers or at least knew the series would be closer. We had an inkling, when Pacers played the Rockets this past regular season, they were formidable. The BBS knows.

 

- 800 Vegas

 

Thunder could still win. But I always thought Pacers would give them a good fight.

 

Let's not forget that OKC had a really good 68 win season with the best point differential. They were blowing out teams and resting starters in the 4th quarter. They've played a lot tighter in the playoffs with the pressure on them, which a young team is bound to go through. But we thought their experience losing in the 2nd round last year would get them over that hump, but it seems it didn't.

It's not like the Pacers have great playoff experience either. Only Siakam has that resume. But Carlisle is a great head coach and it's clearly showing throughout these playoffs that they don't panic and stick to their game plan.

On paper, OKC sounds like the stronger team. But we can't deny how well the Pacers have done this playoffs so I never discounted them like so many others have. The fact that the Pacers have only led for 10% of game time doesn't make me think they've got the series in the bag. One shot and OKC is up 2-1, and everyone thinks OKC is in control.