After a convincing 123-107 win in Game 2, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder successfully bounced back and displayed the resilience of a championship team. While discussing the process of coming back from a loss in the first game of the NBA Finals, the Thunder star detailed the next steps forward with ESPN after the game.
“You can’t get comfortable,” he said. “You’ve got to focus on the little things, recovery, you’ve got to focus on the game plan. And ultimately, I’m going to sound like a broken record, but get better for the next game and the next opportunity.”
While speaking about the team’s resilience after a chaotic finish to Game 1, which eventually resulted in a loss, Gilgeous-Alexander said:
“We’ve just used this opportunity to get better. We’ve done a really good job of that all year, and the last game was no different. Tonight is the same thing. Did some things good tonight. Did some things bad. But we’ve got to get better and get ready for Game 3.”
Although the Thunder had done a solid job of establishing themselves in Game 1 as well, a fourth-quarter comeback mounted by the Pacers saw their 15-point lead evaporate into thin air.
More late-game heroics by Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton sealed the win for his team. However, OKC appeared to be unfazed by this miraculous performance. A calm and methodical dissection of Indiana’s defense on Sunday night was a clear depiction of this.
Oklahoma showcased its ability as the best defensive team in the NBA. Every attempt Indiana made at cutting through the lead was met with tough covers, eventually leading to turnovers, as the Pacers stacked 15 for the night.
The efforts of Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, and Aaron Wiggins were immense in ensuring this. The Thunder star himself played an active role in forcing turnovers, securing four steals on the night in the process. Caruso and Wiggins also contributed on the scoring front, with 20 and 18 points, respectively.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s effort on both ends of the floor was critical in dictating success. His contribution of 34 points, five rebounds, and eight assists also saw him break a record, surpassing Allen Iverson for the most points scored in the first two games of the NBA Finals.
OKC’s star didn’t carry his team alone. His co-star, Jalen Williams, put up a significant contribution of 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Meanwhile, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren bounced back from a poor performance in Game 1 with a solid 15 points and six rebounds on 5-11 shooting from the field.
With the series tied at 1-1, there appears to be a stalemate at the moment. However, given how dominant OKC’s performance was, it would be safe to say they have the upper hand.
As the series heads to Indiana for the next set of games, the Thunder will look to capitalize on this. With each win taking them one step closer to the title, OKC will come out firing in Game 3 on Wednesday at 8:30 pm ET.
