What can the Thunder exchange to take Game 2 of the NBA Finals?

Prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, this creator indexed 5 power issues that would come to a decision the championship. Some got here to mild even within the sequence opener with one. The Oklahoma City Thunder shelved their two-big lineup 30 mins previous to tip off!

Before this night time’s 2d contest, let’s check out what the Thunder could possibly do to steer clear of losing each house video games and, almost definitely, the sequence to the Indiana Pacers.

Winning the turnover struggle isn’t sufficient

The Thunder’s skill to show their opposition over was once, as expected, overwhelming. What was once sudden was once their lack of ability to show reside ball errors into transition baskets. Indiana dedicated a daft 20 first-half turnovers in Game 1, but OKC handiest generated 9 issues from mentioned turnovers. Part of that was once good fortune, with 11 of the ones turnovers being dead-ball and, via definition, fighting Thunder runouts.

The different issue was once very good defensive transition from Indiana. No doubt Pacers trainer Rick Carlisle, whose genius is in any case being identified, had his group prepped to retreat with haste each time the ball was once misplaced, however the Thunder merely weren’t ruthless sufficient on the basket, nor did they leak out in numbers ceaselessly sufficient. It ended in a 12-point halftime margin, when it most certainly must had been double that.

Do ‘Plan A’ higher

Broadcaster Richard Jefferson known as Mark Daignault’s choice to start out guard Cason Wallace rather than middle Isaiah Hartenstein a mental win for Indiana, who had already made the Thunder deviate from two-big Plan A earlier than the gamers took to the ground.

The justification for the transfer made sufficient sense, however a crossmatch can paintings each tactics. While Wallace obviously contributed to Indiana’s first-half turnover fest, Pascal Siakam was once ready to seek mismatches, his offense nearly single-handedly preserving Indiana within the contest during the first 1/2. His top and gear have been merely overwhelming for Jalen Williams, Wallace, and even the cinderblock this is Lu Dort. It additionally supposed that the Thunder didn’t have backline lend a hand with Holmgren having to recognize Myles Turner’s out of doors danger.

At the opposite finish, Holmgren was once outmuscled via Myles Turner, resulting in an abysmal, six-point (2/9 from the sector) efficiency. For all his on-ball abilities, Holmgren merely doesn’t have the heft to play on the ring towards behemoths. Hartenstein unlocks such a lot of what makes Chet tick. Expect Daignault to place Holmgren able to excel in Game 2.

Shai wishes some lend a hand

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once very good in Game 1, pouring in 38 issues at close to 50% potency. He was once unstoppable from inside and outside. Yet, you’ll’t lend a hand feeling like that was once the Pacers’ plan.

As discussed within the Pressure Points piece, Indiana has let one participant get theirs throughout those playoffs however close the provision for the supporting forged. Dort isn’t prone to hit 5 threes once more this sequence so — to not pass all Stephen A. Smith — one (or each) of Williams and Holmgren want to step up.