@vivekmjacob
watching the clutch minutes back and that sequence of pascal blocking sga and then getting the putback on nembhard’s miss was sooooo huge – 12:40 AM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
OKC wins TO battle 24-6 and takes 16 more shots & gets 38 points from SGA (and five 3s from Lu Dort) and still lose because the Pacers wouldn’t let go of the rope and Haliburton is cash at the buzzer. Pacers win 111-110 after trailing every minute of the game. Wild. – 11:12 PM

Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
The Thunder had 18 fewer turnovers. OKC took 3 more FTs. They took 15 more shots within 4 feet of the rim. Committed 3 fewer fouls. Had a 15 point lead in the 4th quarter. SGA had 38 points. And OKC still lost. – 11:11 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Man that is a great job by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to split the blitz, kicks to Jalen Williams who had a great fake pass for an open 3 and just missed it. Its a make or miss league and right now Indy is making more from 3. 3 Point game. – 10:57 PM

Scott Agness @ScottAgness
Haha Siakam pretended to tie his shoe in front of the free throw line to give the bench more time to consider challenging the foul. Haliburton signaled that his arm was held.
Instead, two FTs for SGA (32pts). – 10:52 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
That was great work by Pacers in between timeouts. Caruso beat Toppin for a difficult bucket through a foul, but he failed to complete the 3-point play
Before that, Nembhard and-one on Caruso and made his FT, while Toppin/Turner uncorked 3s
Time for SGA and Holmgren to return. – 10:44 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
OKC is +18 in the possession battle through 3 quarters
But they might want Jalen Williams/Chet Holmgren to discover the bucket with SGA on the bench – 10:28 PM

Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Huge triple by SGA right before the buzzer. Siakam hit a corner 3 to bring the deficit to six.
The score stands at 85-76 entering the fourth. SGA with 28. Siakam with 16.
Only 3 turnovers in the third for the Pacers – 10:25 PM

Scott Agness @ScottAgness
Huge momentum 3 from SGA (28pts) to close the 3Q. Instead of a six-point game, OKC’s lead is nine, 85-76. Yet it doesn’t feel close at all.
Both teams shooting above 41% from range. Siakam with 8 of his 16pts in the 3Q.
Just 2TOs by each team. – 10:24 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
The Thunder have done a good job of keeping the Pacers at arms length and a big reason why is shots like that from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a pull up triple at the end of the 3rd gives OKC an 85-76 lead entering the fourth. – 10:23 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
57-45 OK, SGA with 19 (8/18), Dort with 9 (3/5 from 3). Amazing Pacers are in touch given they’ve made 18 T0s, but OKC shooting just 37% from floor. – 9:42 PM

Scott Agness @ScottAgness
Pacers down 57-45 at the break. Thunder took 18 more shots as the Pacers committed 19 turnovers (but only for 9pts) — including 6 in a row over 1:35. Their playoff-high FOR A GAME is 20, vs NYK.
SGA has 19pts. IND antsy early, then Thunder had active hands + were everywhere – 9:41 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
SGA has gotten OKC back to back stops by poking free an entry pass and drawing an offensive foul. Lu Dort’s 3 sends OKC up 10 into this INDY Timeout. – 9:29 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
One thing Isaiah Hartenstein does better for this group is his ability to land a screen at or near the timeline, Those high screens give OKC an advantage when he is in. Tried it there with Chet and couldn’t create contact to free up SGA going down the floor. – 9:27 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
29-20 Thunder after 1Q and SGA being super aggressive, has 12 on 11 shots. Thunder able to contain Haliburton (1/3) while mostly staying at home (Pacers 3/9 from 3. Does not bode well. – 9:09 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
My Lord, Shai. Great job taking the Hartenstein screen tight on the sideline, getting to the baseline then using his shoulder to step back and drain a middy to send INDY into a Timeout. Thunder up 10. – 9:02 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
“These Finals don’t have star power”
SGA: MVP
Hali: 2X All Star/2X All NBA
JDub: All Star/All NBA/All Defense
Siakam: 3X All Star/2X All NBA/NBA champion
Dort: 1st Team All Defense
Chet: #2 pick/consensus budding star
Caruso: 2X All Defense/NBA champion
Wiggins: Saved Basketball – 2:17 PM

Lu Dort: There was a small moment about five years ago, when I realized Shai was like no joke. This was in the 2019–2020 season, before the bubble. I was a rookie, and Shai had just been traded to OKC at the time, with Chris Paul and Dennis Schröder and those guys. It all goes back to this one night in Detroit. I remember Coach Donovan had called a timeout, and we were in the huddle. Shai was one of the youngest players on the team, but I think he was already our best scorer. And I don’t know who was calling the play, but basically, the ball wasn’t going to Shai. Shai’s a chill dude. He didn’t get mad or anything. He just kept it real. He was like, “Let me get a couple plays,” or something like that. A young player saying that at the time was like, Oh. He wasn’t out of pocket or anything, it was just bold. It would’ve been one thing if he had said it and gone out and got a few buckets. But it was Shai, so he went on like a 12–0 run by himself. I was like, That’s real. -via The Players’ Tribune / June 5, 2025