2025 NBA Finals Thunder vs Pacers Game 2 Analysis: Thunder Even Series With Dominant Performance
The Oklahoma City Thunder responded to their Game 1 heartbreak with a statement performance in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, dominating the Indiana Pacers 123-107 to even the series at 1-1. Unlike the series opener where the Pacers staged a miraculous comeback, Sunday night’s contest saw the Thunder maintain control from start to finish, showcasing why they were the NBA’s best regular-season team with 68 wins. Led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 34-point masterclass and crucial contributions from role players, OKC left no room for another Pacers miracle. Let’s break down how the Thunder flipped the script and what it means for the remainder of this championship series. SGA Continues Historic Finals Debut Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his historic NBA Finals debut with another stellar performance, pouring in 34 points while adding eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals. His command of the game was evident from the opening tip, as he systematically picked apart Indiana’s defense with his signature mid-range game and crafty finishes at the rim. With his first basket at 8:24 of the first quarter, SGA surpassed 3,000 points for the season (including regular season and playoffs), joining an elite club that includes Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kobe Bryant. Through two Finals games, he’s averaging 36.0 points – the most ever by a player in his first two NBA Finals games, edging Allen Iverson’s 71 points in 2001. “You have to stay focused on the task at hand,” Gilgeous-Alexander said post-game, sporting a John Lennon T-shirt under an Oxford collar. “Even tonight we had some moments of slippage… We just strung it together more often tonight.” Thunder’s Supporting Cast Steps Up After a disappointing Game 1 where Gilgeous-Alexander lacked adequate support, the Thunder’s role players answered the call in Game 2. Alex Caruso scored 20 points off the bench, while Aaron Wiggins provided a surprising spark with 18 points, including five three-pointers. Chet Holmgren bounced back from his Game 1 struggles (6 points on 2-of-9 shooting) to contribute 15 points and six rebounds. Similarly, Jalen Williams recovered from his poor shooting night to add 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. “With more threats on the floor, it took the pressure off Gilgeous-Alexander to be the sole shot creator in half-court situations, which opened the floodgates for everyone else,” noted Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “There was a lot of things we were just a little better in, more comfortable, and that’s at both ends of the floor.” Perhaps most telling was Kenrich Williams’ impact – in just 7:37 of playing time, the Thunder outscored the Pacers by 15 points during his minutes, despite Williams not scoring a single point. Defensive Adjustments Stifle Pacers The Thunder’s defense, ranked best in both the regular season and playoffs, showed its true form in Game 2. OKC held Indiana to just 34 points in the paint (well below their playoff average of 44) and forced 15 turnovers that led to easy transition opportunities. Lu Dort’s defensive masterclass on Tyrese Haliburton was particularly noteworthy. Haliburton, Indiana’s star guard who hit the game-winner in Game 1, was limited to just five points on 2-of-7 shooting through the first three quarters. He finished with 17 points, but most came in garbage time when the outcome was already decided. “Indiana is kind of an acquired taste,” Daigneault explained. “The Thunder, the NBA’s best defense in the regular and postseasons, simply didn’t give the Pacers any room to breathe life into another upset.” Never Miss a Finals Moment Get expert NBA analysis delivered straight to your inbox. Our team breaks down the X’s and O’s, player performances, and strategic adjustments you won’t find anywhere else. Subscribe to NBA Insider Pacers’ Stars Need to Step Up While the Thunder’s complementary pieces shined, Indiana’s stars faltered. Pascal Siakam, who was instrumental in the Eastern Conference Finals, shot just 3-of-11 from the field, finishing with 15 points despite getting to the free-throw line nine times. Tyrese Haliburton’s late-game heroics from Game 1 couldn’t be replicated, as he was largely neutralized by OKC’s defensive scheme. He managed just three points in the first half and was visibly limping in his postgame press conference, raising concerns about his health moving forward. “This version of the duo simply wasn’t, and frankly won’t be, enough to beat this version of the Thunder playing at this level,” noted Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “It’s on Siakam and Haliburton to set the tone as soon as the ball tips, which neither player successfully did in Game 2.” The supporting cast around Haliburton and Siakam carried much of the weight in Game 2. Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard combined for 41 points, while Bennedict Mathurin added 14 points off the bench. No Comeback Magic This Time Unlike Game 1, where the Pacers erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to steal the win, Game 2 offered no such drama. The Thunder built a lead that reached 23 points in the second quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout most of the contest. Indiana trailed by six after one quarter, by 18 at halftime, and by 19 through three quarters. When Haliburton finally found his rhythm in the fourth quarter, it was too little, too late – the Thunder simply traded baskets with him, never allowing the lead to dip below 15 points. “For a Pacers team that’s staged five comebacks of at least 15 points this postseason, they couldn’t do it again,” observed Carlisle. “Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. That was an easy one,” he added, referring to his choice to pull Haliburton in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Series Implications and Game 3 Preview With the series tied 1-1, the action shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Wednesday night. This marks the first time in these playoffs that the Pacers haven’t held a 2-0 series lead, but they’ve accomplished their primary goal of stealing home-court advantage. “I think any time you’re the lower seed
Pacers Thunder Game 1 Comeback Haliburton: The Shot That Stunned Oklahoma City
The Indiana Pacers pulled off yet another playoff miracle Thursday night, with Tyrese Haliburton delivering a game-winning jumper with just 0.3 seconds remaining to cap an incredible 15-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The 111-110 victory continued Indiana’s remarkable pattern of late-game heroics this postseason, giving them a 1-0 series lead and stealing home-court advantage from the heavily favored Thunder. Another Improbable Pacers Thunder Game 1 Comeback For nearly 48 minutes, the Thunder appeared in complete control of Game 1. Oklahoma City’s suffocating defense forced 25 Pacers turnovers, including 19 in the first half alone. The Thunder built a lead that stretched to 15 points with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But these Pacers have made a habit of defying the odds. Indiana trailed by nine with 2:52 left before mounting a stunning 12-2 run to close the game. The comeback culminated with Haliburton’s pull-up jumper that gave Indiana its first and only lead of the entire night. “Look, it was just hit the reset button, let’s go whistle to whistle in the third quarter and try to chip away at it and try to hang in,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle explained after the game. “This is going to be a long journey and a lot going on, so we’re just going to have to keep our eye on the ball and keep focusing on one another.” Haliburton’s Heroics Seal the Deal Despite a relatively quiet night before his final shot, Haliburton finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. His game-winner came after Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a pull-up jumper that would have extended Oklahoma City’s lead to three points. “HOW. MANY. MORE. TIMES. Can this team do that?” exclaimed Pacers radio voice Mark Boyle on his call of Haliburton’s game-winner. Mark Boyle, Pacers Radio Announcer The clutch shot adds to Haliburton’s growing collection of playoff heroics this season: In Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, Haliburton drove for a last-second layup in overtime after the Pacers trailed by 7 with 40 seconds left. His 3-pointer with 1 second remaining gave Indiana a 120-119 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the second round after trailing by 7 with 57 seconds to go. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, his high-bouncing basket at the regulation buzzer sent the game to overtime after the Pacers trailed by 9 with 58 seconds left. Balanced Attack Overcomes Thunder’s Defense While Haliburton hit the decisive shot, the Pacers relied on a balanced offensive attack to stay within striking distance. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 19 points, while all five starters and six players overall scored in double figures. The Pacers’ 3-point shooting played a crucial role in their comeback, as they finished 18-of-39 from deep (46.2%). Reserve forward Obi Toppin was particularly effective, draining five 3-pointers off the bench to help swing momentum in Indiana’s favor. Pacers’ Key Contributors Pascal Siakam: 19 points Tyrese Haliburton: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists Obi Toppin: 15 points (5-8 from 3-point range) Andrew Nembhard: Key defensive stops on SGA Thunder’s Standout Performers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 38 points (14-30 FG) Lu Dort: 15 points, strong defensive presence Alex Caruso: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals off bench Thunder’s Missed Opportunity Despite forcing 25 turnovers, Oklahoma City couldn’t fully capitalize on Indiana’s mistakes, scoring only 11 points off those takeaways. The Thunder attempted 16 more field goals than the Pacers but converted on only 39.8% of their 98 shots. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 38-point performance was impressive but required 30 shot attempts. His missed jumper in the final seconds opened the door for Haliburton’s heroics. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault’s decision to go with a smaller lineup down the stretch may have contributed to Indiana’s ability to control the glass. The Pacers outrebounded the Thunder 56-39, a significant factor in overcoming their turnover disadvantage. Coaching Chess Match The game featured an interesting strategic battle between Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and Pacers veteran coach Rick Carlisle. Daigneault’s decision to start guard Cason Wallace over center Isaiah Hartenstein represented a shift to a smaller, more agile lineup against the fast-paced Pacers. However, this move may have backfired in the closing minutes. Wallace was a team-worst -13 in 33 minutes and was defending Haliburton on the game-winning shot. Additionally, Daigneault’s decision to pull Chet Holmgren in the final minutes left the Thunder vulnerable on the boards. Carlisle, meanwhile, showed why he’s considered one of the NBA’s elite tacticians, making key adjustments that allowed his team to chip away at the Thunder’s lead and ultimately complete the comeback. Historical Context of the Comeback The Pacers’ Game 1 victory continues their unprecedented run of comebacks this postseason. They have now come back to win four games in which they trailed by 17 or more points in these playoffs — the most in a single playoffs in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98). Since 1996-97, there have been four playoff games in which a team rallied to win after trailing by seven or more points in the final 0:50 of the 4th quarter or OT. The Pacers have three of those four wins in this playoff run alone, one in each round. This was the first NBA Finals Game 1 in history to be decided by just one point, making the Pacers Thunder Game 1 comeback even more remarkable. Fan Reaction The stunning comeback left Thunder fans in Paycom Center stunned into silence, while Pacers fans watching back in Indianapolis erupted in celebration. Social media immediately lit up with reactions to Haliburton’s clutch shot and the Pacers’ improbable victory. The dramatic finish further cemented this Pacers team’s reputation as the “comeback kings” of the NBA playoffs and turned what many expected to be a Thunder coronation into a potentially competitive series. Looking Ahead to Game 2 The series continues with Game 2 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City. The Thunder