Download the NBA App 2025 NBA playoffs schedule NBA playoffs: Bracket & complete coverage INDIANAPOLIS — The last time this city played host to an NBA Finals game was almost exactly 25 years ago — June 16, 2000 — when Indiana smacked the Los Angeles Lakers 120-87 in Game 5.
They did so in Game 6 a few nights later for the first NBA title of the Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson era.
Now, as then, the road team stole Game 1, thanks to Tyrese Haliburton’s cold-blooded jump shot with just 0.3 seconds left.
But series favorite Oklahoma City, which won 18 more games than Indiana in the regular season, found its footing to seize Game 2, 123-107.
Through two games of the Finals, OKC has been eight points better than Indiana with Gilgeous-Alexander in play, seven points better when he’s on the side.
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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 120-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 16, 2000, which was nearly exactly 25 years ago.
Although it was pleasant, it was hardly joyous because the Lakers had already taken a 3-2 lead in the series and were playing in the Finals’ traditional 2-3-2 format with two shots remaining. They accomplished this in Game 6 of the Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson era’s first NBA championship a few nights later.
But the circumstances surrounding the Finals’ return to this city may be more similar to those that occurred a year later. In June 2001, the Philadelphia 76ers, a significant underdog, defeated the Lakers in Game 1 thanks to 48 points from guard Allen Iverson (and his famous step-over against). Lue Tyronn.
And then L. a. won the title by a total of 40 points after dominating the next four games, three of which were played on the Sixers’ court. Two of the final three-peats for the Lakers.
With just 0:3 seconds remaining, Tyrese Haliburton’s icy jump shot gave the road team the victory in Game 1. However, Oklahoma City, the series favorite, took control of Game 2 123-107 after winning 18 more games than Indiana during the regular season.
The Pacers must value returning home more than Philadelphia did 25 years ago.
As the Thunder try to regain homecourt advantage at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Wednesday, 8:30 ET, ABC), Indiana will be looking for the following four indicators.
1. . While SGA sits, pacers eat.
In this series, Indiana must make the Thunder’s “non-SGA minutes” a reality. On/off numbers, which measure a team’s effectiveness when a particular player is on the court versus when they are not, are one of the more approachable analytical tools that have been introduced in recent years. how it functions while he is benched.
With the legendary center Nikola Jokić of Denver, who never seems to have enough help, it became popular. The Nuggets usually outscored teams by roughly 547 points when Jokić was on the court, but they are outscored by about 439 points when he is sitting. This is one of the reasons Jokić has won three Kia MVP awards. His team’s 2023 championship run turned it into a dramatic focal point, with fans waiting to watch Denver’s bottom drop out when the big man needed a break.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not require that measure of “value” to win this season’s MVP award. With the scoring champion in the game, the Thunder were 16 points 7 points ahead of their opponents per 100 possessions, and they were still 5 points 2 points ahead when he took a seat. OKC was excellent even without its best player, as evidenced by its net rating of 5 points, which would have placed it fourth overall.
Throughout the playoffs, the trend has persisted: 12.8 against… 6 Point 9. With Gilgeous-Alexander playing, OKC has led Indiana by eight points through the first two Finals games, and by seven points when he is not.
That second number must be addressed by the Pacers. Indiana must attack and at least win those few minutes, regardless of who starts OKC’s offense when Gilgeous-Alexander is not playing. That could be Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, or someone else. They should redirect the energy they use to slow Gilgeous-Alexander to their offensive.
In Game 1, they did it by outscoring them by four points in the 8:26 Gilgeous-Alexander out. They must do it again and again because does Indiana really believe it can win the minutes that Gilgeous-Alexander plays if it can’t win the ones he doesn’t?
2. Haliburton plays with greater aggression.
The idea that a star player “has to do more” or “has to step up” is the subject of simplistic halftime analysis. Indeed, I’m serious. The often-unanswered question is: How precisely?
Being a pass-first point guard, Haliburton finds it difficult to dictate how he wants to play. To create scoring opportunities for himself, he depends on his teammates to get open and make shots, even if they are only made in spurts. Gilgeous-Alexander, who can squeeze the trigger ten more times to keep his team afloat, is a volume shooter; he is not.
Nevertheless, Haliburton has taken 13 shots to end each Finals game. In Game 2, he scored 12 points late in the last quarter, and he has scored 14 and 17 points, respectively. That is insufficient. The Pacers are 7-1 in these playoffs when the guard has scored at least 20 points. Just 6-4 when he finishes below that.
His shot totals are no different. 15 or more, 8-1. 5-4 is less than that. In the Pacers’ first 16 postseason games, Haliburton averaged 3 points and 5 assists, but he has yet to make a free throw in the Finals.
Haliburton needs to be more assertive as a scorer, regardless of what it takes to get the ball on the run (the Thunder have so far jammed him on those) or to pass, cut, and score again. At least somewhat.
3. . Holmgren defends more than just rim.
The Thunder’s big, gangly player, Chet Holmgren, didn’t perform well in the first game of the Finals. In Game 2, he significantly increased his impact, going far beyond his 15 points, six rebounds, and one blocked shot.
The 7-foot-1, 208-pound Holmgren demonstrated his defensive skills in nearly every scenario that was thrown at him on Sunday. Holmgren moves his feet well overall and doesn’t need to play as close to an attacker to deter the shot because of his length, so he and his teammates aren’t afraid to have him switch onto smaller, quicker players.
When Holmgren and center Isaiah Hartenstein are on the court, Holmgren can also veer as far as he needs to on the ball and knows that the restricted area is covered. Both big men received praise from coach Mark Daigneault for their efforts in Game 2 against the Pacers’ pick-and-rolls.
4. Pay attention to the whistles.
Many Pacers fans believed that while Indiana didn’t get nearly as much leeway as OKC, the latter was allowed to play its physical, handsy style of defense in its two home games. It’s possible that some of the calls were subtly influenced by each team’s reputation, but that could just be fan speak.
It could also have been influenced by the noisy crowd at Paycom Center. With Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Indiana hosting equally fervent (if not quite as boisterous) crowds for Games 3 and 4, that is about to change.
For the record, Oklahoma City has made 50 jumpers, shot 57 free throws, and been called for 39 fouls thus far. 47, 47, and 34 for Indiana. Considering that OKC has only outscored the Pacers by 15 points in the two games played, their 16-point advantage from the foul line is somewhat crucial.
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Since 1980, Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA. You may follow him on X, locate his archive here, and send him an email here.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Warner Bros., the NBA, or its clubs. discovery.
