Oklahoma City has made a big change ahead of Saturday’s must-win Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers as star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander warned there’s no room for fatigue down 2-1 in the NBA Finals to the Indiana Pacers.
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The Thunder decided to go small to start the first three games of the Finals, promoting Cason Wallace and moving Isaiah Hartenstein to the bench.
But in a big change and admission from coach Mark Daigneault that the move hasn’t had the desired impact, Hartenstein is back in the starting line-up for Game 4.
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It comes after Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a timely message after the Pacers rallied in the fourth quarter to seize the lead in the best-of-seven series with a Game 3 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“You got to suck it up,” the NBA Most Valuable Player said.
“There’s a maximum four games left in the season. It’s what you worked the whole season for. It’s what you worked all summer for.
“To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win.”
Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t actually acknowledge that fatigue was a factor as his production faded in the fourth quarter of game three.
The regular-season scoring leader, Gilgeous-Alexander had combined for 72 points in games one and two, including 34 in Oklahoma City’s game-two win.
But he finished Thursday with 24 points -- just three in the fourth quarter -- and committed six turnovers, his most ever in a playoff game.
“I think we’re trying to make it tough on him,” said Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard, who has been effective defending Gilgeous-Alexander.
“The biggest thing is just you’re persistent, trying to make it tough on him. It’s a team job. We all have to be locked in and tied together on that end of the floor to get it done.”
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But Gilgeous-Alexander said he was “not too sure” fatigue played a role when Indiana out-scored OKC 32-18 in the fourth quarter.
“I don’t think so,” he said.
“It’s a physical game. We’ve had plenty of physical games. We’ve had games like that where I’ve been great late, games where I’ve stunk late.”
All he can do, he added, was stick to his own game.
“It’s become so second nature the way I play, the way I think about the game. It’s just part of who I am.
“My leadership is the same. It’s been all year, been organic to who I am.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was confident Gilgeous-Alexander will adapt.
“I think one of his superpowers is the ability to get into the next possession, the next game, the next experience,” Daigneault said.
“He’s the last guy I’m worried about with that.”
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