**Tip-off:** 7pm @ Paycom Center, Oklahoma City | **Broadcast:** ABC
### _⚡_The irrelevant past
Game 1 of the conference semis ≠ Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The young Thunder aren't done growing until they win a title. And as alluring as the parallels are, Game 1's meltdown isn't a sign that some fatal bug in the Thunder machine didn't get patched after the Denver series (when OKC had a Game 1 meltdown in dissimilar fashion). OKC needs to win two of their next three games to retake control of the series, and beating the feel-good Pacers is much different than beating the old-guard Nuggets.
### _⚡_The Big Other Two
Through most of the postseason, Oklahoma City's strength-in-numbers advantages were enough to carry them without consistently great performances from Shai's co-stars. It was almost enough to win the opener, despite JDub going freezing cold down the stretch while Chet got benched. Shai has become one of the premier playoff players in the NBA (notwithstanding his shaky defensive performance against Indy), but JDub and Chet are still establishing themselves. Game 2 is their next step in becoming title-worthy costars, should they take it. The Thunder need it.
_⚡_Prediction: OKC 134 IND 115
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Thunder in 5.