Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his signature game for the series so far - putting up 11 field goal and free throw makes apiece. Tyrese Haliburton struggled to make meaningful impact on the boxscore until well after the game was decided, and Oklahoma City beat up Indiana 123-107 in Game 2.
Oklahoma City’s AT&T men, Gilgeous-Alexander (34 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals), Chet Holmgren (15 points and 6 rebounds), and Jalen Williams (19 points and 5 assists) outplayed their visiting counterparts tonight, and ensured that no comeback would occur. Alex Caruso (20 points) and Aaron Wiggins (21 points) - while shooting an identical 6-for-11 - helped catapult the Thunder the driver’s seat in the first half.
Haliburton (17 points and 6 assists) did not pass double digits until deep into the fourth quarter, while Pascal Siakam (15 points and 7 rebounds) also had a muted impact tonight - forcing the other Indiana rotation players to capably fill-in, which did not happen.
The well-played first quarter looked like a continuation of Game 1 - with much frenzied defensive activity and the teams exchanging baskets and leads. Holmgren stood out most for the Thunder with heightened effort and results on both ends, but especially on offense. Isaiah Hartenstein, after Cason Wallace started again, kept several possessions alive with his hunger for caroms.
Indiana’s offense stalled out for the first part of the second period, with shots that were not necessarily bad or forced ones, but with many just falling feebly off the rim. Oklahoma City capitalized to expand their lead to as much as 21, while a good many Pacers shots danced around the rim before falling off. The second period was the Aaron Wiggins’ quarter, as he hit several crucial threes. When the outside shots weren’t falling for OKC, MVP Gilgeous-Alexander worked his way through the paint for a handful of scores during their run. The Pacers cobbled together a 10-0 run but still found themselves in a 41-59 hole at halftime.
Indiana settled into a nicer groove in the halfcourt to start the third, but it was ultimately for naught, as Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein again came in to help disrupt things in OKC’s favor. Gilgeous-Alexander put his stamp on this game starting with a steal and transition opportunity late in the period. His turnaround jumper on the left block put the Thunder up 20. Despite the Pacers’ effort to make it a ballgame, they left the third ultimately down further than they were at halftime.
### Observations
* It’s been 11 years already, but this was [Zach Lowe’s pre-finals articl](https://grantland.com/features/nba-finals-preview-heat-spurs-2014/)e for Heat/Spurs II.
* I watched the majority of the game on the “Above the Rim” camera angle, and it felt like watching an NBA 2K game. It also allowed me not to hear Richard Jefferson and Doris Burke. It also allowed an easy view into how much ground both teams covered in their dogged defense.
* So, the television production team put digital trophies on the court to further demonstrate how cheaply ESPN/ABC treats such an important occasion like the Finals.
* It’s hokey as hell, but the OKC chants on offense are easily repeatable.
* AT least in this game, it was easier to contrast Gilgeous-Alexander’s smoother driving ability versus Haliburton’s helter-skelter pacing.
* Alex Caruso would have been a mighty Spur.
* Kenrich Williams looks like an NBA 2K NPC (background character).
* **Sequence of the Game #1**: Late in the opening frame, Obi Toppin tried to lay a soft floater up, which Holmgren swatted out of bounds.
* **Sequence of the Game #2**: Only 70 seconds into the second period, Jalen Williams banked home a deft floater as part of an and-1 of his own to push the OKC advantage out to eight.
### Game Rundown
The teams exchanged baskets on the first three possessions. Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton largely played off ball. Lu Dort hit on his third three attempt to put OKC up 7-5. Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton connected on their first attempts moments later. The teams stayed within one posesssion of each other over several minutes of the stanza. Current favorite for Unsung Player or Secondary MVP Caruso hit a three that was answered by Benedict Mathurin. After Haliburton’s three eked Indiana ahead, OKC closed the quarter out on a 9-0 run - Isaiah Joe’s reverse and Holmgren’s flurry of buckets standing out the most. The Pacers ended the first down 20-26.
Wiggins’ spinning lay-up was answered by a TJ McConnell corner three to make an exciting start to the second. The Thunder pushed their lead to ten, but a pair of Turner and Mathurin buckets sliced into it quickly. Wiggins’ three made it 38-27. The feeble Pacers offense didn’t pass 30 until nearly eight minutes through the second. Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down a pretty floater, and lived up to his free throw earning nickname the next time down with an and-1. After some tough moments for the Pacers, they found themselves down 23. Indiana did mount a 10-run capped by a Aaron Nesmith three, but found themselves back down 18 after a transition three from Caruso. OKC went into the break comfortably ahead.
The teams matched baskets over the first handful of minutes of the third, and Indiana failed to make a noticeable dent into their deficit. Each possession seemed fraught with titanic battles for the precious space around the perimeter and near the basket. A Nesmith three closed the gap to 14. That momentum was short-lived once Caruso, Hartenstein, and Wiggins re-entered game action. Oklahoma City essentially had the game in hand as they went to the fourth up 93-74.