INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 11: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on … More
The best teams in the history of the NBA have overcome adversity to achieve the historic results that they’re ultimately remembered for. Following one of the best regular seasons of all time for the Oklahoma City Thunder, adversity is precisely what the team is facing as the NBA Finals unfold.
Following a Game 3 loss on Wednesday to go down 2-1 against the Indiana Pacers, the Thunder must now win three of its next four games to hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy later this month. Yet again, it was the fourth quarter and clutch minutes down the stretch that proved to be the detriment of Oklahoma City, as Indiana stole another game that the Thunder led entering the most pivotal part of the night.
The Pacers simply wanted it more, playing with more desperation in front of their electric home crowd, doing the little things and making the effort plays that ultimately made the difference.
“They really outplayed us in the fourth,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault after Game 3. “Give them credit. I thought we were in really good shape coming out of the third quarter, five-point lead. In the fourth quarter, I just thought they really outplayed us on both ends.”
The Thunder is undoubtedly the more talented team and has been in control for the majority of the minutes in this series, but hasn’t been able to close games out. Similar to the early part of OKC’s second-round series against the Denver Nuggets, it’s felt like the Thunder needs to blow the Pacers out to ensure a victory, given their late-game struggles.
In that series, Oklahoma City was able to grow on the fly and figure out ways to win close games, which will need to happen again in the NBA Finals. It will take more than just gameplan tweaks and shots falling, it will come down to execution and making the winning plays that the Thunder has made all season leading up to this point.
“It felt like they won all the 50/50 plays. They executed on both ends of the ball. When you give those two things up, no matter what quarter, you’re probably going to lose the quarter,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following the loss. “It goes back to especially on the road, hostile environment, crowd is behind them. We got to take care of those things if we want to come out of Game 4 with a dub.”
At this point in the season, it’s now or never. While the Thunder has a deep bench full of players who have contributed at various points of this postseason run, Game 4 is all about staying alive. Winning that contest is paramount in keeping this series going, so expect OKC’s rotations to be shorter and for the team’s core players to be on the floor more than ever before.
The series is far from over, but a loss on Friday would make it a steep uphill climb for the Thunder. Conversely, a victory would put Oklahoma City back in the driver’s seat.
“We have to understand the opportunity that we have and make the most of it,” said Holmgren on Thursday at practice.
If the Thunder can tie the series at 2-2, the NBA Finals will essentially become a three-game mini-series, with two of those contests being in Oklahoma City. Between regaining home-court advantage and carrying momentum into Game 5 with the series tied, OKC could feel very good about its chances if the series is tied at that point.
“I feel like we have to get back to being who we are, especially on the defensive end, being more connected,” Holmgren said of what needs to change for this to happen. “We have to close out possessions. On the other side, we have to take care of the ball and execute to the level and standard that we expect from us.”
A win on Friday would be the biggest in Oklahoma City’s history. Being two wins away from a title would be the closest the Thunder has ever been, given the team’s only other appearance in the NBA Finals concluded with a 4-1 defeat.
Game 4 is set to tip off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday at 7:30 p.m. CST on ABC.
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