After a two-day break, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers meet for Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.
How will the Thunder respond after losing Game 1 at home, 111-110, in nearly inexplicable fashion, blowing a 15-point lead before losing on Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds left on the clock? Does OKC shake the defeat off, chalking it up to a near-miraculous sequence by the Pacers?
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On the other side, will Indiana involuntarily ease up after getting a win on the road and stay content with taking a 1-1 tie back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse? Or will the Pacers push down on the gas with the opportunity to go up 2-0 in the series and put the Thunder in a hole with the next two games on their home court?
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points for OKC in Game 1. Indiana seemingly has to find an answer for him. But maybe the strategy is to let him score and keep his teammates in check. Jalen Williams was the Thunder’s second-leading scorer with 17.
Haliburton scored only 14 points in Game 1, tied for the fourth-highest total among the Pacers. He obviously hit the shot that mattered most, but Indiana coach Rick Carlisle countered the Thunder’s defensive effort by giving Andrew Nembhard ball-handling responsibilities in the fourth quarter. That allowed Haliburton to save energy and Indiana to get into its offense faster.
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If the Pacers win Game 2, the team with a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals has a 93% winning percentage. Taking a 2-0 lead as the road team has resulted in a series win 84% of the time.
How to watch Pacers-Thunder in Game 2 of NBA Finals
Date: Sunday, June 8
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Paycom Center | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
TV channel: ABC
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals:
