The Oklahoma City Thunder took a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals with a huge 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 on Monday.
The Pacers cut OKC’s lead to just two points in the fourth quarter, but the Thunder responded with a run of their own to hold on to the lead. OKC’s smothering defense was once again the deciding factor in the matchup.
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Jalen Williams led the Thunder’s strong performance from the opening tip and OKC led by ten points after the first quarter. While the Pacers are notorious for pulling off insane comebacks this postseason, the Thunder led the rest of the way.
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Both of these squads are elite on the offensive end, but OKC’s defense forced 23 turnovers while only giving up 11 of their own. Williams was fantastic for OKC, getting to the rim with ease. He finished with 40 points, six rebounds and four assists while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points and 10 assists.
Tyrese Haliburton was reportedly dealing with a calf issue during the game and struggled to make a significant impact on the offensive end. He finished with just four points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Pascal Siakam led a strong rally in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t overcome OKC’s response. He finished with 28 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
The series will now return to Indianapolis for Game 5 on Thursday as the OKC Thunder are one win away from being NBA champions.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
