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Thunder vs Pacers: Five Takeaways from NBA Finals Game 2

Just like in Game 1, the Oklahoma City Thunder came out swinging against the Indiana Pacers in Game 2. This time, however, they were nowhere close to blowing the colossal lead they built. It was all about poise. The Thunder vs Pacers series continues to impress with OKC swinging hard to win Game 2, but what did they do to beat Indiana this time?

Jun 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) and Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) leap for the rebound during the fourth quarter of game two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

They kept their focus on the game at hand. With a dominant 123-107 win, the Thunder are back in the NBA Finals squaring up the series at 1-1. Everything went Oklahoma City’s way, and it was somewhat of a signature win for the team. Now they are feeling good heading into Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals.

Thunder vs Pacers: Five Takeaways from NBA Finals Game 2

As the series enters its next stage with a change of scenery, here are some of the biggest takeaways from OKC’s impressive response against Indiana in Game 2.

1. Shai Did Masterful Playmaking

After having just three assists in his still impressive NBA Finals debut, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered the call. He still scored big as usual with 34 points and totaled 72 points in his first two games of the NBA Finals – the most in the history of the big stage. However, what was stunningly on display was his impressive playmaking for the whole game.

His fingerprints were all over the floor. He stole the ball four times and even blocked a shot. He grabbed five boards. But what helped OKC well in this Game 2 win was him dishing out a massive number of assists. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with eight dimes this time, finding his open teammates and even coming up with hockey assists as well.

SGA has always been efficient during his games, able to draw defenders and come up with either a basket or an assist for his teammate. The 2024-25 MVP made sure that he would be able to get the rest of the team up and running, and he did that well. His playmaking was challenged well in the Denver series, and he has improved on that ever since.

2. Hali-Gone?


After coming up with a majestic finish to beat OKC in Game 1, Tyrese Haliburton went missing for 40 minutes of the game. The Pacers guard did finish with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, but only had three points in the first half. He is indeed the engine that runs Indiana’s pace, but not coming alive in the early game allowed the Thunder to dictate the game instead, and it proved to be crucial for the whole game.

To be fair, “The Moment” did not have any moments at all, save for the final stretch in which he scored 12 points in the fourth quarter on 83.3% shooting. However, it was when the game was already out of reach. On top of that, Haliburton is lauded well for his assists. He finished with six, but had five turnovers – the most for Indiana in the loss.

There are a lot of doubts about his off-nights in which he disappears and the rest of the Pacers have to fend for themselves. If Indiana is going to come out swinging in Games 3 and 4, Haliburton has to stay consistent in his game.

3. The Supreme Oklahoma City Defense is Online

While they did not force a lot of turnovers on Indiana’s end, the Thunder was still menacing to face in this game. In fact, the defense was more alive – forcing Indiana to shoot outside the paint in the first half, then later hounding the perimeter to run off shooters. The Pacers were absolutely knocked off their game and looked missing for most of the game.

Oklahoma City was able to capitalize off huge misses from Indiana as well, which allowed them to come up with the avalanche runs that were a sign of their dominant game. The Pacers were always coming in to answer those runs, but the Thunder also managed to keep their foot on the gas and did not let up this time.

This Thunder vs Pacers series was expected to be decided on who comes up big on defense. So far, the first two games has shown that well, and the Western Conference champions did not hold back.

4. The Battle of the Bigs is Looming

Hear me out. The reason why Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault opted to start Cason Wallace was because of Pascal Siakam. The combo of Siakam and Myles Turner negated the impressive duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. However, it seems that Daigneault has figured out how to play his bigs at the right time – and it paid off well.

Siakam scored eight of his 15 points coming off free throws, while Turner was able to play his typical game. What changed was the timing for OKC’s bigs to play together. When both Siakam and Turner were on the floor, Daigneault opted to go small. When Thomas Bryant checked in to replace Spicy P, Hartenstein logged minutes.

It was all about timing. The Thunder’s twin towers stood tall for the whole game. Hartenstein finished at +17 and Holmgren had his bounce-back game.

5. The Supporting Cast Truly Matters

We have seen how Indiana won Game 1 without anyone scoring beyond 19 points. It was still the same this time, but the difference was OKC’s supporting cast has come alive. Alex Caruso finished with 20 points and knocked down four threes. Aaron Wiggins had a big game of his own and ended up with 18 points and five threes.


The bench pair had more threes made than the entire starting lineup. Even more than the Thunder big three (who was overall impressive with a combined 68-point effort). For OKC, it’s all about the next man up, and they sure showed their supporting cast has what it takes. Caruso was stinging like a bee on defense, while Wiggins was sparking the team with his bursts.

Everything clicked for Oklahoma City’s supporting cast, and nothing went well for Indiana’s side of it. This is going to be a crucial factor in the Thunder vs Pacers series, and the NBA Finals is getting more intense thanks to it.

What to Expect in Game 3?

The NBA Finals now moves to Indiana for Games 3 and 4. This just means that the Pacers will have the home advantage on their side. OKC, for instance, has gone 1-2 in Game 3s, losing the last two against Denver and Minnesota.

It is also worth noting that bench players tend to do better at home. So it is going to be a must-watch to see which team’s supporting cast will show up this time. Teams that end up having a 2-1 series lead in the Finals won 79.4% of the time with a 50-13 record.

Overall, Game 3 of the Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals is going to have high stakes. It means both teams will come out firing, and there’s bigger moments to expect moving forward in this series.

Photo credit: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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