Just when the narrative seemed to have shifted in the Pacers’ favor, the Thunder stormed back in Game Two of the National Basketball Association Finals the other day. In the process, they effectively shifted the momentum with the kind of defiance that had hitherto come to define them. Considering the sobering manner in which they snatched defeat from the throes of victory in the opener, fans were understandably left to wonder whether the imperative was too overwhelming. Well, the Thunder responded, and with purpose. They didn’t simply bounce back; they made a statement.
Certainly, the Thunder couldn’t afford to lose a second straight outing at the Paycom Center. The difference between going down 0-2 and traveling to Gainbridge Fieldhouse knotted at 1–1 is immeasurably seismic — and they played with purpose as a result. As in Game One, they hit the ground running the other day; they led early on, and then used the remainder of the contest to affirm their superiority. Unlike in Game One, however, they made sure not to collapse in the crunch. And they did so by applying relentless pressure on both ends of the court.
Needless to say, Most Valuable Player awardee Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone throughout with a renewed sense of aggression. And, critically, he was backstopped by all those in blue, red, and yellow. In short, they were themselves — individually brilliant but even greater as a whole. From Jalen Williams to Chet Holmgren to Lu Dort to Cason Wallace to Isaiah Hartenstein to Aaron Wiggins, everybody delivered. And amid all their contributions, supersub Alex Caruso stood out.
Bottom line, the Thunder looked far more cohesive. Their switches were crisper, their rotations tighter. They invariably clogged driving lanes, closed out on shooters, and forced tough stabs at the basket. Every possession was contested. Every rebound was to be had. This was playoff basketball as only they could execute: mean, relentless, suffocating — with the raw urgency of gladiators that knew winning wasn’t merely everything, but the only thing that mattered.
In any case, the Thunder head into Thursday’s set-to armed with a healthy dose of belief — that they belong in the big stage, that they shine brightest under the klieg lights, that the championship is theirs to take. And, moving forward, it’s up to the Pacers to prove them wrong.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
