FOR the first time since 2000, the NBA Finals are headed to Indianapolis (Indy).
The Pacers are even with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 1-all in the best-of-seven Finals as the series rolls into Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
“We got one. Get to go home and play in front of our fans at Gainbridge,” Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith said. “They’ve been waiting for this for 25 years, so it’s exciting to go back and see what the atmosphere will be like.”
The Pacers swiped the opening game of the series and went into the second with a 7-0 record in Games 1 and 2 this postseason before the 123-107 loss that evened the Finals.
While Oklahoma City squandered a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter in Game 1, the Thunder defense was relentless in Game 2. Indiana has only 38 points in the paint in two games, an area Pascal Siakam believes the Pacers must address to reclaim the series lead.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 36 points in the Finals and had 34 points and eight assists for the Thunder in Game 2. Gilgeous-Alexander has 72 points in his first two Finals games, one better than the previous best ever two-game debut by Allen Iverson (71). — Reuters
