Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder bench ensure no Pacers comeback in Game 2, even series with 123-107 win

OKLAHOMA CITY — There would be no comebacks, no end-of-game drama in Game 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure of it.

Gilgeous-Alexander put up 34 points (his 13th 30+ game of the playoffs) and had eight assists, but raw numbers undersell how in control of the game he was on Sunday night. With the Thunder setting his picks up higher on the court, he was able to get downhill and find space but was never out of control — he orchestrated the game. He found open shooters as well as his midrange game again, shooting 9-of-16 from there, plus getting 14 points in the paint. Defensively, he was blowing up Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers’ pick-and-roll all night.

The result was a comfortable 123-107 Oklahoma City win that evens the NBA Finals at 1-1 as the series heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday.

This was the performance Thunder fans — and most of the NBA world — expected from OKC in Game 1.

Oklahoma City was the aggressor from the opening tip, and much of what didn’t work for the Thunder in Game 1 did in Game 2. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren started out shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and finished with a combined 34 points and 11 rebounds. It wasn’t just SGA, the Thunder as a team shot 21-of-36 (58.3) from the midrange in Game 2. OKC got 26 of its 59 first-half points in the paint (and finished with 42 from there), and the ball touching the paint led to kick-out 3-pointers and good ball movement. Coach Mark Daigneault went to the two-big lineup of Holmgren and Isiah Hartenstein — something he didn’t use in Game 1 — and it was +4 in 4:32 on the court.

Then there was the bench, led by 20 points from Alex Caruso — more than any Pacer — and Aaron 18 from Aaron Wiggins, giving them a huge lift.

Thanks in large part to that bench, the Thunder extended their lead to as much as 23 and, thanks to another strong defensive performance, never let the Pacers get back in it.

“I just thought we were the aggressor tonight for much of the game, even when we had a lead,” Daigneault said. “I thought the guys did a really good job of keeping the foot on the gas, especially defensively. I thought we really amped it up on that end of the floor.”

As good as Gilgeous-Alexander was, it was a rough night for Haliburton and the Pacers.

“Another bad first half. Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “A little bit better in the second half but you can’t be a team that’s reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency.”

Haliburton spent three quiet quarters trying to get his teammates going in the face of the Thunder’s pressure defense, but when that didn’t work, he became a scorer in the fourth with an impressive 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The problem was that it was too late. Back home for Game 3, the Pacers need him to put his scoring stamp on the game earlier, draw the defense, then find shooters.

Myles Turner gave the Pacers a little boost with a dozen second-half points (16 for the game) and he let loose his frustrations with this dunk.

Indiana needs to find a lot of things with its home cooking: Through two NBA Finals games, the Thunder have led for 91:22 and the Pacers 1:53. Indiana got the split on the road, but they are going to have to be much better at home, the Thunder have proven they can win on the road.