NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana

[HuskyHawk]

24-13. Those are the assist numbers. Eventually NBA teams are going to realize that when defensive intensity goes up in the playoffs, you absolutely have to move the ball. Get the ball to open guys and let them take the shots even if your lead scorer gets fewer. Indiana also dominated the boards.

SGA took 30 shots. Williams 19. The highest shot total on the Pacers was Siakam with 15.

 

[huskyfan224]

Let's Go!!!!

 

[controlfade]

The Pacers offense is so balanced with great ball movement that makes them extremely difficult to defend

sound familiar?

 

[Kitaman]

Pacers were down 14 with about 8 minutes to go.

I turned the TV off at that point.

 

[Inyatkin]

The Pacers had more turnovers in the first half then most teams would have in a bad game. And they won.

 

[superjohn]

 

[Dove]

I turned the TV off at that point.

I learned the hard way when I did the same during Knicks Game 1. Here, I had to keep watching.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Alot of playoff teams missed the boat not selecting him at the end of the first round, Nuggets probably still playing if they drafted him over Peyton Watson.

Yes, that shot floored me - it was simply D-I-R-T-Y.

I go back and forth when I'm watching the Pacers thinking Nembhard is their 3rd best player, then Nesmith, then Nembhard etc...

 

[Hunt for 7]

Not sure why everyone including SVP is saying that Dort was covering Haliburton on the last shot. That was Wallace!

Yup your right but it was still a lack of communication on who had shooter if even for half a step it gave Haliburton the room he needed.

 

[bendm]

Have no interest. Might first nba finals I don’t watch since I was 8 yrs old. Two tuff markers with minimal star power. Told my wife last night after Knicks lost that I won’t be moving my schedule around for a sporting event now until football starts. Lollll. Also sucks that nba on tnt is now over after all these years. Those guys were great.

couple things:
1) Why does the market matter? Wouldn’t you watch the colts in Super Bowl? NFL has much smaller markets than the NBA eg Green Bay and Buffalo
2) No star power? SGA just won the MVP… and
3) inside the NBA is still being produced by tnt but it will be licensed/aired ESPN.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

couple things:
1) Why does the market matter? Wouldn’t you watch the colts in Super Bowl? NFL has much smaller markets than the NBA eg Green Bay and Buffalo
2) No star power? SGA just won the MVP… and
3) inside the NBA is still being produced by tnt but it will be licensed/aired ESPN.

It’s pointless to argue with people like this. They have this idea of the NBA in their head and they won’t change it. The playoffs have been legitimately incredible, Shai is the MVP, the Thunder are an All-Time team, and Haliburton is legitimately having the most clutch playoff run ever.

People are just curmudgeons.

 

[controlfade]

It’s pointless to argue with people like this. They have this idea of the NBA in their head and they won’t change it. The playoffs have been legitimately incredible, Shai is the MVP, the Thunder are an All-Time team, and Haliburton is legitimately having the most clutch playoff run ever.

People are just curmudgeons.

I do not even like the NBA and the playoffs have been must watch TV

 

[aceboon]

Yes, that shot floored me - it was simply D-I-R-T-Y.

I go back and forth when I'm watching the Pacers thinking Nembhard is their 3rd best player, then Nesmith, then Nembhard etc...

Yea I jumped off the couch when that play happened, this angle is even better

 

[HCCForever]

A comment to nobody in particular, but it's too bad that the next game is Sunday night and not tonight. And the next NHL Final game is not until Monday.

 

[aceboon]

A comment to nobody in particular, but it's too bad that the next game is Sunday night and not tonight. And the next NHL Final game is not until Monday.

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation when they're in the same city for the first two games and then they're gonna have to take another 2 days off to switch cities. Just takes all the momentum away.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation when they're in the same city for the first two games and then they're gonna have to take another 2 days off to switch cities. Just takes all the momentum away.

This would have made for better basketball if Curry, LeBron or other 35+ yr olds were prominently involved.

 

[TroyHall98]

The story of game 1 is that Indiana’s front court physicality took Holmgren completely out of the game. Indiana can win this series if that continues.

 

[gsmooth]

Yea I jumped off the couch when that play happened, this angle is even better

There is many ways a player can create a shot for themselves and many different ways it can look.

However, if there is a video to define what shot creation looks like, this is it. I remember seeing Nemhard do that and thinking "wow". He didn't just do that in a game, he did in a finals game with the game on the line under the 2 minute mark.

 

[UConn990411]

It probably wouldn’t matter tonight with how OKC is playing, but it’s crazy how much fouling they get away with.

 

[twiceahusky]

I called the Pacers winning this series, everyone is acting like OKC just has to show up.

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

 

[superjohn]

It probably wouldn’t matter tonight with how OKC is playing, but it’s crazy how much fouling they get away with.

It's ridiculous what they get away with.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

I will give him credit for calling the Pacers given that like 20% of this board’s posters rip others every time there is a wrong call despite those same posters never predicting anything.

Also, why would anyone bet the Pacers straight up since they were +550?

Thunder vs. Pacers updated odds: Oklahoma City remains a big favorite to win NBA Finals after Tyrese Haliburton's game-winner

Tyrese Haliburton won Game 1 for Indiana -- but oddsmakers still believe in the Thunder.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

OKC’s A game is a lot better than Indiana’s.

 

[Scoe]

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

I want OKC to win this series, and no I didn't bet on this series. I picked the Pacers for no other reason just because no one else picked them. So I win either way my prediction is correct or the Pacers lose.

Indy already did what they needed to do got the split in OKC now they go home, Carlisle always makes in series adjustments we'll see what happens in game 3.

 

[aceboon]

I'd imagine we'll see Hali come out aggressive from the start in game 3 but I don't understand how he still has these wild swings from game to game

 

[Waquoit]

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation

I think it’s just a matter of Thu/Sun being the two biggest TV nights of the week.

 

[TroyHall98]

I'd imagine we'll see Hali come out aggressive from the start in game 3 but I don't understand how he still has these wild swings from game to game

Lu Dort and his physical play

 

[aceboon]

Lu Dort and his physical play

Dort and the rest of all of their guard wing defenders are an issue but it's been happening well before this OKC series and playing Dort, it's very noticeable in how he gets downhill and how he moves without the basketball when he has an aggressive mindset from the start compared to when he doesn't

 

[Deepster]

The disastrous NBA Finals ratings are in, and they're worse than anyone imagined

 

[boog204]

couple things:
1) Why does the market matter? Wouldn’t you watch the colts in Super Bowl? NFL has much smaller markets than the NBA eg Green Bay and Buffalo
2) No star power? SGA just won the MVP… and
3) inside the NBA is still being produced by tnt but it will be licensed/aired ESPN.

#1 does matter to more casual viewers, and you just cannot compare anything NFL to the NBA. The Super Bowl is an American event that happens once a year. People who have not watched a second of football for the season will watch.

Regardless of how great SGA and OKC are, and how fun Indy is to watch, lots will not watch because those are not "sexy" teams. Also, I feel like fans of many of the other pro sports teams will shut down once their team is eliminated. I'm a Yankee fan, but once they're eliminated in the ALCS because they strike out 17 times a game, I tend to lose interest in what follows.

I think even if you are a Giant/Browns/Texans fan and you knew your season was over at the opening kickoff, you're still going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of who's in it, or if you love/hate the halftime show.