The Oklahoma City Thunder responded in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, defeating the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on June 8.
Their play at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City evened the series 1-1.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 34 points, adding eight assists and four steals.
“We used last game as an opportunity to get better,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You can’t get comfortable. You have to focus on the little things.”
Oklahoma City never trailed after the first quarter, using a balanced attack and suffocating defense to bounce back from a one-point loss in Game 1.
The Thunder had six players in double figures, including 20 points from Alex Caruso and 19 from Jalen Williams.
Aaron Wiggins added 18 off the bench, shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Oklahoma City shot nearly 49% from the field and hit 14 three-pointers.
Head coach Mark Daigneault adjusted to a taller rotation. After being outrebounded by 17 in Game 1, the Thunder flipped the script with a 43-35 edge on the glass, including a stronger presence in the paint from Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Despite cutting their turnovers down from Game 1, Indiana could not find consistency after a cold-shooting first half, which left them trailing by 18 at the break.
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, but his last-minute explosion came too late to threaten the Thunder.
“We did a good job of weathering their runs and getting some big stops,” said Williams, who also contributed five rebounds and five assists.
Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam each added 16 and 15 points respectively.
Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 14 off the bench, but Indiana’s second unit was outscored 53-42.
Game 3 of the NBA Finals shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tune in to the NBA Finals on June 11.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more 2025 NBA Finals coverage, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
