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Thunder sets new NBA Finals record with suffocating defense vs. Pacers
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- Thunder sets new NBA Finals record with suffocating defense vs. Pacers
The post Thunder sets new NBA Finals record with suffocating defense vs. Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Oklahoma City Thunder made history in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but not the kind they had hoped to celebrate at the final buzzer.
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With a ferocious start, the Thunder racked up 12 steals in the first half alone, the most ever by any team in a single half of the NBA Finals in the play-by-play era. Their defensive pressure was relentless. They swarmed passing lanes, collapsed on drives, and hounded the Indiana Pacers into 19 first-half turnovers. The Pacers could barely hold on to the ball, and it looked like Oklahoma City was on its way to a dominant win.
But despite forcing 19 turnovers in just two quarters, the Thunder only turned those opportunities into nine points . That missed opportunity kept Indiana within striking distance, and the door they left cracked open was all the Pacers needed to storm back.
Oklahoma City still led 57-45 at halftime and maintained control for most of the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the offense with 38 points, slicing through Indiana's defense and keeping his team ahead. Jalen Williams added 17 points and six assists, showing poise in his first Finals appearance.
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But as the fourth quarter ticked down, the Thunder's offense went quiet . Over the final four minutes, they managed just one field goal. That drought gave the Pacers life, and they took full advantage.
With the game on the line and just seconds remaining, Tyrese Haliburton pulled up from the elbow and buried a 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left to play. It was his fourth game-winner of the postseason, and it silenced the Oklahoma crowd. Haliburton finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but it was that final shot that mattered most.
Indiana's comeback was powered by more than just Haliburton's heroics. Pascal Siakam delivered 19 points and 10 boards, Obi Toppin chipped in 17 off the bench, and the Pacers outscored the Thunder 35 to 25 in the fourth quarter.
What started as a defensive showcase for the Thunder turned into a painful lesson. Historic steals and fast hands mean little if they do not lead to points. The Thunder now trail the series 0-1, despite one of the most impressive defensive halves in Finals history.
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Game 2 will offer a chance at redemption, but they will need more than steals. They will need to finish.
Related: How Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, other Canadian players made NBA history in Game 1
Related: Pacers vs. Thunder Game 2 Results According to NBA 2K25
