The Indiana Pacers will have their work cut out for Game 3. After the Oklahoma City Thunder clawed back to level the series, head coach Rick Carlisle sounded off after his team’s painful setback. Days after mounting a sharp recovery from a 15-point deficit in Game 1, they couldn’t repeat their antics last night.
Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam labored to find their shooting rhythm, and the Pacers’ bench points fell flat compared to the Thunder. But all’s not lost for the Indiana-based franchise, which took a mini-advantage and would arrive at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with high spirits. Carlisle, though, wants to witness much better performances in Game 3.
Rick Carlisle Dissects Disappointing Game 2 Loss
There was not much to separate them in the shooting efficiency column, but the Pacers gave up 42 points inside the paint. Moreover, they couldn’t make stops and gave away too many fouls in the process. In addition, the first-half numbers didn’t paint a pretty picture for the Pacers, as Carlisle quickly implied in his post-game press conference.
“Another bad first half. Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly. A little better in the second half, but you can’t be a team that’s reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency. So, we’re going to have to feel a lot better on Wednesday,” said Carlisle, wanting to see a better display in Game 3.
The Pacers scored 41 points in the first half, while the Thunder started strong with 59 points. In terms of scoring, Haliburton came up short with just 17 points and only drained 3-8 three-pointers.
On the other hand, after shooting 46.7% from the field in Game 1, Siakam shot 27.3% from the floor, contributing to the Pacers’ struggles. Moreover, with Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins stepping up, those extra points assisted the Thunder in crossing the finish line. The real point of difference, however, was free throws.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Free Throws Disrupt the Indiana Pacers
The art of drawing fouls often divides opinions, but it’s part and parcel of the game. One individual who constantly gets to the charity stripe (surprise, surprise) is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Consequently, free throws are an underrated art in basketball as well.
As a team, the Thunder shot 29 out of 33 free throws, as the Pacers could only manage 19-26. Considering OKC’s free-throw shooting prowess, it became a substantial issue for the Pacers. SGA buried 11-12, and Jalen Williams shot 8-9 free throws to distance the Thunder from the Pacers. OKC ended the game by shooting 87.9% from the charity stripe.
The possibility of this series going to seven games remains heightened. The Pacers have solid offensive and defensive players who could change the game at the flick of a switch. Game 3 will be a fun watch.
