NBA Finals Film Room: Pacers Thievery and the Thunder Respond

Through two games of the NBA Finals, the series is tied 1-1 heading to Indiana. Another Tyrese Haliburton game-winner stole game one, and an Oklahoma City blowout evened things out.

One of the underrated heroes in game one was Myles Turner.

Meanwhile, in game two, it was a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander masterclass.

How Indy countered OKC in Game 1

In the fourth-quarter comeback, Turner scored eight of his 15 points in the final frame. Indiana ran a mix of different actions that gave the 7-footer clean looks.

On Indiana’s first play, Turner sets the on-ball screen for Andrew Nembhard and takes a subtle step as if he’s about to roll to the cup. Turner then pops back out to the perimeter for a clean look that hits the back heel of the rim.

It’s a long closeout for Chet Holmgren since he had two feet in the paint the moment Turner caught the rock.

On this sideline out-of-bounds play, Turner looks like he’s going to screen for Haliburton before Haliburton gets in front of Turner’s man, Holmgren, and gives Holmgren a longer closeout on Turner.

Lu Dort is grabbing Haliburton, which prevents Haliburton from setting a screen.

Turner utilizes a ball fake to get Holmgren to leave his feet. The longest-tenured Pacer banks in a miracle 3-pointer from an angle between the corner and the wing in the clutch.

Indiana executes Nembhard-Turner pick-and-roll, which results in Turner setting a strong screen on Alex Caruso, causing him to be out of the play. That gives Indiana a 2-on-1 advantage, and Nembhard hits Turner. Turner has just enough space to connect on an elbow jumper.

These were two huge back-to-back jump shots by the big man in the clutch.

Turner’s ability to screen, roll, or pop will be a critical component of Indiana’s offense.

Here’s a good counter by Indiana to Oklahoma City’s counter.

As the third quarter is coming to a close, defenses can afford to move pieces around as the offense is dribbling the clock down.

At the top of the screen, OKC attempted a pre-switch – a switch that happens before the on-ball screen is set. This is to either get the best defender on the ball or prevent a weak defender from guarding the ball. 

Caruso was initially guarding Pascal Siakam before wanting to switch onto Bennedict Mathurin, anticipating that Mathurin would set the on-ball screen. 

TJ McConnell is running the play and sees the attempted pre-switch between Caruso and Gilgeous-Alexander. McConnell fires a pass to a wide-open Siakam to counter the pre-switch, and Siakam makes the Thunder pay.

Plays like these were backbreakers for OKC since Indiana came up with an answer to counter them.

How OKC countered Indy in Game 2

It was the MVP that led the way. Gilgeous-Alexander was phenomenal on both ends, scoring 34 points, eight assists, and four steals.

His 72 points in his first two Finals games are the most in NBA History.