OKCEAL Team Six Hunts Down The Haliban! | Official Thunder (#1) vs. Pacers (#4) 2025 NBA Finals Thread

[Oldschooler]

He's a distributor first, though. So that's going to happen. He isn't the type that's just gonna go out and give you 30 a night. It's clear that to be a superstar in today's NBA, you've got to put the ball in the hole first and foremost.

It's like watching Steve Nash back in the day. He shot well enough that if he felt like it, he could've easily averaged 25+ a night. But the team was better off with him as a floor general who got everyone involved. Same thing with Denver and Jokic. He could probably average 35+ if he felt like it, but the Nuggets are not a better team in the long run with him being a scorer first.

Indiana's biggest strength -- besides Haliburton taking a clutch-time shot -- has been that it can be anyone on any given day that leads the charge on offense. Now the thing that got them to this point is suddenly their biggest weakness.

There's no question Haliburton is a situational scorer. I wouldn't say he's like Nash because he doesn't control the pace as much as Nash did. Nash and DAntoni changed the NBA with their style of run and gun. But to your point he's more off a pass first PG/SG he also has an awkward mid range game too, doesn't really have a back to basket game and is more up and down or side to side player. Pacers have a lot of depth but no real star player that can take over whenever there's a drought. This happens a lot to teams with depth it seems like they can never get 4 of 5 of their guys to play good enough. Fans just get frustrated because it's the finals if your team doesn't have it going you shouldn't be scared to shoot especially when you're such a high percentage shooter. You should be emptying the clip so to speak.

 

[GunRanger]

 

[BrehWyatt]

There's no question Haliburton is a situational scorer. I wouldn't say he's like Nash because he doesn't control the pace as much as Nash did. Nash and DAntoni changed the NBA with their style of run and gun. But to your point he's more off a pass first PG/SG he also has an awkward mid range game too, doesn't really have a back to basket game and is more up and down or side to side player. Pacers have a lot of depth but no real star player that can take over whenever there's a drought. This happens a lot to teams with depth it seems like they can never get 4 of 5 of their guys to play good enough. Fans just get frustrated because it's the finals if your team doesn't have it going you shouldn't be scared to shoot especially when you're such a high percentage shooter. You should be emptying the clip so to speak.

All valid.

I think in general, this is a bad matchup for Haliburton in that regard because OKC has three All-NBA perimeter defenders to throw at him, and even Chet can go out there and give quality defensive reps on him. When you account for OKC's physicality and the argument that they get away with more than their counterparts... it's gonna be tough for someone who isn't score first to flip the switch against a team that is considered to have one of the greatest defenses the NBA has ever seen.

 

[the artist known az]

I like (hate) how the media has the same talking points, a lot of it gets regurgitated by the fans too. "Indy is going back home, they got the split, they did what they had to do"

 

[BrehWyatt]

I like (hate) how the media has the same talking points, a lot of it gets regurgitated by the fans too. "Indy is going back home, they got the split, they did what they had to do"

It takes so much nuance out of what really went down.

Yeah, they got the split in what was the worst game they've played in a long while as far as sloppiness. Great. Meanwhile, the other side is looking at it like "Had we just locked in for the final 7:30 of game 1, we're up 2-0."

 

[Primetime]

There's no question Haliburton is a situational scorer. I wouldn't say he's like Nash because he doesn't control the pace as much as Nash did. Nash and DAntoni changed the NBA with their style of run and gun. But to your point he's more off a pass first PG/SG he also has an awkward mid range game too, doesn't really have a back to basket game and is more up and down or side to side player. Pacers have a lot of depth but no real star player that can take over whenever there's a drought. This happens a lot to teams with depth it seems like they can never get 4 of 5 of their guys to play good enough. Fans just get frustrated because it's the finals if your team doesn't have it going you shouldn't be scared to shoot especially when you're such a high percentage shooter. You should be emptying the clip so to speak.

Probably more like Nash with Dallas, in which he was a 6-7apg guy and not really seen as some master game manager for the 8 years he was there

Now sure, a prime D'Antoni could probably transform Hali's game the same way he did with Nash and later Harden, but he's not the 1v1 player James is, and even if Nash (who wasn't an aggressive scorer himself) were in Hali's place there'd be only so many PnR manipulations he could try to do vs this OKC defense without an Amare.

 

[the artist known az]

It takes so much nuance out of what really went down.

Yeah, they got the split in what was the worst game they've played in a long while as far as sloppiness. Great. Meanwhile, the other side is looking at it like "Had we just locked in for the final 7:30 of game 1, we're up 2-0."

OKC did a better job at weathering Indy's run. Like when they went from up 23 to 13, they were able to push the lead back up to keep them at bay.

What the Knicks did and what OKC did in game 1, by getting 1 shot possessions or a turnover, you're playing right into their hands until it's a 2-3 point game

 

[Primetime]

OKC did a better job at weathering Indy's run. Like when they went from up 23 to 13, they were able to push the lead back up to keep them at bay.

What the Knicks did and what OKC did in game 1, by getting 1 shot possessions or a turnover, you're playing right into their hands until it's a 2-3 point game

Brunson could also learn from SGA; you rarely felt like the latter was over dribbling even tho he had a high usage rate. He'll split the PnR defense and get right to his spot for a shot or kick out pass. Or he'll post-up with the intent to kickout for a hockey assist once the defense doubles.

OKC players know the assignment and are always prepared and in rhythm to shoot. Whereas too many times Brunson be dribbling, probing, dribbling, probing, and then tough shot or bailout pass

 

[the artist known az]

Brunson could also learn from SGA; you rarely felt like the latter was over dribbling even tho he had a high usage rate. He'll split the PnR defense and get right to his spot for a shot or kick out pass. Or he'll post-up with the intent to kickout for a hockey assist once the defense doubles.

OKC players know the assignment and are always prepared and in rhythm to shoot. Whereas too many times Brunson be dribbling, probing, dribbling, probing, and then tough shot or bailout pass

That annoyed me so much with Brunson. So much to the point I was calling for him to play off ball and have them get a real point guard next year

 

[Goat poster]

Pacers getting back door swept is not out of the question.

Knew this is how game 2 would turn out after all the hot takes

 

[Harry B]

Pacers getting back door swept is not out of the question.

Knew this is how game 2 would turn out after all the hot takes

Didn’t most of the hot takes assume that they’d be up 3-1 though?

 

[Weaver31]

Lol Touch me Teague me

 

[Weaver31]

I know it’s 2 road games but falling behind 20 points in 2 straight just never a good sign imo.

Think Indy gets one more and OKC closes it out in 6. Maybe 5 if they get G3

Shai just has too high of a floor from game to game. All they need is Chet and JDub to be not terrible

If J-Dub plays well...and Chet not be awful...they gonna most likely win. Watch out now if Dort hits more open 3s and more mid ranges....and if Wallace gets double digits along with that...blow out city even with the Pacers fast paced high scoring.

 

[Weaver31]

He has a lot of people fooled

Shyt he had me fooled lol

 

[Weaver31]

i expect siakam, nesmith and toppin to play better in the next game

Especially Siakam....he really has the Finals experience