The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered their second consecutive loss in the NBA Finals, falling to the Indiana Pacers 116-107 in Game 3. The Thunder’s Jalen Williams gave his team a late lead with a clutch three-pointer at the buzzer, but they were unable to hold on.
“We just had a lot of unforced errors,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault after the loss. “They capitalized on them because they’re a good team.” The Pacers outscored the Thunder 32-18 in the fourth quarter, taking advantage of Oklahoma City’s mistakes.
The Thunder’s struggles in close games are becoming a familiar pattern. They fought back from a 2-1 deficit against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals before losing. “We have a great opportunity here,” said center/power forward Chet Holmgren, who scored 20 points but struggled in the fourth quarter. “The focus can’t be on our emotions. It has to be on what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams had standout performances for the Thunder, but they were unable to overcome the Pacers’ aggressive defense. The Pacers’ full-court pressure, which Oklahoma City often struggled with, was a major factor in their loss.
The Thunder’s two losses in the Finals have come down to the Pacers landing a flurry of punches at the end. “To win games of this magnitude, at this level, we have to be better,” Holmgren said. “We need to close games, close quarters, close possessions.” The Thunder will look to regroup and bounce back in Game 4 on Friday in Indianapolis.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45497049/thunder-point-unforced-errors-game-3-loss-pacers