They were not expected at all in the finals. Nor that they were a concern for the favorite Oklahoma City Thunder nor that last night they could avoid the ring of the powerful west champion with their leader Tyrese Haliburton The most touched. But these Indiana Pacers They are simply built to disobey logic, to deny assumption after assumption as they did contradicting another with a cry before their upperciling crowd: amazing beating to OKC of the shy MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (108-91) to force the seventh game of these NBA finals in the early hours of Sunday to Monday (02:00, Spanish time).
The moving deployment of pride, energy and dazzling basketball supported by the lame yellow of more than 18,000 throats -among which pacers myths such as Reggie Miller And Mark Jackson-, he swallowed some thunder absolutely overwhelmed by Indiana's vertigo and the hustle 21 points and 7/15 in field shots. Oklahoma, who lost 64-42 to rest and nothing less than 30 at the end of the third quarter (90-60), was surprised by Haliburton's initial determination, as if his desire to give a life more to his team deafen the pain of a limiting injury as a twin relaxation.
The impact of the maltrecha star was much larger than its numbers-14 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists-sending an encouraging message to their classmates and intimacy to OKC penetrating with bravery as soon as the first ball was touching even though he began failing his first releases. The early leadership outburst of the All Star The collective harmony of the Pacers turned on good to first, with even Six players In double digits highlighting the 20 of Obi Toppin, the 17 of a revived Andrew Nembhard and the 16 of the always incombustible and multipurpose Pascal Wise. Jalen Williams (16) and Isaiah Hartenstein (10) were almost the only company for SGA.
“We only wanted to protect our track, we didn't want to see these boys celebrate a championship in our own home,” Haliburton said, Haliburton.
“We were against the sword and the wall, we simply responded. It was a team effort, I am really proud of this team. My injury? Are the finals, we all had to give everything we have,” added the star.
Gilgeous-Alexander, too alone at the solid defense of the Pacers
But, while Haliburton had just warmed his wrist -he didn't score up to four minutes at the end of the first quarter, the one who just cheered the cotarro was the unfortunate second orchestra director of Indiana, T.J. McConnell.
The base personifies the essence of these Pacers, their character and history embody the constant contradiction in itself that Indiana represents. He was not supposed to be a NBA race when in 2015, with now 23 yearshe was not drafted and with his light physical current with his 1.85 but right on the tenth anniversary of his arrival to the best league in the world is being the unforeseen continuum that the Thunder did not expect. The best defense of the modern NBA fails to manage to stop at often base, again everywhere last night with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 robberies with a 6/12 in field shots in 24 minutes.
Which Many NBA teams They have not even achieved this season -finding slits in the defense of OKC -, McConnell takes seconds with his intrepids and cunning penetrations, making a glass defense look like a steel defense. And do not think twice even if the thunder are well established on a half track.
The opening of the contest did not anticipate such tunda, because there was no initial stampe 2-10. But a siakam shot turned on the Maga for Indiana to leave everything well prepared with its entry at the end of the first quarter to the favorite preacher of the Indianapolis party, TJ McConnell. The team training by Rick Carlisle He managed to turn the clash at the end of the first quarter (28-25).
But, although emotions -with that rebel pride to contradict the world -define Indiana, the blackboard also fell with all its weight on the Thunder. At a time of the series in which it seemed that The best NBA defense He had already caught the Pacers and his vertiginous offensive, Indiana's correction did not come derived from a great revolution in attack.
Paradoxically, it was a complete twist in defense that largely released Indiana's offensive power again. From Game 2, the Pacers had been advancing their pressure to extending it throughout the track from the same start of the possessions of the Thunder with Andrew Nembhard chasing Gilgeous-Alexander everywhere.
But Indiana retired candles delaying her defense until further back halfway as in Game 1 included Nembhard, who remained assigned to her compatriot and friend of childhood Shai. The Pacers defended as a much more compact block condemning an SGA against the world to some thunder who suffered the same unpleasant sensation that they suffer from the rivals, even 21 losses And just finding opportunities in transition with a lot 4 robberies, as many as the energetic McConnell added.
But, worse than that, it was a new shocking offensive block. Basketball cannot be played with only 2 assists and 1 triple throughout the first part as was the case of Oklahoma, which was able to make up something such throaty statistics with 12 basket passes and an 8/30 triples at the end of the match. In contrast to its model defense, the half -track attack of the Thunder is just the opposite of what to teach in schools without movement or ball or ball, accustomed those of Daigneault to generate everything from SGA and Jalen Williams.
Myles Turner went to the step of Shai in the pick and roll without leaving margin and the Pacers embroidered him forcing the MVP to lead to the side of the center. Indiana often granted the changes in the blockages between small to SGA, which perhaps did not expect little McConnell to also be so firm in defense.
OKC's offensive plot threads consisted of the penetrations of Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams and little more, with Chet Holmgren pulling stone after stone with 4 points and a 2/9 in shots. Isaiah Hartenstein how to distribute in the header was the little among the alternatives that Oklahoma showed but without impact. The Pacers have only to chase players who run around them since the German has no shot and rarely penetrates. With Gilgeous-Alexander tired, the attack is presented as the great unknown for the Thunder for the Game 7, Well, at this point little more they can innovate and little else can make themselves entrusted to the SGA acquire their MVP immunity again.
Seven minutes without scoring after the break were part of the offensive aging of the western champion, largely instigated by Carlisle's assistant coach Jenny Boucekresponsible for the defense of these Pacers and already one of the most beautiful stories of these finals. Boucek, who opposes first woman to be head coach Of the NBA, he is putting the MVP in check from the board despite the difficulties in his personal life, single mother of a 6 -year -old girl.
Indiana's best attack was an excellent defense, but McConnell also embroidered him finding cracks in the attack on the middle track. He also loves veteran and wise base of 33 years Access the painting through the corners as well as taking your defender to a more open land if you cannot overcome you in the first instance to overcome you in a second penetration. It was suffered by Isaiah Hartenstein, also surpassed in other actions by Pascal Siakam in the perimeter.
The two greats of the Thunder passed those of Cain with Chet Holmgren spending a nightmare night also on the other side of the court. He Victor Wembanyama American It had been a disruptive element for the wide attack of the Pacers in the previous two parties changing in the pick and roll but Indiana discovered its weaknesses giving continuity to the action to expose their weaknesses as a perimeter defender with their 2,16.
Tyrese Haliburton, injured by his twin precisely in a penetration against Holmgren, took his particular revenge with the pivot throwing creativity, dodging him with a pass after feint he received Aaron Nesmith so that this will send the ball back to the star. To finish rounding the evening, Haliburton was able to rest the last quarter, staying in 23 minutes on the track to give rest to his leg and start thinking about that apotheosic seventh game.
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“We believe, we have a lot of faith in this group, we have to take care of our bodies, prepare and a seventh game in the finals, what else can we ask for?” He said Tyrese Haliburton while warning. In the final traca that are always some ends, the Pacers will seek that of their beautiful history to crown one of the surprises ever seen in basketball and sport in the early hours from Sunday to Monday (02:00, Spanish time). Will be before the fierce crowd of Ololama City But these Pacers, who even challenge medical logic through their star, have already contradicted the world many times. And they are already only 48 minutes to overcome it.
