The Pacers tried to sweep the leg in Friday’s Game 4, but the Thunder blocked, jumped and repelled all attempts. But not without taking some serious damage. OKC was down by a point after the first quarter, then went into halftime down three points.
Indiana then tightened the screws, laid the wood and every other cliche that describes putting OKC into submission, leading to a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was Rocky vs. Drago, Neo vs. Agent Smith, Goku vs. Frieza, Luffy vs. Kaido, Ali vs. Frazier. Both teams made buckets. Both teams made runs. In the end, though, the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reigned supreme, saving the Thunder from the almost insurmountable 3-1 deficit.
Now the series is tied at 2-2, with the venue changing to Oklahoma City. The Pacers enjoyed a raucous home crowd. I can’t even imagine the decibel levels that will be reached on Monday.
DraftKings Sportsbook has OKC as 9.5-point favorites over IND at home with the total at 223.5.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $800K Finals Shootaround [$200K to 1st, 3PT Throne Eligible] (IND at OKC)
Captain’s Picks
Chet Holmgren ($13,200 CP): Holmgren was awful to start the series. He looked scared and discombobulated in Game 1. Things were better in Game 2, but Holmgren was still playing under 30 minutes and primarily parking himself on the perimeter. In Games 3 and 4, though, Holmgren stuffed the stat sheet, but most importantly, was a beast on the boards, grabbing 10 and 15. He also played 35 and 37 minutes. I think he continues to play over 30 minutes and grab double-digit boards, which provides a decent floor. He’s not going to dish out many dimes, but can rack up tons of blocks and steals. I also think he makes it rain from downtown and gets busy in transition. It’s been a while since he put up 50 FPTS. Monday is The Chet Holmgren Game.
UTIL Plays
Pascal Siakam ($10,000): Siakam is still the Pacers offensive player that I feel most comfortable with. There are times when he’s not given the ball, but he is the guy the Thunder are having the most difficulty with. He punishes smaller defenders when switched against him and is too agile for big men. Even when matched up with the best Thunder defenders straight up, he’s able to take them into the mid-post and get busy. Over the last two games, Siakam put up 40.5 and 50 FPTS, contributing a little something something in every statistical category.
Luguentz Dort ($4,600): Dort is a low-usage player who has a wide range of outcomes. In Game 1, he put up 36 FPTS. He then followed that up with 9.5 FPTS. In the two most recent contests, Dort finished in the teens for FPTS, and that is the likeliest scenario. But, but, but … as Game 1 showed, Dort always has these random games where he goes nuclear and announces to the world that it is Dort time. I am prepared for another outbreak on Monday. Indiana has been great at adjusting and it stayed home against the role players for much of Game 4. Dort only attempted two shots. I think the script flips for Game 5.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($13,800): SGA had a “tepid” Game 3, “only” scoring 24 points. Yet, he still finished with 43.5 FPTS due to also producing eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. The Pacers have done an excellent job of making him work on offense, making the Thunder extend their screens closer to the halfcourt line. SGA then went for 35 points in Game 4, but with zero assists. He still finished with 46.25 FPTS. The floor/ceiling combo is just too high to ignore.
Fades
Isaiah Hartenstein ($5,000): This is just not the series for Hartenstein. When he’s on the court, the Pacers brutally hunt him down on defense and attack like killer bees. His screen setting is great, but the inability to space the floor causes issues on the offensive end. As a result, he’s played 17, 22, 18 and 21 minutes during the series, finishing with 13.5 and 8.75 FPTS in the two most recent games.
THE OUTCOME
I’ve had the utmost respect for the Pacers all playoffs, as they have impressed me with their offense, defense, grit and ability to adjust when needed. In every playoff series, there has been one game in which things have fallen apart: 117-101 loss to Milwaukee in Game 3, 126-104 loss to Cleveland in Game 3 and 111-94 loss to New York in Game 5. I think there’s a good chance they get run out of the building in Game 5 in OKC. The Thunder are returning home with momentum and I think the outside shots don’t fall for Indiana in this one.
Final Score: Thunder 123, Pacers 107
