Will Thunder Strike in Game 2?

We too often hear “this is a huge game … a must win.” But Game 2 of these 2025 NBA Finals is awfully significant for the Oklahoma City Thunder. So much so that it led me to tweet: ‘What’s more likely? OKC winning the title in five games? Or the Thunder being swept.

Blasphemous here in God’s Country, I know. But the mere fact that it’s a legitimate question speaks to the monumental switcheroo resulting from the stunning Tyrese Haliburton game-winning jumper at Paycom Center. 

Know Thy Enemy

Yes, though it would be the biggest upset in NBA history, this extremely well-coached Indiana team could win again in Game 2. And up 2-0 and headed to play a pair in the Pacers’ gym would be daunting for this young bunch of Thunder.

But it’s more likely – at least to this Saturday morning typist – that this record-setting group of cagers hailing from the 405, bounce back to form and sweep the next four games & earn them a Larry O’Brien – God rest his soul.

Most likely – as in most cases – the answer lies somewhere in-between. I believe that as out-of-character as most every OKC player & head coach were in the opener, that they have the talent, schemes, mental toughness & coaching to re-set and win this quintessential series 4-1, 4-2 or 4-3.

These Pacers initially played a tad on the jumpy side. Digging a hole -- or having one dug for them in that opening stanza by OKC’s assault team of defenders – was not unexpected. And the fact that while the Thunder kept the guys in yellow at arm’s length throughout the game, the Mellow Yellows knew, as well as OKC’s team, staff, fans & popcorn merchants, that another resilient Rick Carlisle team could still strike.

Both teams say they didn’t play very well. Partly true. But had OKC kept that ‘arm’s length lead’ of nine to eleven points and gotten the win, we wouldn’t still be talking Xs & Os two days later. The story would be that OKC was on its way to fly out of Will Rogers with a predictable 2-0 lead; with the realistic thought of an OKC sweep front of mind.

OKC Thunder Key Improvements:

One, get back to playing ‘in-character’ & not watching J-Dub catch, turn & hoist while being contested from 25-feet with the chance of it going through the net somewhere around a Blackjack 21 percent;

Two, quit standing & watching SGA dribble around until the shot clock speeds down to eight seconds & go 1-on-3 against tenacious defenders allowed to be more physical than the Green Bay Packers. Too often, the limited times OKC was challenged in the regular season & early playoffs, when games got close in the fourth, the offense literally stalled; just the opposite of that crisp-passing, sharp-cutting, screen-setting squad that they beautifully are most of the time.

Three, convert steals into points, stunningly not done in Game 1.

Four, rebound better. Going in the bigger team with expectations of comfortably winning on the backboard, OKC often played small ball & was meaningfully outrebounded by 17 in Game 1.

Five, make the right decision when to play big and when to play small ball. I expect more big-ball is coming, but being beaten on the boards wasn’t always simply a matter of who God made 6-5 and who He made 7-feet. But playing two bigs for long stretches won’t always be the right move. The problem-solving staff will have developed a better plan that now must be executed.

I’ll stop at those five areas of needed improvement, but there are more. And I fully anticipate OKC’s course correction will occur. But I also believe changes will be made and executed by Carlisle & his unabashed stallions.

The Take

Aside from possibly Games 2, 3 & 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals when the Thunder triplets succumbed to Lebron’s ‘super-team’ Heat, Sunday’s Game 2 is the most important in franchise history. Though I’m picking OKC (again), this iteration from the Hoosier State is capable of playing stress-free & waltzing onto the team bus with an unimaginable 2-0 lead.

This Thunder team is too gifted, united, well-run & too smart to not even the series at one. Haliburton’s dagger aside, Indiana doesn’t have a comparable set of assets to match Big Blue. And the devoted 18,000 in the seats will be louder & more impactful than ever before. Surely, that’s enough. Right?