The Indiana Pacers are looking to bounce back after a humiliating defeat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in two back-to-back games at a packed and roaring Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Oklahoma City Thunder marched on a comfortable 123-107 victory over the Pacers, who were way too predictable and had nothing going right for them in Game 2. The Pacers struggled throughout both games but managed to emerge victorious in Game 1 thanks to Tyrese Haliburton's heroics in the dying moments.

However, Game 2 unfolded in a gruesome manner for the Pacers, who had no answer to Oklahoma's supremacy. Oklahoma did not have its best game on Sunday and still managed to beat the Pacers by a comfortable margin.

“There's a lot more to the game than just scoring. Everybody's got to do more,” Rick Carlisle said. “Starts with the best players, starts with Tyrese and Pascal and Myles, and then it goes from there.

The Pacers have trailed in games before this season; it looks like they enjoy being at a disadvantage and try to come back. However, it does not always work, and when you face a team like Oklahoma, who have one of the best defensive records in the NBA, you are bound to suffer.

How the Pacers can use momentum shifts to their advantage in Game 3 of the NBA Finals

Reintegrate Haliburton & Siakam into offensive flow

Rick Carlisle needs to figure out the offensive potential of the players against the Thunder, who were more compact defensively and imposed strong characters on the court. The Pacers must empower Haliburton to be more aggressive from the tip, calling more early pick-and-rolls and transition sets to get him downhill.

Haliburton had terrible numbers in both games, which was not expected of him, and Siakam contributed 33 points in both games. Therefore, the Pacers need to get numbers on the board if they want to make a comeback in the series.

Haliburton's step-back three has to be a weapon again, and the team needs him to operate more decisively. Haliburton was out of sync offensively, often deferring too much and failing to attack mismatches.

Bench production must improve drastically

The Pacers will have to look after their rotation as their bench proved to be ineffective in Game 2. Obi Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1 with 5 rebounds. However, his numbers in Game 2 were embarrassing, with just 3 points on the board after 19 minutes.

TJ McConnell also had a little impact on the game with 11 points and 6 assists. However, his numbers were better compared to his Game 1 performance. Therefore, the Pacers may need to shorten their rotation or stagger Haliburton and Siakam’s minutes more strategically to anchor the second unit. Finding consistent shooters like Doug McDermott or utilizing Obi Toppin more could help generate offense.

Strong rim protection and interior presence

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The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated Game 2 because of their strong defence, which was first to every second ball and won most of the rebounds. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren exposed Indiana’s lack of interior presence by dominating the glass and finishing at the rim. The Pacers gave up too many second-chance points and couldn’t contest effectively in the paint.

Myles Turner needs to step up as a rim protector, particularly in drop coverage. Therefore, Indiana must crash the boards with more intensity.

Manage turnovers and the pace of the game

At times, it looked like the Pacers were beaten, hurt, and tired in Game 2. Meanwhile, the Thunders were running riot on the court with high intensity and pressure off the ball. They dictated the tempo of the game and forced Indiana into uncomfortable situations. As a result, they capitalized on turnovers and built up momentum, leaving Indiana to sweep the dust after the Thunder and storm.

Indiana must get back to playing with pace and purpose. Pushing in transition after stops and limiting live-ball turnovers will prevent OKC from gaining momentum. Haliburton and Nembhard must tighten their decision-making under pressure.

Pacers need to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co.

One man took the reins in his hands and ran a stampede over the Indiana defence, who were unable to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at any point in the game. He torched the Pacers’ defense with his efficient shot-making, off-ball movement, and clutch scoring.

His performance in Game 2 was effortless, and he was gliding across the court in a silky-smooth manner. Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard had difficulty staying in front of him, especially in isolation sets. Gilgeous-Alexander is passing all the tests — eye, statistical, and otherwise. He’s the most productive player in this series until further notice, until someone comes along and drops him down a level, which would take a lot.

The Pacers need to be more aggressive with double-teams and consider mixing in zone looks to disrupt his rhythm. They should also try using longer, more athletic defenders—possibly even experimenting with Pascal Siakam on SGA for short stretches to throw off timing and angles.