2025 NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers | Can OKC win on the road?

2025 NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers | Can OKC win on the road?

on a Q. Streaming free anywhere you. What’s going on everybody welcome in a fresh our CB sports H. Q. I’m Jack Thiago all with you for the hour or so finally I think these this time between games they feel like an eternity right but we get playoff basketball bag game three of the NBA finals between Oklahoma City thunder in the Indiana Pacers. On tap for tonight at eight thirty PM eastern I don’t know if we thought we would be saying that this series is split as it’s heading back. To India but that is where we are right now it is split one one as you’re heading back to eighty that was a treat as we have game three on deck for yes Avery Johnson and Ashley Nicole. Okay great just how you’re feeling I’m feeling. I’m sitting in between two superstars wow I don’t know. I just want to make sure I hold up my end of the court. We I’m very we are here don’t my game Michael. Okay gonna talk about game three guys- see. They’re hitting the road for three in the playoffs on the road here versus nine into at home. How much more do you think pressure right but like that’s what we talk about more pressure what is the five how is it different for OKC hitting the road where there now you know it can very easily could’ve been too well but how much different is the buyer. It’s one one going into Indians territory Avery was new territory for them because this is their first time on the road. In the NBA finals going into a house style arena you know with Indiana in their fans so for OKC the most significant part about games three. Because I’ve coached in a game three before in the NBA finals when we had a fifteen point lead. Against Miami and lost that game still brings back bad memories. Doing we so two free throws but that’s another. The key is getting off to a good start because- a lot of NBA fans always think that the NBA is a fourth quarter lead. Is actually a first five to seven minutes leave. It where you can. Gain some momentum really set the tone for the game and try to sustain that so really keep your eyes on those first five to seven minutes. Especially for old Casey going. To a hospital arena in the NBA finals as- coach. Right one they’ve never been in this situation either team right but the Pacers have the benefit of playing at home but I think the added pressure for the Oklahoma City thunder is you have to split on the road because you lost one. On your home court in the most insane way possible so for them you’re not thinking about it you don’t plan on going into the game saying Hey look we got a win one of the robots in the back of your mind. Yeah it’s in the back of the coaching staff’s mind we cannot afford to not split in Indy because we did not handle business. At home on the road when you do handle business at home. It it shouldn’t make a difference in the intensity that you played with sometimes psychologically it does. But okay he has zero room for error. When it comes to being in Indiana for these two games. Or move on to the Pacers really quickly just something I’m thinking about it seems like whenever we get a really high scoring game or in the- one ten is the one- knives the Pacers find a way. To win when they’re in that territory. So actually we kind of get to a shoot out words on a really high scoring game how can OKC. Make sure you know Tyrese Haliburton is going to get the ball and cannot going to drain out really clutch three. You. Know I. Wish I had a chance. And basketball. That can come up with. Haliburton finds a way to set you know what. That matter I’m gonna do it do anyway. But I think this. Okay see does have a bad habit of. Games get away from them late game execution has been something they’ve struggled with the entire NBA season not even the post season right– I do want to say that maybe they learned their lesson in game one just like we want to say that they learned their lesson in game one against the Denver Nuggets with that series one seven. So it’s not like it is on characteristic for them to make that mistake again. And I think when you’re playing the Indiana Pacers. They have shown time and time again because this is the fourth quarter forty eight minute game. And if you only play forty seven we’re going to make you pay for the last sixty seconds so they have to make sure. They don’t repeat the mistakes of game one then when you look at. Okay see going on the road. Look at. Turnovers especially. Unforced turnovers. Because what happens with those turnovers we saw it in the- New York Knicks. Indiana series. Indiana’s really fast there fast team. And if you turn the ball over. And that ignites their fastbreak action. Then game over so look at turnovers. It also look at. Indiana’s three point shooting. OKC has to defend the three point line at a high level. Because if you turn the ball over. There in transition layups and threes. And you know if Indiana makes sixteen. The reason is getting this game will be over okay let’s talk more about Indiana right because- we know that role players typically play better at home but what about some of the superstars here what about. Paschal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton we’ve seen a beast clutch so many times what your expectations for those big superstars Indiana for game three coach what we’re talking about first quarter Tyrese Haliburton. He’s got a tip seven or eight shots in the first quarter. He’s got to get off to a fast start. Wait and try to ease them. Into this game. And then also with Pascal’s young he hasn’t had much success. Alice crew was gone. Try to. The thing you can do against a guy like she Gyllenhaal. Forced him to play defense. For more prison. Do not allow him to hide on the- force should you lose Alex. To switch try to wear him down because the way you try to wear now he is not trapped just trap animal when he’s got the ball. But forcing him to stay engaged on the defensive in Seoul Halliburton in Pascal Siakam they have to be in attack mode. Early in this game and stayed on course throughout the day yeah coaches is that really the tires however and I think one of the benefits of however he’s a great facilitator. And we’ve had this conversation not Jimmy Butler right to me it’s kind of in that same boat he was a great teammate a great facilitator is what makes him the guy you want on your team. But sometimes you lean too heavily into that and I think Tyrese Haliburton specifically in game two was way too passive he was way too interested in being a floor general and not being a bad guy. You need to be that guy hit eighteen points on thirteen shots which is efficient but you know in efficiency in the NBA finals you need aggressiveness and he wasn’t that also hit five turnovers in that game. You have to hold on to the ball you have to value a ball security and I think that in the end I need to do a better job exporting the mismatch okay see switches a lot. And you have to be able to exploit the mismatch whatever’s at your disposal and I think that’s something that both Siakam entirely tolerant need to do a better job that. And I think with Pascal Siakam he needs to be a little bit quicker his decision making he has a habit. Of holding on to the basketball too long we call it point five. Point five seconds to pass dribble or shoot. But don’t hold it. I mean. Correct yeah. Very slim. For error a point. Sec is all it. We can you know they this. Turn one or the- now it’s time about okay. And there super. In S. Right he is. And MVP for reason having it out of this world season. Seventy two points in this series alone he is absolutely phenomenal. Asked how do you contextualizing put into words what we’re seeing from Shakeel this Alexander right now you’re seeing the league MVP. That simple you don’t win. By accident yeah you win MVP because you’re the best in the league had to say you’re the best in the NBA. Is no small feat there’s a lot of talent in this league there’s a lot of exceptional. Athleticism in this league and when you come out on top. There is a reason for that and the thunder not in this position if OKC has it or if she hasn’t done what he has done this entire season. And post season so what you’re seeing is not really a surprise I think the biggest thing that’s probably surprising. Is that sometimes when you have that explosive regular season especially a player of SGA’s caliber. Who hasn’t been in this position you sometimes expect the bright lights to maybe affect their game a little bit and it’s natural right is the young team. They’ve never been in this position as he himself is never been this position sometimes. You can get a little bit. You can request a little bit in your style of play just because it’s a bit nervous. But he’s been stepping up to the mall with his team aspect of the moment which again just makes the testament of how good he is. How will he makes everyone else around him and just how talented this OKC team is actually Jacqueline. What you guys are talking about is absolutely fax. In a way this young man can score the basketball. Facilitate that game. But I’m also. Posted in thank that take note. I yeah that guy blood. Lay this don’t adversity. The way he communicates with his team mate- the way he’s allows his coaching staff. To coaching he’s very coachable– he dies to loose balls he’ll sacrifice his body. On the defensive end by trying to take a charge so while everybody’s looking at his exploits on offense event. I’m looking at a lot of the- things that really just don’t take talent. But it shows his character yeah this is integrity. And he he’s a terrific leader from a coaching standpoint how many guys have you seen that young that play like a vet. Because to your point the stuff that you can’t teach comes with experience right it comes with being in these positions coming when it comes to being in locker rooms with. The same team are different teams and just facing adversity to be able to do that. At his age with such a small sample sale of– of what he can be. Is really crazy as a culture that must be like a god sent to get a player like that it really is and- even though it’s different positions is different eras. But this guy is as close in terms of his temperament. As I have seen the Tim Duncan- wow really is because- it wasn’t a big boisterous guy. But when he spoke to team less and then we followed him even though I was. Kind of the voice of the team. Alan was his talent by. As G. As as- in a small mark. What is he take him down. In terms of a leaders of the- and obviously in V. P. S. And that’s why they you feast. Healthy I’m saying he’s going to win five championships and go to sixteen finals liked him. But boy. He’s got that type of toughness and- where he’s not dead Kevin Garnett on the floor. But he’s that that silent assassin yeah I certainly feels like the potential the ceiling and it is all there for us J. We can’t you know give flowers to OKC without talking about Sam Presti right in what he’s been able to deal. With this young team and how far they’ve been able to go now. Coach we always want to kind of go back in the archives and see where paths have crossed and everything like that and so. He has been back roots back with the spurs back in the early two. We see if there what do you. About Samper from that time. Yeah we just won the championship in ninety nine and Sam joined us in two thousand and- ten we just thought he was a young genius they- you know he was working on the legend of. All legends in NBA general managers history R. C. Buford and Sam was just a young guy that RCL tremendous amount of respect for. Phil Davies was going to have a very high ceiling are there a lot of decisions made. Early in his tenure– where he was a part of you know guys like Manu Ginobili in the scouting on Tony Parker. Which were steals in in the NBA draft and then you have. Other players like you know Robert or rejoining the team at certain times as a free agent. Do you know Bruce Bolling who was a serious a role player Sam was in the midst of all of that. So when you look at at OKC. It really is not to continue to talk about San Antonio but this is San Antonio Spurs two point oh. Clay Bennett the all nighter he was a part of the spurs ownership group before he took over. And basically- the team started in Seattle and in the middle of the night. I drove to a- so again Sam was appointed to. For with the spurs late and now he’s going to. That with OKC I agree completely I think everything we’re seeing from OKC. Com’s in some way shape or form from the San Antonio Spurs and I did a panel with R. C. During March madness. And the way that he spoke about just the DNA in the make up of the San Antonio Spurs organization. And you can see with the type of players that come out of that organization. And what they ultimately do even post their career and that’s why when B. It was the perfect landing spot for a player like when the- to have that brother heard around them I mean this is this is a team that. You know when Popovich. Dealt with his his health issue they all came back to San Antonio to make sure that their coach was okay and when you see. What Presti has kind of taken from that organization you can see that applied. To Oklahoma City the brotherhood the way of keeping warm we know the basketball in and out. Of that organization in house and not letting things get too big not letting things get bigger than the brand not letting the players get bigger than the brand but also. Uplifting the plague there’s just so many things small things. That you can trace back to the San Antonio Spurs. And you have to just give credit to that organization because it is probably in my opinion. The best organization in the NBA and you can see that. So many different areas yeah it is success it all starts at the top and Sam Presti is a phenomenal job and you know I’ll always ties back to San Antonio right. Really quickly we gotta get a game take the series as mentioned tied up. One apiece in game three in Indy. A real heavy the floor first who do you think wins game three what pick old Casey to win in six. I’m sticking with that okay. But I believe Indiana. It’s going to get some home cooking. And they’re going to win they’re going to get off to a fast start. We talked about– Tyrese Haliburton. I think he’s gonna have twelve points in the first quarter. And he’s going to really ignite. It their team. I don’t think they’re going to ever. The end of. At the- call. Where they’re going to behind in this game. I think they’re gonna win- they’re going to win this game by five or more points. India hello. I think Indiana wins a game in another game in the series but I think that’s coming game four I can’t see OKC lose in. Another game– but I can’t see okay see not winning back to back after. Fixing their issues in game two I think they’re going to continue that trajectory. But in the end is not done yet I have okay see insects as well. Here’s what I’ll say however I don’t see Caruso. And weekends combining to make nine threes all. That’s a good point. So I think they’re going to do in the end is going to do a much better job on those guys. Coming off the bench all right so ash a rear split. On game they want to see what happens is that OKC is Indiana. Game three tonight at eight thirty PM eastern and I’ll see what can we look forward to you on triple threat coming up your child. Again everyone’s hating on Jayson Tatum apparently he doesn’t have a hall of fame resume and I don’t understand. Right right now we’re seeing that your co that was on your- all right- also here get a look at. The end. Finals twenty five. Three ABC tonight thirty eastern time. In India. Game for same situation we know there’s this thing is going to go to five. Because it is tied at one apiece right now that it is June

Former NBA Head Coach Avery Johnson and NBA analyst Ashley Nicole Moss join CBS Sports HQ to preview Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers.

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