Pacers beat Thunder in ‘shocking’ Game 3, SGA was ‘flustered’, Can Indiana win? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Pacers beat Thunder in ‘shocking’ Game 3, SGA was ‘flustered’, Can Indiana win? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

the show’s not going out to dinner at 900 p.m come on man 900 p.m we’re flying to Miami comes to the office hey you want to go out to dinner tonight oh yeah that sounds great hang out with everybody 9:00 p.m what else what chance do we have buddy i might be there bruise 900 p.m this is a great restaurant legendary first things first meet some players prime 112 tonight come on go i got to There it is i didn’t know they should have let us know earlier locked in 9 that means your food’s not coming until 9:30 are you one of those guys that goes to bed at a normal person kw 9:00 p.m that’s We can’t go we We’re supposed to do the First Things First meet and greet tomorrow during the game but you’re getting back here so it’s it’s got to be tonight tonight Prime 12 i won’t be there you got to come you got to come you got to come it’s a great play we start with the Pacers win again 2-1 Indie Hallebertton a rebound shy of a triple double 229 and 11 mathan played out of his mind 27 points a 9 for12 shooting how surprising was Indy’s upset this was the most shocked I have felt watching a finals game since game five Heat Mavs wow and a team by 2011 coached by the way by Really yeah well part of that’s probably because I wasn’t as shocked as everyone else by the Cavs comeback in 16 and there haven’t been a lot of like jarring shocking finals moments you know I think 2016 for most people’s the answer but I you know what I mean held out hope that LeBron could pull that off and and it’s not lost on me that Rick Carile was the coach of the team that shocked me then rick Carile was the coach of the team that shocked me last night i I understand as a gambler that it’s only a five and a half point spread and listen five and a half point underdogs win all the time but I was as certain as anything and if I had had any money left over from my Vegas trip I would have bet quite a bit of money on It’s one good thing the Thunder at least winning if not covering during the game or before the game even during the game I was like “No.” Well no before the game okay i thought that they were going to have the same first quarter they’ve had in basically every game and then when the Pacers were able to keep it tight I was very surprised but then the end of the third quarter I was like uh that’s a shame for Indiana that little the end of the third quarter yeah because the quick little 6 run in the final 30 seconds of the third to where it went from Indiana up one to down five i’m like okay now you’re now you lose and not only did they not lose there they dominated that quarter the Thunder were the team that was out of sorts the Thunder were the team whose superstar ran out of gas the Thunder were the team who were grabbing their you know grabbing their shorts and the Pacers were composed and great and I recognize that since January 1 the Pacers have been by a lot of metrics including record and you know the second best team in basketball but they’ve been the second best team in basketball to this team and the gap was pretty substantial playing an Eastern playing and so I am shocked like truly shocked that not only did they want win but they didn’t go 21 of 37 from three and it’s just like ah modern NBA they were nine of 27 from three they there there was nothing that happened last night mathan scoring 27 in 22 minutes right is great but we saw him score I think 22 and 20 minutes against the Knicks like nothing that happened last night felt impossible or unsustainable i’m stunned i am utterly stunned by what happened last night i I’m surprised i’m not as surprised as you are cuz I did feel like they could have a chance and I I think this thing still goes back 22 to uh Oklahoma i just thought the games would be reversed but I I felt like Indiana had a shot but I’m I am stunned that they’re up 2-1 i if I wasn’t surprised I would have stuck with and never abandoned town doesn’t work i mean doesn’t work at all all right all right i’m going keep doing it it works for me every once in a while I got to choose my spots i can’t come out here and brag about nap count and gloating anymore but I can throw it in there but I’m surprised at how it happened not just that it happened but how it happened they beat OKC at its own game yes the bench now we know they both have good benches but OKC’s bench is viewed as better even you know and it yet it was the bench of Indiana outscored them 49 to 18 and it wasn’t just like Ben Matherin and TJ McConnell were spectacular yeah like and they turned the game in the second quarter you mentioned the first quarter second quarter is when the game turned for the Pacers it looked like it was going to get away from him in the first quarter and the bench comes in with Hallebertton on the bench and they turn everything around they scored I think 40 points in that quarter the bench scored more than half of those points so the fact that their bench did it secondly their defense OKC is supposed to be the one making uh Indiana frazzled it was the reverse okc was the one turning the ball over 19 turnovers yesterday and Indiana turned those into points 21 points whereas OKC has not been able to do that this series this uh series and last night they they have 14 turnovers for Indiana but that’s not a ton i mean it’s more than they usually average and OKC still has not converted most of those into points the other thing is I know SGA didn’t have his typical game he had the six turnovers which is bad but scoringwise OKC’s big three scored he had 24 jaylen Williams had what 26 26 chad had 20 chat was great 20 and 10 and yet you still lost in a game like Nick said where Indiana didn’t hit a bunch of threes so the way it happened was also surprising what didn’t surprise me was that and I I you statement surprised me when they went into the fourth quarter down four I believe four or five down five I felt like uhoh oh you did I felt like Indiana because they’re they’re the fourth quarter kings they really are and they they are plus 27 in the fourth quarter in this series they’re plus 27 in the fourth quarter throughout the playoffs so I felt like when they were within striking distance heading into the fourth and then when it was tied with like nine minutes left I was like “Oh cuz I just felt like Indiana was going to be the better team down the stretch and they were.” So I was not surprised by that but yeah I am surprised they’re up 2-1 so I I pulled that same stat pacers outscored um OKC 100 to 73 so far in these three games plus 27 in the fourth quarter in the fourth quarter do you think that is just a compliment to the Pacers that like oh they’re like the clutch kids or whatever you want to say or do you think OKC is running out of gas a little bit or a combo yeah I I all of the above i also I don’t care at all about the fourth quarter and game two but it won them games one and game three you know what I mean so even if you take out game two they’re still plus a bunch they have been outscored cumulatively in every other quarter and then they have won the fourth quarter i I am also and again man all the respect in the world to Rick Carile for having the guts to be like no we are kind of treating these finals games like regular games as far as his rotation and his minutes because he wants them to have the extra push the fact that we are this deep into the postseason and Tyrese Hallebertton still has not played 40 minutes in a regulation game is remarkable last night what I felt I I maybe it wasn’t technically but I felt a game the Pacers had to have and they did go into the fourth quarter trailing Hallebertton still 36 minutes 20 seconds in that game and it’s not like well they took him out with 5 minutes left cuz no there was no garbage time in this game because they were playing to the end i think that is remarkable that they are able to do that and that is one of the reasons they are fresh i also think that no matter how well conditioned you are the Pacers style is just mentally and physically exhausting and it you would think it wouldn’t and that was going into the series something I considered okc likes to run too in fact their pace was faster over the course of the season than Indiana so I thought they would be fine with that i did too but last night they credit to the broadcast for pointing it out like Sheay who doesn’t even ever seem to sweat much less seem exhausted was grabbing his shorts there’s a good clip on Twitter with like three minutes left where four of the five Thunder have hands on the knees and it was the Thunder on the other hand are the team who was this team that was like they got 11 guys they trust last night there was seven that the that Dagenalt felt comfortable playing and I’m just I am stunned and it’s not because I didn’t respect Indiana but I am stunned that this is where you do not respect anybody maybe on the show who said they were going to win by seven i listen you’re being stunned it’s like if like if I was like it’s going to be sunny tomorrow and you’re like yeah it’s going to be sunny and you were like it’s going to rain mhm it’s going to rain like about 2 in of rain and the next day it rains 2 in of rain like I am stunned yeah i I am stunned at rain no one no one saw that coming i I must give you credit KW you You I The only reason I can’t give you full credit yes and I I’m not trying to undercut your credibility to the audience i promise the audience understands but I I feel like had Brew done what you wanted him to do which is stick with the Pacers you would have not only picked the Thunder but you would have been talking about how the Thunder have a chance to go on a run because they’re a historically great team well I guess we’ll never know i guess we I guess on the OKC side SJA held to under 30 for the first time this series 24 points uh what did you make of SGA’s night well the worst thing about it was the turnovers he shot nine for 20 it’s not 50% but it’s not terrible uh he scored 24 it’s not what they used to but again 24 points is not a bad night but it was the turnovers six of them and Andrew Nimhard and Ben Shepard i mean they to a degree McConnell didn’t really guard him that much they pre picking him up full court i loved it yes that was because you rarely do see that in the NBA you rarely see somebody picking you up full court and Nimhard who you know he knows from growing up in Canada and all that like he did a great job you just want to make it tough on him and they wore him down you mentioned you know hands on the on the knees and stuff like that he only scored three points in the fourth quarter and there is no question that was because of fatigue no question about it and so I just thought Indiana and this is what we said going in Rick Carlile he had a few days to put something together he clearly did and uh it got to SGA for sure and like you said Wilds this is what he’s done in these game threes too in these different series so um that was a a spectacular defensive performance by Indiana they flustered the MVP so here’s what we talked about game ones he’s averaging what what’s that Nick about 34 points game two again about 35 points in game three he had 18 against the Nuggets 14 against the Wolves and then 24 which is still good but just far from 38 and 34 that he had earlier in the series yeah and the the turnovers were the worst part of it and that they were worst part of it for the Thunder thunder had 19 turnovers this game the Pacers only at 15 which 15 you usually wouldn’t want against the Thunder you kind of be like “Okay I’ll I’ll take it.” I also This is something This is very rare in sports television what I’m about to do wow i would like to compliment bro i had I mean you’ve done it before i’m just There’s a history we were in boxes i had COVID brain it’s not fair to bring that up um I would like to compliment the officials oh through this whole series i think they’ve been excellent i think that they’re that this is an exceptionally difficult team to officiate and I think they’ve done a good job i don’t And it’s not because it’s like oh I’m complimenting them because they’re letting them beat Shay the hell up no I think they’re officiating him fairly and I would like to compliment them on not making that a flagrant foul with two and a half minutes left because that was not a flagrant foul i could see that going I could have in today’s he had no ill intentions and he tried I don’t think he revved up like Richard Jefferson thought he did but it no he it was a good it was a hard foul it was the type of foul that guys used to do five times a game well I don’t I don’t mean 40 years ago i’m just thinking about like 2018 Cleveland LeBron you know what I mean where it’s like he’s gonna he’s going to get an and one if I don’t just put both arms on my on his shoulders and the fact that he it felt to me like tried to after stopping the shot break his fall a bit because that could have been massive that I didn’t feel he tried to break his fall but he I just I agree with you that I didn’t think it was Flagger and I I thought the refs they set a tone ear like they called some fouls early on OKC that let you know this is not going to you’re not going to be able to just grab and bump them all game long so and both of them when they when they called those two fouls in the first minute I was surprised each time and then they showed the replay i’m like “Oh that’s an obvious foul that’s a definite foul.” and they set they’re setting the tone like not that we’re going to call everything but you’re not going to be able to clutch and grab that way all right let’s look forward now to game four and beyond uh there’s Tyresese Hallebertton who’s got his eyes set on a larger prize now this is proprietary graphic to First Things First but it has been out there bootlegged the winner of game three in the NBA Finals has won a H shoot I screwed it up when the series is tied 1-1 look the Pacers got an 80% chance of winning this thing historically okay that’s that’s what it says vegas agreed sort of the Pacers odds move from plus 400 to plus 185 if Vegas agreed the Pacers would right now be like what did I just Vegas agreed sort of move a little all right sort of yeah okay um they’re still underdogs but are you starting to believe that Indie can win the title i I’m starting to believe this thing is going seven and to answer your question yes well otherwise OKC’s got to win the next three games if it is you know or the Pacers win right or the Pacers get rid of them before that but I definitely think they have they can win this series now there’s no question about it i would lean toward OKC and seven i’m leaning toward that but here’s the thing if it gets to seven I actually think even though it would be in Oklahoma that’s an advantage for them because they’ve been great at home remember they’re now four and four on the road in the playoffs we’re a team that’s won 68 games been pretty dominant other you know Denver wasn’t dominant but been really good in the postseason to be four and four on the road says a lot two and four if you take out the Grizzlies right i mean yeah the Grizzlies Shaw was out by then and the whole thing but Ind so I can’t say Indiana would have the advantage in the game seven but I think there is something to nobody thinking they were even going to get there including the two teams like OKC is human them being the what was it the biggest favorite ever was it or one of the biggest favorites ever yeah it would be the biggest favorite to ever win tied with the 04 Pistons okay so so one of the biggest favorites ever and they’re hearing that going into this series they’ve been dominant throughout the the season hearing that they’re one of the best teams ever maybe a dynasty in the making and now you’ve got this team that’s now in a seventh game with you like there’s an advantage there for Indiana in their minds the Pacers cuz they know like we got this team it’s it’s almost like a bully who thought he was going to roll over somebody now he finds out okay this is a tough fight and now that can work against him so I think if Indiana gets to seven they got a great and they’re clutch it’s just like I thought last night when it’s tied with nine minutes left I felt like this is advantage Pacers and so they are a clutch team if it’s close in a game seven fourth quarter you got to be looking at Indiana in that point so and here’s the other thing Nick they have other than when they’re not turning the ball over they pretty much solved OKC’s defense well because they’re shooting 48% they’re shooting 39% from three so even the turnovers is huge yeah but 14 and 15 you can live with that they averaged 12 in the regular season they’re one of the best like especially when you’re not they are not letting OKC turn these turnovers into points that’s their defense like they’re just getting back and making sure even if we turn it over we’re not going to give them points they OKC’s had 14 points off turnovers in each of the last two games that’s nothing when you’ve made 14 and 15 turnovers so they got a real shot at this for sure i I can’t believe it but yeah absolutely they have a real shot and I don’t think the Pacers are looking at it like let’s get it to a game seven i think the Pacers are looking at it like if we don’t lose at home we’re champions and it’s a crazy spot to be in but I also think it’s advantage a slight advantage Indiana that this is the one uh quick turnaround spot where they play tomorrow every other game there’s two days between they play tomorrow i think that all of a sudden the Thunder if you’re diagonal you’re like man do I make another starting lineup change like does Caruso go in the starting lineup do I go back to the lineup that going into this series was 80 and 18 well the team was 80 and 18 I know that wasn’t the same but primary starting five and then there is the added pressure for Shay which is everything was in front of you best player in the league discussion was going to be there greatest seasons we’ve ever seen by a guard we were having it the start we didn’t do it on this show but other shows certainly did the the what’s the next five years look like for this team all of that was right there and listen you are allowed to have an off night and I think last night I don’t think last night was an awful night i think it was an off night but Shay Gilis Alexander walks into this game four with the weight of the world on his shoulders and it should be that is the great thing about sports and I by the way expect him to answer the bell but that it’s just so much there where the Pacers there is no scenario they are going to feel uncomfortable in and there is no scenario that that crowd in Indiana in game four is going to feel like we’re out of it and that’s a dangerous thing and this is no disrespect to OKC i felt I felt the crowd more last night than than I had in games one and two like they just seemed more it felt louder you know i obviously I’m just watching on TV but it just felt like they were h having more of an impact on that game of OKC crowd thanks for watching subscribe here to get more from the show and to check out clips from other shows on FS1

The Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and are now up 2-1 in the series. Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuss the shocking win by the Pacers, and what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performances mean for the Thunder. Plus, they ask if the Pacers can win the NBA Finals.

#FirstThingsFirst #NBA #NBAFinals

The all-new FOX Sports App, built for the modern sports fan: https://tinyurl.com/y4uouolb

► Breakfast Ball’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastBallonFS1
► First Things First’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstThingsFirst
► SPEAK’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpeakOnFS1
► The Facility’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFacilityonFS1
► All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AllFactsPod

About First Things First:
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes team up on First Things First. The trio offers their take on a bevy of sports stories alongside special guests from across the sports world.

Pacers beat Thunder in ‘shocking’ Game 3, SGA was ‘flustered’, Can Indiana win? | FIRST THINGS FIRST
https://www.youtube.com/@FirstThingsFirst