The Indiana Pacers struck first
in the 2025 NBA Finals, taking Game 1 against the Oklahoma City
Thunder after an improbable comeback in the 4th quarter clinched by
a game-winning jumper from Tyrese Haliburton. While the series is
far from over, Game 1 offered plenty of early lessons and
adjustments to look out for in the coming games.
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
If there’s one thing you can’t
do against the Thunder, it’s turn the ball over. Oklahoma City
isn’t just elite in forcing turnovers – they’re historically good.
Game 1 was a harsh introduction for Indiana, who coughed up
possession far too many times against a team designed to feast off
mistakes – 24 of them to be exact.
OKC’s perimeter defenders, from
Alex Caruso to Jalen Williams to Lu Dort and Cason Wallace, excel
at reading passing lanes and applying pressure without fouling. The
Thunder swarmed Indiana’s offense, collapsing on drives and
disrupting flow. Their rotations were sharp, their closeouts
disciplined, and their ability to generate live-ball turnovers
turned defense into instant offense.
Given that this was Indiana’s
first Finals appearance in decades, some early jitters were
expected. The energy inside Paycom Center was relentless, and the
Pacers’ miscues snowballed under pressure. Although they won Game 1
by a hair, moving forward the Pacers need to prioritize clean
possessions and limit turnovers if they want a real shot at winning
the series. Because let’s be real, the Thunder are still heavy
favorites despite squandering Game 1. Improved composure and better
decision-making, especially from their lead ball handlers, will be
key.
Too much space for the MVP
Indiana’s defensive game plan
allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander far too much room to operate. The
newly crowned MVP carved up the defense with his signature
patience, gliding into open mid-range jumpers and attacking
downhill with minimal resistance. Time and again, he found the
pockets of space he thrives in. SGA scored an astounding 38 points
in his Finals debut, and Indiana should do a better job in crowding
him and showing him bodies.
SGA’s ability to control tempo
is what makes him so difficult to guard. He’s never rushed. He
plays at his own pace, decelerating into stepbacks or slithering
into floaters. In Game 1, Indiana gave him too much cushion and
failed to show enough help at the point of attack.
To slow him down, the Pacers
must adjust their coverage. They need to crowd his space, get
physical, and throw multiple bodies at him. Blitzing
pick-and-rolls, shading help early, and forcing the ball out of his
hands should be top priorities. OKC’s supporting cast is capable,
but Indiana has to be willing to gamble by making others beat them.
As it stands, SGA is getting exactly what he wants.
Bench scoring advantage
One area Indiana clearly won in
Game 1 was bench production. Obi Toppin led the way with 17 points,
including five made threes, providing crucial spacing and energy.
His timely shooting helped the Pacers keep pace, particularly
during stretches when their starters were stagnant.
TJ McConnell was equally
impactful, igniting the Pacers’ second unit with relentless pace
and dribble penetration. Whether pushing off makes or misses,
McConnell kept OKC on their heels and helped Indiana stay within
striking distance. His ability to find seams in the defense and
collapse the Thunder’s perimeter gave Indiana a much-needed
offensive spark.
The Thunder, on the other hand,
didn’t get much juice from their reserves offensively aside from
Isaiah Hartenstein. While their rotation depth helped defensively,
the scoring disparity off the bench could be something to monitor
as the series progresses. If Indiana’s bench can continue to
outperform OKC’s, it could swing the momentum in tighter
contests.
Rotation chess match
Thunder head coach Mark
Daigneault made some eyebrow-raising rotation decisions in Game 1.
Most notably, he started Cason Wallace over Isaiah Hartenstein,
opting for a smaller, switch-heavy group designed to disrupt
Indiana’s ball movement and prevent easy driving lanes.
The Thunder rarely used their
double-big lineups, instead rotating between Hartenstein and Chet
Holmgren at center while leaning into versatility and perimeter
defense. At times, Daigneault even deployed a one-forward,
four-guard setup – and in a few stints, a full five-guard lineup.
The strategy prioritized switchability and speed, key components in
disrupting Indiana’s flow.
Daigneault went deep into his
bench, using 11 players in total. The most surprising cameo came
from rookie Ajay Mitchell, who logged a 4–5 minute stretch early in
the second quarter. Mitchell went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting and
finished with a -3, which showed Daigneault’s willingness to trust
his young talent – even on the Finals stage. While it didn’t pay
dividends on the scoreboard, the experience could prove valuable if
Mitchell’s number is called again later in the series. However,
with everything on the line and at stake, Daigneault must choose
between developing and going all in and trust the veterans to win
games for OKC.
On the other side, Rick Carlisle
pushed all the right buttons. Thomas Bryant and Ben Sheppard
delivered timely contributions, defending well and knocking down
big shots. Carlisle staggered minutes well, ensuring McConnell and
Toppin had favorable matchups. His ability to read the game and
make real-time adjustments helped Indiana stay competitive despite
the turnover woes.
Final thoughts
Game 1 gave us a glimpse of how
Oklahoma City’s swarming defense and MVP-led offense can control
the tempo of this series. Their blend of length, athleticism, and
discipline on defense creates chaos, while SGA’s poise and scoring
gravity center everything on offense. But it also showed Indiana
has the bench depth, coaching flexibility, and offensive firepower
to respond.
Expect the Pacers to clean up
their turnovers and tweak their coverage on Gilgeous-Alexander
heading into Game 2. They’ll need to impose more physicality on
defense and continue winning the bench battle. If they can take
better care of the ball and throw OKC off rhythm, this series has
the potential to get very interesting.
The chess match has only just
begun.
