The Oklahoma City Thunder were the first team to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. This is the first time the Thunder have advanced to the Finals since 2012. In addition, the Thunder are the second-youngest team ever to reach the NBA Finals, behind the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers. Since they punched their ticket first, they had to wait and see who their matchup would be in the Finals, which gave them a couple of days of much-needed rest.
However, their wait was short-lived as the Indiana Pacers advanced to take on the Thunder after beating the New York Knicks 4-2. The Finals are now set between the two teams that got their best player through trading away Paul George. The Thunder are heavy favorites to beat the Pacers, but there are key things the Thunder need to do to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Let’s dive into three keys for the Thunder to have a good chance at winning the NBA Finals.
3 Keys For The Thunder To Win The NBA Finals
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren Have to Play Well
The Thunder are one of the deepest teams in the NBA, but their team goes as their big three does. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP and the Western Conference MVP as he has been stellar throughout the playoffs. However, as we saw last year, when he didn’t get much help from the rest of the team, the Thunder struggled and lost to the Dallas Mavericks. Furthermore, the same thing has been happening in these playoffs, as the Thunder are essentially unbeatable whenever Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren perform.
In the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies, Holmgren and Williams played extremely well. Holmgren averaged 18.5 points per game, and Williams averaged 23.3 points per game to help the Thunder sweep the Grizzlies. In the Conference Finals, they did the same thing, with Williams averaging 22.2 points per game and Holmgren averaging 18.0 points per game to help their gentleman sweep of the Timberwolves. However, the one series that went to seven was when Holmgren and Williams struggled the most. Williams averaged 17.6 points per game, and Holmgren averaged 14.1 points per game. The Thunder will need them to perform in the Finals if they want a chance at winning.
Thunder’s Defense Must Stop the Pacers’ Elite Offense
The Thunder’s defense has been dominant all year, and that has been no different in the playoffs. Oklahoma City thrives on scoring points off turnovers, which allows them to go on these 10-0 or 15-0 runs. In addition, their defense has allowed them to get four 30-point blowout wins, the most ever in a playoff run. However, they are going to be getting their biggest test of the playoffs against the Pacers, as their offense has been hitting on all cylinders.
The Pacers are second, just ahead of the Thunder, with 117.4 points per game in the playoffs so far. Furthermore, they have the best field goal percentage in the playoffs, with 49.7% from the field and 40.1% from behind the arc. The Pacers also lead the playoffs with 28.1 assists per game, as they are an unselfish group. The Pacers also don’t turn over the ball a ton, as they only average 12.7 turnovers throughout the playoffs.
These stats are super important because the Thunder thrive on turning you over, and the Pacers don’t turn over the ball a ton. In addition, the Thunder have a tendency to give up a lot of open corner threes, and the Pacers shoot the three-ball extremely well. If the Thunder let the Pacers get in transition a lot where they can’t set up their defense, don’t force enough turnovers, and give up a ton of open corner threes, OKC could be in trouble.
The Thunder Have to Win the Bench Battle
The Thunder have one of the best benches in the NBA, and they have won the bench battle in all three series of the playoffs. Whether it be the defensive impact that Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace bring, or the three-point shooting that others bring, like Aaron Wiggins. However, the Pacers are another deep team and go 10-11 deep as well, and can match what OKC brings off the bench. The Pacers and Thunder both have a solid starting five that should play well. Ultimately, this series could be determined by whichever team’s bench plays the best and which one has the most impact on the game.
The Last Word
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is on June 5th, and this game is going to be a heavy feel-out game as neither team is familiar with the other. After that, the adjustments will start, and it will be interesting to see how both teams adjust to each other’s play. If the Thunder can do the three keys listed above, they will have a great chance of walking away with a championship. These Finals should be very competitive as both teams match up well with one another. However, the Thunder are favorites for a reason and should win the series, if they win, it could be the start of the next dynasty in the NBA, as the Thunder are still a young team.
Featured image: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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