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00:00Recapping game number two of the 2025 NBA Finals and where this series now stands with two full days off before we change venue for the first time and head to Indianapolis for game three on a Wednesday.
00:13It is time now for the scouting report from the mind of our coach, J.Y. James Young, here bright and early on this Monday morning to recap the weekend and game number two of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Pacers.
00:26J.Y., thank you for being here. How was the watch party last night with OK Dubs, Kevin Wall?
00:32It was it was quite fun. You know, note to self, Kevin gets a little excited when his bet cashes in the last minute.
00:40So it was a good time by all. I think the watch party was more fun than actually watching the game because the game was a little bit of a snooze fest last night.
00:48And that ticket did cash walk it to the window over 227 and a half, 228 and a half, finishing with 230 total points late.
00:58Oklahoma City scoring more of them by a 16 point margin, 123-107.
01:05J.Y., we asked about the Thunder's resilience.
01:08What would their resolve be after coughing up game number one, leading by nine points with two minutes and 39 seconds remaining in regulation?
01:17It's really been the story we have asked and the question we have all wondered about Oklahoma City, this young core, led by Mark Dayton, the head coach, and now the MVP and Shea Gilgis, Alexander.
01:29How would they learn and gain that experience from these postseason lumps?
01:33What did OKC continue to prove to you last night with that 16 point win to tie the NBA Finals at a game all?
01:39That even not at their best, they're the far superior team.
01:44If they play 48 minutes of basketball, and that's something that Rick Carlisle's team forces you to do, Ben, obviously, coming back from game one to get the win and get up 1-0.
01:54So Mark Dagonal's team started out hot.
01:56I love them minus the four and a half points.
01:58What I particularly like is Chet Holmgren getting off to a good start.
02:02I think he had nine points in the first quarter.
02:04Got him going early, still not a fan of not going double big lineup, which they played in spots with Isaiah Hartenstein.
02:10But to me, it was a good performance out of Oklahoma City, and then it was rolls, right, when guys got going.
02:19Obviously, it was Holmgren early, only six points for SGA in the first quarter.
02:23SGA goes to the bench at the beginning of the second quarter.
02:26Here comes Jalen Williams, who was scoreless in the first, gets seven quick points in the second quarter, and then, obviously, the play, particularly the bench, getting 38 points out of Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins.
02:38Really great performances.
02:39Their bench outplayed Indiana's bench, and the other key, like I said, is just playing throughout the game.
02:46You know, any time that it was, I think, an 18-point lead at the break, I don't think Bennett got below 12.
02:53So, any time they throw a punch, Indiana, timeout, Mark Dagonal, turn around, run back the other way by Oklahoma City.
03:02Hey, take a look.
03:03I mean, they were in a blender early, talking about the Pacers.
03:05Like, you take a look at the defensive prowess that we always talk about for OKC, Coach.
03:0820 points given up in the first quarter, 21 the second, and it was a wrap from there, which is kind of odd, because if I told you before the game, watch the Pacers.
03:16Seven players will be in double digits, like, wow, Pacers going back to Indiana, up 2-0.
03:20That had to be a fantastic performance.
03:21Answer me this question, though, Coach.
03:23Tyrese Halliburton, underwhelming in game number one.
03:26He does wind up with 17 points, but five points entering into the fourth quarter when the game was just about over already.
03:33What did the Pacers have to do to get Tyrese Halliburton going here for game number three and beyond?
03:38Donnie, in the first quarter, it was more than just a slow start for, obviously, Tyrese Halliburton.
03:43It was Pascal Siakam, I think, only had three points at the end of the first quarter.
03:46So, the two of them collectively did not play well to start the game.
03:51I thought I saw something, Donnie, in the fourth quarter.
03:54I'm going to be curious to see if it happens and it leads to game three.
03:58That's why the over four and a half points for plus money first quarter for Tyrese Halliburton is so intriguing.
04:04They did what Tom Thibodeau did with Brunson.
04:06They took him off the ball at times.
04:08He played a little bit more of a two-point backcourt with T.J. McConaughey at the point, Halliburton at the two.
04:15But then also, maybe you put number one and let him bring the ball to the floor a little bit.
04:19Here's why.
04:20Tyrese is not the explosive guard where you can start the offense, get him into a high ball screen, he can create.
04:27Not with these guards, with Dort, with Caruso, with SG, bigger, physical, more guards.
04:34Get him on the run.
04:35You saw them run dribble drops, what we call dribble handoffs, into a ball screen.
04:39So if you get him on the run, maybe you can turn the corner.
04:43I saw a bunch of plays like that in the fourth quarter.
04:45Wondering if that's what you want to see Rick Carlisle go to in a game three.
04:50Get Tyrese Halliburton the ball on the move rather than stand still.
04:54We'll talk more adjustments for Indiana as they head home for game three on Wednesday night in just a little bit.
05:01And if there is still optimism, maybe a glass half full perspective for the Pacers.
05:08For Oklahoma City, JY, this is what we expected.
05:12And it's what we anticipate night in, night out out of the now NBA MVP, Shea Gilgis-Alexander.
05:17Game high 34 points.
05:19He has scored a total of 72 in the first two games of this NBA Finals.
05:24The first two of his Finals career.
05:27But as you look up and down that stat board for all of the significant outcomes for OKC last night,
05:33was it 34 points out of Gilgis-Alexander?
05:36Or did something else stand out to you to be even more key for the Thunders' victory last night?
05:42Well, the Pacers are about to sum it apart.
05:44And if you get 38 points and 9 out of 16 from Caruso and Wiggins,
05:49with those starters, you're not losing.
05:52I mean, you're not losing.
05:53Because I think Oklahoma City has the advantage with the starting lineup.
05:57What you saw early on was a lot of dribble drive action by SGA kickouts.
06:02SGA had eight assists.
06:04Ben, he could have had 13 or 14 if they knocked down open shots.
06:08And he did not do so early in the game.
06:10Caruso was the guy that kind of got going in the second quarter along with Wiggins.
06:14Those two, the ability to knock down threes and offset the bench of Indiana is key.
06:21I just think that's the thing that makes Oklahoma City so interesting.
06:26Because I said before the series started that I thought that Oklahoma City is everything Indiana does,
06:32but better, right?
06:34That includes the bench.
06:35If you get 38 points out of those guys,
06:38if you keep Hartenstein off the bench to get you eight rebounds,
06:40diming people up with four assists,
06:42Isaiah Joe giving you some minutes defensively,
06:44didn't shoot the ball well,
06:45they have enough that if their second group can stay even or even a tiny bit ahead of Indiana
06:54in regards to their bench production,
06:57it's a wrap because they have so much they can do better with their starting line
07:00being offensively diverse in Oklahoma City.
07:03Yeah, 38 points off the bench between two players,
07:05absolutely stroking it from three-point range.
07:07That's fantastic.
07:08That's the expectations that you love to see,
07:09and particularly when you're on your home court.
07:11Now, things do change when you get onto the opponent's court
07:13of how some of those B-roll and C-roll players actually wind up there.
07:17But we do have extra time in the finals, Coach.
07:19We're not playing every other day here.
07:21The changes that need to be made,
07:22because the expectations for game number one
07:24were similar to what I expected for game number two.
07:26Oklahoma City's the better team.
07:27Eventually, they're going to impose their will.
07:29Weren't able to do that in game number one,
07:31a nice comeback from the Pacers,
07:32but now we sort of get back to level in game number two.
07:34Moving forward, are there some changes that you would like to see
07:37between either one of these teams that, you know what,
07:39could make a big difference here?
07:41Well, I think I want to see the double big lineup,
07:44because I think that that was a reactionary by Mark Dagonal to go small.
07:48I still get concerned with Chet Holmgren
07:49getting himself in foul trouble, possibly being a five.
07:53He benefits by being neck to Hartenstein.
07:56We also saw a couple of times that Oklahoma City did a lot
07:58during the regular season, Donnie.
08:00High pick and roll, short roll,
08:02which means instead of Hartenstein rolling away to the basket,
08:04you roll him to the elbow,
08:05and then you get a quick lob to Chet at the rim.
08:08That was something we saw a couple of times.
08:10We saw a lot during the regular season.
08:12I want to see that more out of Oklahoma City in regards to that double big lineup.
08:16In regards to Indiana, it's just they've got to find a way to unlock Siakam
08:21and Halliburton earlier in games.
08:24I don't, listen, the way that they are so good offensively,
08:28I think it's extremely hard to come back on Oklahoma City.
08:31You've got to stay close to the vest.
08:33You've got to watch the runs.
08:34We used to have a sign, if you get scored on three straight possessions, burn a timeout.
08:39I don't care.
08:40You can't take them home after the game.
08:42So if you're Rick Carlisle, watch the runs, get the timeouts quicker,
08:46and try to keep the game as close as you can so you can steal it in the end.
08:49That's their recipe.
08:51That is how the Pacers have done things on this run of the NBA Finals.
08:55We're in Indianapolis inside Cambridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.
09:00Two days from now, it will be the first NBA Finals game in Indy in two and a half decades.
09:06We'll get you set for Game 3.
09:08The adjustments that need to be made and coaches updated predictions
09:12for the remainder of this championship set with a series tied at a game apiece.
09:17That's next.
09:19Live right here on this Monday morning on the early line on SportsGrid,
09:23the NBA Finals is tied at a game apiece.
09:26Indiana steals game number one.
09:27OKC responds with a 16-point win in game number two.
09:32Our coach, J.Y. James Young, is still here.
09:35And J.Y. entering the NBA Finals between OKC and Indiana.
09:40Your prediction, Thunder in five.
09:43On Friday, after game number one in Indiana's masterful comeback,
09:47I asked you for an updated prediction.
09:50You stuck to your guns.
09:52And you still said Thunder in five.
09:54Now with OKC equalizing last night and a minus 560 outright favorite to be crowned an NBA champion
10:03and hoist that Larry O'Brien trophy.
10:06What is the updated projection from you?
10:09You know what?
10:10I think you're trying to bait me into a switch.
10:13I'm not switching.
10:14Thunder in five.
10:17The critical game will be game three.
10:19And to me, for Indiana, obviously, that's why the spread is so low.
10:22If they don't get game three on Wednesday, I think this is going to roll.
10:28Because to me, I just thought that they looked comfortable at Oklahoma City,
10:32even though I don't think they played particularly great in spots in game number two.
10:38And obviously, game number one, you saw them not take advantage of the turnover.
10:43And I think that's my concern with Indiana.
10:46The turnovers and some of the passes, particularly out of Obi Toppin as a coach,
10:52I'm literally like, oh, my Lord.
10:54Oh, what are we doing here at times?
10:57And that's a team that Oklahoma City will take advantage of that.
11:01So to me, I still like Oklahoma City in five games.
11:05If we are looking at the numbers here, just on to win the series here,
11:09I do think there could be a little bit of an advantage here.
11:11The Pacers are a plus 410 price.
11:13I do think, Coach, like I'm against the game five.
11:16I think it goes six, but I just think it's OKC.
11:18Could they win in a five?
11:19Yes.
11:19I think OKC is definitely winning the series, whether it be six and seven,
11:22which brings up my point here.
11:24OKC minus 550 right now on the price point to win the series.
11:27The Pacers at a plus 410 price.
11:29To me, and again, it's hard for the betting public to say,
11:32well, I'm going to put down $10 or $20 on a minus 550.
11:34What am I actually getting back?
11:36But I think there's a lot of value in that Thunder price point.
11:39Because to me, Coach, I don't see any way, to be honest,
11:41even though we're sitting here one-to-one with home court advantage
11:44going back to the Pacers, that the Pacers actually win this series.
11:47Well, listen, if you have the money to put up the minus 550,
11:50I would go for it.
11:51I agree with you with that sentiment.
11:53If you have enough cash to put up in front for a week,
11:57a week and a half, I would go ahead and do that.
11:58Because here's the thing.
11:59If the Thunder, or winning the Thunder, I think,
12:02win game three, that 560 is going to move.
12:05So this is the best price point you're going to get at minus 560 now.
12:10I agree with you.
12:11I don't think there's nothing that I saw in the first two games
12:15that tells me that Indiana is going to win this series, right?
12:18Usually when you get to the – this is what's, you know,
12:22typical with the NBA, right?
12:24More times than not, 99 out of 100,
12:27the better team is going to win a seven-game series.
12:30It's different than when you get to a situation like hockey
12:33where you deal with a hot goalie or you get to a couple of starting pitchers
12:37that can get rolling in a series.
12:39Usually the cream over rises to the top.
12:42It's come down because of its 1-1.
12:44So to me, if you have the money to take them now,
12:47take them now because when they win game three,
12:49that number is obviously going to move.
12:50We've also talked about Shea Gilgis-Alexander as the individual,
12:55his price basically matching that of his team to win hardware for SGA
13:00to be finals MVP minus 500.
13:03Again, if you're willing to lay the chalk because you want to focus
13:06on the outright outcome after 34 in game two, 38 in game one,
13:12and OKC may be winning this series rather quickly,
13:15Shea Gilgis-Alexander is going to win NBA finals MVP.
13:19But, J.Y., we have hoped for a competitive series.
13:22Indiana did steal game number one on the road in OKC.
13:26The Pacers have been a sensational underdog throughout this postseason run.
13:31They are 8-4 outright.
13:33So for game number three on Wednesday,
13:36with Indiana getting four and a half points,
13:38if this series is to even see a sixth game,
13:42what do the Pacers need to do in game three
13:45in the remainder of the way to make this competitive?
13:49Their best players have to step up early and often,
13:53and that's why you're looking at that four and a half
13:55for both Halliburton and Siakam in the first quarter.
13:59Aaron Naismith, who has become a lethal dagger shooter
14:03in the fourth quarter of these comebacks,
14:05may need to knock one of those two down early on in the game.
14:09And then you just got to hope that, Ben,
14:11that when you go on the road like Oklahoma City,
14:13that if you're Indiana Siak, you shoot better,
14:17your role guys play better at home,
14:19then you got to hope that the role players from Oklahoma City play worse.
14:24So look at Nembrard.
14:25Look at Obi Toppin, who was fantastic in game one with five threes,
14:28was barely hitting the rim in game two
14:30and throwing the ball all around the gym.
14:32It's about a fast start by the starters,
14:34using your bench and relying on your home crowd to keep that game close
14:38and hope that momentum takes it.
14:40The only thing you look at Oklahoma City and say
14:43is because of the propensity and the way they've won games
14:46throughout the regular season and playoffs is
14:47if you get them in a tight spot, you can steal it.
14:51So if you're Rick Carlisle, you got to shorten that.
14:53And it's weird saying this because it's a team that runs.
14:56You got to shorten the game.
14:57So if you're going to play with pace,
14:59you got to make sure you win the rebounding battle like you did in game one,
15:03but you cannot, you cannot turn the ball over.
15:06Win the shot attempts, win the rebounding battle, win the turnovers,
15:10and that should be a good of a recipe at home to try and steal game three.
15:14Be a lot of fun for this series if we see Indiana take game number three
15:18and then you have a little bit of adversity there for OKC,
15:20must-winning game number four for OKC.
15:22But if we are looking at the betting statistics here
15:24that Ben brought up earlier in the show, Coach,
15:2695% of the money here on the spread on OKC,
15:3074% of the bet on OKC.
15:32That line sits at four and a half.
15:34So the public, overwhelming saying, you know what?
15:37I was laying 10 and a half to 11 and a half points before.
15:39Now I'm only laying four and a half.
15:40I'm ready to jump back in.
15:42Are you that way as well where you would be comfortable
15:44with the four and a half points for the Pacers?
15:46Or like the public is telling you, what?
15:48This is going to be a blowout.
15:49I'll gladly lay the four and a half.
15:51You know, listen to me.
15:52I'm actually going to play the game live
15:53because I think Indiana is going to try and throw the first punch
15:56and play with the lead.
15:57Oklahoma City has been known to be a second-half team
16:00when they get their run and they get you out of the way.
16:03So if I especially think Halliburton's going to go over four and a half
16:05and plus money, if I think Siakam can go out four and a half
16:08and a little bit of minus money,
16:09then I may take the first quarter plus the points
16:11just to win the quarter for Indiana
16:13and then jump on second quarter.
16:15Also, look at Jalen Williams' second quarter.
16:18SGA plays the whole first,
16:20and Williams sits a little bit,
16:21and the Williams starts the second quarter.
16:23Maybe also look at Jalen Williams' second quarter points
16:25once the second quarter begins.
16:26Oklahoma City has been at least a three-point favorite
16:30in all 18 games throughout the playoffs,
16:33but yet to cover on the road.
16:36Has that favored side.
16:37Other NBA questions for J.Y. next.
16:41We might only have a few games left
16:43in the NBA Finals in the 2024-25 NBA season.
16:48We are hoping for a long championship series
16:51between the Pacers and the Thunder,
16:53but as you saw from the odds
16:55and as J.Y.'s updated prediction still stands,
16:58OKC in five is the most likely
17:01and that shortest price.
17:03And J.Y., that means that NBA fans
17:05can often rejoice
17:07as they look forward to the drama in the summer,
17:10at times even more so than the games
17:12throughout a season.
17:14And a couple of big stars
17:16could just be on the move
17:18this summer and in the offseason.
17:21Let's start with Giannis Antetokounmpo
17:22and his team getting ousted by these Pacers
17:25in only five games in the opening round
17:28of the NBA playoffs.
17:29Of course, in the standoff with Papa Halliburton,
17:33John Halliburton, was that the last moment
17:35we see Giannis Antetokounmpo
17:37in a Bucs uniform?
17:39Courtesy of our Canadian friends
17:40at the FanDuel Sportsbook,
17:42we've got some next team odds,
17:44not just for Giannis,
17:45but for Kevin Durant.
17:47For Giannis, we start J.Y.,
17:49and the odds makers still expect
17:51for him to find his way back to Milwaukee.
17:54It's a minus 250 number.
17:57Do you agree with our Canadian friends
17:59at the FanDuel Sportsbook?
18:00Will Giannis Antetokounmpo
18:02be playing for the Bucs next season?
18:05No, I don't think so.
18:06I think you're looking at possibly
18:07a full rebuild here in Milwaukee.
18:10I think the main reason, Ben,
18:11is because of the loss of Damian Lillard
18:13to the Achilles tear.
18:14That team's not going anywhere,
18:16and with Bobby Portis,
18:17Pat Connors, and Brooke Lopez,
18:19they're old,
18:20let alone they got Doug Rivers
18:21coaching the team.
18:22So to me, it's a perfect opportunity
18:24to blow it up,
18:25kind of start over with that franchise.
18:27It doesn't present interesting options,
18:29obviously with San Antonio
18:30with the number two pick.
18:32You could base that around
18:32probably getting someone
18:33like a Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey.
18:35But to me, the one team
18:37that looks more intriguing to me
18:38is honestly Houston.
18:40I think Houston has the depth
18:42and the young assets
18:43and the fact that Giannis being younger
18:45than someone like a Kevin Durant,
18:47you could mix them in
18:48with maybe a Shungun and others
18:50and have a longer,
18:52let's say, championship window.
18:54So to me, if I'm looking at a team
18:55possibly to get Giannis,
18:57I'm not looking at the Spurs.
18:58It makes you look at the Rockets.
19:00Yeah, you take a look at Giannis, too,
19:02because you have to understand
19:02the franchise doesn't want
19:03to get rid of Giannis.
19:04Like, it's a city that doesn't really have,
19:07hey, let me be that destination.
19:08I mean, damn, Damian Lillard was like,
19:10I'm going to Miami.
19:10He'd go, oh, no, you're going to Milwaukee.
19:12He's like, I don't have anything to do to play video games
19:14and drive home after practice.
19:15It's boring here.
19:16So when I look at the destination cities,
19:17it's not one.
19:18You don't want to give it up.
19:19But in the NBA, coach,
19:20we know one thing.
19:21Superstars rule the roost.
19:22If Giannis says he wants to leave,
19:23he will be traded.
19:24If Giannis says he wants to stay,
19:26he will be staying in Milwaukee.
19:27I do think it's interesting
19:28with some of the outlets,
19:29but let's also flip it over
19:30to another superstar coach
19:32that's out here.
19:32That's Kevin Durant.
19:33Where is he going to go?
19:34And I laugh at this.
19:35Like, the number one odds market here
19:37that we're taking a look at
19:38are the Rockets.
19:39You and Kevin Durant
19:39on a young Rockets team
19:40that's trying to learn right now,
19:41it's like the opposite place
19:43I want Kevin Durant to wind up.
19:44Number two will be the Suns.
19:45Again, back in his home city
19:47where he's already in.
19:48The next team up is the Spurs.
19:49Plus, I don't want him
19:50going anywhere near the Spurs.
19:51So coach,
19:52when I look at Giannis
19:53going to a team,
19:53he can be a great addition here
19:55for the youngsters,
19:56for the veterans,
19:56and whoever.
19:57Kevin Durant,
19:58I don't think he makes
19:58much sense for a team
19:59that's rising
20:00to get to the next level.
20:02He has to go
20:02to the ready-made veteran team
20:04that he will say,
20:05I'm okay with not being
20:06the A1A athlete.
20:07And I don't know
20:08if he can do that.
20:09Yeah, so that's why
20:10when you're looking at it,
20:11it's those teams
20:12in the four and five slot.
20:14And I think it's going
20:15to be a mistake.
20:16If he goes somewhere,
20:17it probably could be the Knicks.
20:19You look at the fact
20:20that the Knicks
20:20are going to make a move
20:21at some point
20:22in the offseason.
20:23The fact that Rich Kleiman
20:24is agent or representative,
20:26whatever he is,
20:27has always been trying
20:28to push him to New York.
20:29And the fact that
20:30he will go to Gotham
20:32does make a little bit
20:34of sense here
20:35because if the Knicks
20:35want to change up the roster
20:37and get another
20:38bona fide sniper score
20:39at someone like Kevin Durant
20:41in a team that's
20:42in a short window.
20:43Minnesota could make
20:44some sense depending
20:45on what they're getting
20:46in return.
20:47I just don't see it
20:48with Houston
20:49or with the Spurs
20:51because there are teams
20:52that are just going
20:53into their championship
20:54window in the next
20:55couple of years
20:55and they may not even
20:56be there yet
20:57even though Houston
20:58overachieved.
20:59So to me,
21:00you're looking at Minnesota,
21:01you're looking at the Knicks,
21:02just fill it up,
21:03you try and blow it up
21:04and try and make a move
21:04and package a third pick
21:06and send them over
21:07to play for Donnie
21:08right side
21:08in South Jersey
21:09and Philadelphia.
21:10I'd rather have that.
21:1335 years old.
21:15That is Kevin Durant
21:16about to enter
21:16year number 18
21:18of his NBA career.
21:19Does he make right
21:20on the three years
21:22in Brooklyn
21:23and head across
21:23the East River
21:24to Manhattan
21:25to play inside
21:26the world's most famous arena?
21:28Now that would be something.
21:29It should be noted
21:30that both Giannis
21:31and KD
21:32under contract
21:33through this upcoming
21:34season of 2025-26.
21:37Both guys would have
21:37to be traded
21:38for this offseason.
21:40They are not
21:40free agents.
21:41Giannis, in fact,
21:42under contract
21:43through 2027-28.
21:46He does have a player
21:46option for that season.
21:48JY,
21:50we appreciate it
21:51as always,
21:51my friend.
21:52A fadeaway to the break
21:53to end out
21:54this second hour
21:55and hour number three
21:57comes away on that.
21:58Game number two
21:58of the NBA Finals
21:59yesterday.
22:00Oklahoma City
22:01equalizes,
22:02winning by 16
22:03in a bounce-back performance
22:05123-107.
22:07Thunder win
22:08by margin.
22:09They cover
22:10as an 11-point favorite.
22:12What was your main
22:13takeaway
22:13from how game number
22:14two played out?
22:15You know,
22:16this is the Thunder team
22:17that we basically
22:18expected to see,
22:19especially after a loss.
22:20You know,
22:20this is something
22:21that Kevin and I
22:21talked about
22:22on BATR
22:22on Saturday mornings.
22:23Like, listen,
22:24they're the better team.
22:25They're going to,
22:25you know,
22:26slow game one.
22:27They missed their opportunity.
22:28They're going to come out
22:29and they're going to
22:29take care of business.
22:30It may not be
22:30an easy victory,
22:31but they were
22:32relatively in control
22:33from start to finish
22:34the entire time.
22:35It was certainly
22:35close at times.
22:36Then they started
22:36to pull away
22:37and you're like,
22:37okay,
22:37this is the Thunder team
22:38that we expect.
22:39This is why the Thunder
22:39were minus 700 on series.
22:41They just are the better team.
22:42So they took care of business.
22:43It's what we expected.
22:44A big performance from SGA,
22:46obviously a much better performance
22:47from someone like
22:48Chad Holmgren overall.
22:49And this is where
22:49we should be seeing the series.
22:50Like,
22:51the Pacers have their shots.
22:52They need to capitalize
22:53on those shots,
22:53but if they don't
22:54and they can't win
22:55those coin flip battles,
22:56the Thunder is going
22:57to come out
22:57time and time ahead
22:58like nine times
22:59out of ten.
23:01And we saw that
23:02last night,
23:02Vecchio,
23:03to your point,
23:03the Thunder opened up
23:04an 18-point
23:05halftime lead.
23:06We never saw that lead
23:07get under 13 points
23:09in the second half.
23:11Never allowed
23:12the comeback Pacers,
23:13those cardiac kids,
23:14to try to pull off
23:15another magical
23:16comeback performance.
23:18And you have said
23:18this is what we kind
23:19of anticipated
23:20throughout the NBA finals.
23:22Oklahoma City
23:23to be that hefty favorite
23:24to be crowned
23:25an NBA champ.
23:26So after OKC
23:27now evens us up
23:28at a game apiece,
23:30it's a minus $5.50
23:32price currently
23:33for the Thunder
23:34to win that NBA championship
23:35as we get ready
23:36for game number three
23:37on Wednesday night
23:39in Indianapolis.
23:40It's what we expected
23:41entering Vecchio
23:42for OKC to win
23:44and maybe do so
23:45rather swiftly.
23:46How long do you think
23:47we have left
23:48in the NBA finals?
23:50I still think
23:50we go six games.
23:51You know,
23:51we talked about it
23:52last Monday.
23:53I'd like to see
23:53which to go over
23:54five and a half.
23:55I really still think
23:56the Thunder
23:56will take care of business.
23:58It's not going to be easy
23:58and again,
23:59for a lot of people
23:59coming and say
24:00this is going to be
24:00a 4-0, 4-1.
24:02I'm kind of on the 4-1
24:03to 4-2,
24:04which is why I have
24:04the over five and a half.
24:06So I'm sticking with that
24:07Thunder in the series
24:084-2 and it's all
24:09said and done.
24:10So if the Pacers
24:11can extend this series
24:13even to a sixth game,
24:14it makes game number
24:15three at home
24:16in Indy
24:17all that much more critical.
24:18Wednesday night,
24:19Vecchio,
24:20OKC now a five-point
24:21favorite,
24:21public betting heavy
24:23on the Thunder
24:24to continue to cruise
24:25as the favorite side
24:26in this series.
24:27Total 228 and a half.
24:29What is your early look
24:30for game number three
24:31of the NBA Finals
24:33on Wednesday?
24:34It's got to be
24:35Halliburton first quarter
24:36over four and a half points.
24:37What we saw from him
24:38was unacceptable
24:40in an NBA final.
24:417-13 overall,
24:43but he had 17 points,
24:45but he had five points
24:46going into the fourth quarter.
24:47He was five of six
24:47in the fourth grade.
24:48Being a great closer
24:49is awesome.
24:50One of four in the first,
24:51O of one in the second,
24:52one of two when it comes
24:52to field attempts
24:53in the third quarter.
24:54That is unacceptable
24:55from a star player
24:56to have five points
24:57going into the fourth quarter.
24:59He needs to come out strong
25:01and he needs to be consistent.
25:02He doesn't need to drop
25:0240 points,
25:03but give us 22
25:04that is even throughout
25:05the game to give your team
25:06a high offensive consistency.
25:08The Pacers have that balance
25:11and depth,
25:12but nobody yet for Indiana
25:13in this series
25:14has even scored 20 points.
25:17They'll need a masterful performance
25:18out of Tyrese Halliburton
25:19in game three.
25:21Vecchio,
25:21we appreciate it always.
25:23The early line returns tomorrow,
25:248 a.m. Eastern.