Everybody's been talking about how it isn't a good idea for the Pacers to allow the Thunder to build up a big lead early in the game. But it also isn't wise to be down by anything close to 10 points in the fourth quarter against Indiana at home, complete with a confident Tyrese Haliburton. You're not likely to overcome those odds.
Chet Holmgren once again showed why he's perhaps the most-unique player in this series, and the Pacers' interior defense, like most teams in the league these days, sucks. But also like most teams these days, the Thunder play like they don't know how to capitalize on a size advantage.
That said, if the Pacers themselves play a more versatile game, i.e. using their bigs in the post more during Game 4, they may be able to deliver a knockout punch. They've re-established control of the series, but honestly it still kinda difficult to declare them forthrightly as the better team.
One thing I say about the NBA is that, in theory, any team can beat any other team. "You have to be in it to win it", as the saying goes, and you know, you can't actually beat Lebron unless you first on the right of being on the court with him. The way the Pacers have been winning this offseason, now facing their third opponent in a row who is, all things considered, superior, kinda gives the impression that their winning was meant to be.
SHOUTOUT TO T.J. MCCONNELL
Besides for Haliburton, Turner, Siakim and Toppin (and to a lesser degree Thomas Bryant), the only other Pacer I'm sorta familiar with is T.J. McConnell. And again, an overachiever.
The biggest fantasy of any basketball nobody, even those of us reading this blog, is to one day make an impact in a big, championship-level game. You can't really ask for more as a C-lister. And at the end of the day, that may be the one biggest advantage Indy has over OKC. Their role players like really-really step up. There are stretches when Indiana's big three aren't really doing shit, but the team is being carried by someone you like never heard of. And that includes Obi Toppin. The only reason I really know who he is because he used to play for the Knicks. Meanwhile, OKC's role players also step up from time to time, but they don't like takeover games.
Meanwhile, you have dudes like Mathurin, like whodafuk is that nigga?! Dude's first name is deadass "Benedict". And then, remember that time Neismith dunked on Mitchell? I don't like using the term 'catching a body' in reference to someone getting dunked on, but Neismith deadass bodied Donovan Mitchell during Round 2. When you look at Neismith and Mathurin, they have like average NBA player height, build and color. But again, overachievers.
All things considered, it's hard to make suggestions on how OKC can right their ship, if such is actually necessary. Again, Indy winning a couple of games doesn't instantly make them the better team. Me being the type of analyst I am, I would say that the Thunder need to focus more on their height advantage. But again, teams don't even know how to do that these days.
I BELIEVE IN 'THE GREAT WHITE HOPE'
As a longtime fan of the NBA, I know that No. 1 draft busts are a lot more common than outsiders may think. So I understand, all things considered, how there's a significant amount of skepticism surrounding Cooper Flagg. I would like to think, in part due to this blog, that the days of blind dickridin are over, or at least they may be as far as draftees are concerned.
But I believe Flagg is going to make an immediate impact and may thrust the Mavericks back into contender status. The reasons I believe so is because:
#1 - The NBA powers-that-be more or less gave him to the Mavericks. The way I see it, Cooper was too popular to let him go to some middling organization. You know, live and learn. I think the NBA now understands that a popular draftee who is chosen by a poor organization may result in irreparable damage to that player's standing, and that's not good for business. All because Flagg is good doesn't mean he'll prove to be a franchise player like out of the gate. He doesn't come off as being a Shaq or a Duncan, but he reads like exactly the type of player this roster needs, even more than a PG.
Most No.1 picks come into the league with a significant amount of pressure. Remember how Cade Cunningham was expected, at least by fans, to instantly turn the Pistons around. That's not the case with Flagg. From the jump, he's going to be protected by AD, arguably the second-best C in the league, besides being backed by future HOFer Klay Thompson and a Dallas roster overall that's above average. If they suck this season or otherwise disappoint (which I doubt, since they have favoritism from the NBA), there's bigger names of the list to serve as scapegoat than Cooper.
# 2 - He's White. In fact, having now followed the NBA for 30+ years, I can't remember even once that a White American player was a consensus No.1 pick. Off the top of my head, I can't even recall a White American player being a lottery pick. So again, the league wasn't about to let this one go to waste, you know, being drafted by the Wizards or some other organization that doesn't excel at player development. And also, if he were drafted onto the Pelicans or some shit, you know, do they even have any nationally-televised games scheduled for next season?
# 3 - Cooper Flagg is classified as a wing, but he has the size of a PF, and the way things are sounding is that Dallas intends to use him as a big. I would say it's a lot easier to excel in the frontcourt than the backcourt, so long as you can rebound and shoot, both of which he's apparently exceptional at.
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